2003 BMW 330I Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2003 BMW 330I, and owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2003 BMW 330I
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
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…
Remedy: 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.
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Air bags Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Air bags Do not drive
BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available,…
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Turn signal (exterior lighting) and 2 other components
BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi vehicles manufactured from september 1, 2001, through march 1, 2005. Over time, resistance in the electrical contacts may cause one or more rear lamp functions (tail light, brake light, and/or turn-signal), within the vehicle's body panel, to stop working.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on february 15, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
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Power window devices and controls (visibility)
On certain passenger vehicles, the window lifting anti-pinching device might not function properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the electronic control unit for the window lifting anti-pinching device. Owner notification began may 27, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on…
77 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 BMW 330I have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 83,734 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 12 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The car was being driven by my house and the transmision started slipping as well as it catching and breaking one of the axles leaving the car to be stuck not being able to move period surely the most”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 7, 2020 · Air bags
“All passenger doors except driver door cannot be unlocked or opened using any method--the key or any unlock button, or using either inside or outside door handles. This leaves only the front driver do”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 3, 2018 · Structure
Compare BMW 330I model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 330I model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 BMW 330I | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 330I | 7 | 116 |
| 2002 BMW 330I | 6 | 45 |
| 2003 BMW 330I | 6 | 77 |
| 2004 BMW 330I | 4 | 113 |
| 2005 BMW 330I | 4 | 28 |
| 2006 BMW 330I | 7 | 219 |
| 2007 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2010 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 BMW 330I | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 BMW 330I | 0 | 41 |
| 2018 BMW 330I | 1 | 32 |
| 2019 BMW 330I | 9 | 41 |
| 2020 BMW 330I | 11 | 53 |
| 2021 BMW 330I | 7 | 29 |
| 2022 BMW 330I | 3 | 6 |
| 2023 BMW 330I | 2 | 4 |
| 2024 BMW 330I | 2 | 5 |
| 2025 BMW 330I | 1 | 5 |
| 2026 BMW 330I | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2003 BMW 330I
How do I know if my 2003 BMW 330I has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2003 BMW 330I; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V160000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 335I810 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.