Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 BMW 3 Series owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Brake lights on both sides gets stuck on once the pedal is pressed. This produces no error codes. I was told it could be the brake pedal pressure sensor switch. I changed this and it did nothing. This is very dangerous to other drivers because they are not sure if the car is braking as the light is always on and will burn out the bulbs and melt the housing if constantly on. This can be reproduced either while parked or in motion.
BMW e46 3 Series - zkw headlights- very low light output the zkw headlights have a design flaw in which after 2-3 years of use, they dim to around 20% of the original light output. This is very dangerous when it comes to night driving. Someone driving with this issue is nearly completely blind driving around at night. This is due to the projector reflector bowl being made out of plastic, and melting from the heat. This causes the light to bleed out from the backside of the light into the housing, instead of forward onto the road. BMW noted this flaw by replaced the zkw headlamps with al branded headlamps in all the newer bmws in 2005 and on. The al branded headlights replaced the plastic bowl with metal bowls. However, all e46 3 Series sedans from 2003-2004 still have these faulty zkw headlamps. There is no easy fix to this problem, as BMW does not sell the bowls separately. …
My BMW 2003 330i is equipped with zkw headlight assemblies that have plastic xenon projector bowls installed inside the headlight assemblies. After several years of usage these projector bowls burn out and as a result, the reflective coating that allows light to be focused through the projectors are burned off reducing effective light output from the headlight assembly. Upon inspection, both my headlight assemblies suffered approximately 50% loss in effective light output due to burned out xenon projector bowls and I found that my fog lights were putting out more light than both my zkw headlights. This problem affects all 3-Series sedans made from 2002 - 2005. …
The BMW e46 (3 Series BMW) that was made from 1999 to 2006. In some cases during these years they used a lighting manufacturer "zkw" for their xenon headlights. Unfortunately these lights have a common failure issue commonly referred to as a "burnt reflector" on the internet and on BMW forums. This is a non-consumer replaceable part. When this part fails it causes the vehicle to not have effective headlights. I personally have had times where my field of vision could not see items on the road due to the dim lights. The only remedy appears to be to replace the entire headlight assembly to the tune of hundreds of dollars (well over a thousand if you do both sides). In my opinion BMW should correct this issue for the consumer. Headlights are an important safety item. To have a part fail that is not consumer replaceable is unacceptable. …
The low beam reflectors on 2003-2004 zkw branded high intensity discharge xenon OEM HID headlights on the 3 Series BMW from that model year (sedan) were made of some painted material that degraded when subjected to the heat produced by the OEM xenon bulbs. This results in a significantly decreased light output as the reflector became scorched. If it's bad enough, there is no light being projected on the road and it is very hard to see anything with the normal headlights. Either the high beams have to be used or the foglights have to be turned on. This is a safety issue. I would imagine that BMW and zkw were and are aware of the defect as the newer, redesigned headlights do not suffer from this problem. Replacement OEM headlights cost $1200 for each side.
Tl contact owns a 2003 BMW 330. The contact stated that the brake light assembly had melted. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have the brake assembly replaced since both lights failed. TSB action number 10025585 was related to the tail light failure. The contact called the manufacturer regarding a recall and was told that there was no further escalation process to follow regarding reimbursement. The contact was concerned that there was no recall related to the tail lights since a fire could potentially occur. The failure mileage was 46,578. Updated 10/20/10 updated 10/21/10 the consumer is seeking reimbursement due to recall 11V438000 being issued. Updated 05/17/12
The zkw xenon headlights have a flaw in the plastic projector housing. The housing gets too hot and melts and the light output is severely restricted. This happens to 100% of the headlights made by this manufacturer and is a safety issue. The reflective coating on the headlights melts and the light can no longer be projected out correctly. The fog lights are now brighter then the headlights. The vehicle can no longer be safely driven at night. Spare parts are not available and the only fix is to replace the entire headlights at a cost of over $2000. There should be a recall to replace the headlights as this is a safety issue of not being able to see.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 3series. The contact stated that the rear tail light warning indicator illuminated on the instrumental panel. After checking the rear of the vehicle, the tail light appeared to be operating as designed. The warning light would illuminate on an intermittent basis. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 11V438000 (exterior lighting:tail lights). The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 323. The contact stated that the headlights would flicker on and off. The turn signal light would also flicker abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised him that the taillight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V438000 (exterior lighting:tail lights). The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Real light assembly (turn signal, parking light brake light) malfunctions occasionally and none of the lights work thus, posing a dangerous situation when vehicle in motion, turning and especially at night. Problem has been going on for at least a year. It appears that the wire connector in the assembly is burning out thus causing a short, I have temporarily repaired the problem myself by cleaning the burned parts of the wire and reconnecting and protecting with electric tape.
NHTSA investigations
Rear lamp illumination
Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the…
Rear Lamp Illumination
In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact…
Rear lamp illumination
In March 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. Mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 BMW 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to BMW in April 2009, and odi received BMW's response in June 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin…
Headlight complaints in other 3 Series years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2003 BMW 3 Series?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the lights of the 2003 BMW 3 Series, 32% of the model year's 73 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 BMW 3 Series headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2003 BMW 3 Series. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 BMW 3 Series headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.