2004 BMW 330CI Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 330CI years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW 330CI. That ranks 2nd out of 7 330CI model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (31 complaints, 40%), typically at around 58,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 77owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 BMW 330CI problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 31 | 40% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 17% | 4,050 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 12% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 10% | 121,127 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 10% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 5% | 100,631 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 51,345 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 BMW 330CI recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA15001) — opened Feb 24, 2015, still open, led to recall 14V668.
- Air Bag Inflator Rupture (PE14016) — opened Jun 11, 2014, closed Mar 2, 2015, led to recall 13V172000.
- Delayed transmission engagement (DP04001) — opened Feb 3, 2004, closed May 27, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 BMW 330CI. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting to the reverse position, the engine began to rev very high, and the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove reverse into the side of the home. During the incident the vehicle…
While backing out of a short driveway and placed t to drive, the vehicle revved and started speeding out of control with brakes applied. The vehicle sideswiped a neighbors vehicle before crashing head on into a tree causing it to stop. I had jerked up the emergency brake and ripped the key out of…
The adaptive bixenon headlights use biodegradable wiring. This wiring cannot withstand the headlights adaptive headlight movement. These wires can tear or worse the insulation can crumble off. This leads to a huge fire risk. Furthermore, bmw does not have any form of fixing the problem. They only…
The adaptive headlights are flickering (stationary or in motion). This points to a faulty wiring issue, according to many other owners reporting this on internet forums for this vehicle.
"takata recall" i've received confirmation my vehicle is one of the vehicle apart of the takata recall. I'm a single father of a 13 yr old son. Knowing the danger my son has been in all of this time has shaken my core comfort zone to dust. I'm now in the process to correct this bad airbag currently…
Other BMW 330CI years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 330CI | 34 | 2 |
| 2005 330CI | 33 | 2 |
| 2004 | 77 | 2 |
| 2003 330CI | 18 | 3 |
| 2002 330CI | 46 | 3 |
| 2001 330CI | 82 | 5 |
| 2000 330CI | 1 | 3 |
See all BMW 330CI problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW 330CI?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 BMW 330CI?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 BMW 330CI a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 330CI model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.