2004 BMW X3 exterior lighting problems

“HEADLAMP BULB OUT AND UPON REPLACEMENT IT WAS NOTED THE COATED WIRING TO THE XENON SYSTEM TO RIGHT AND LEFT HEADLIGHT IS BRITTLE (THE WIRES PLASTIC COATING IS FALLING OFF)AND IN SOME PLACES EXPOSED WIRING WAS FOUND. ELECTRICAL TAPE NEED TO WRAP THE WIRING TO AVOID POTENTIAL FIRE. LATE NOTICE TO THIS SITE I WAS UNAWARE TO FILE A REPORT. OTHERS ALSO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES.”

“HEADLIGHTS PROJECT ALMOST NO LIGHT. JUST PAID $130 TO HAVE LENSES CLEANED, NO IMPROVMENT. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY EYES AND COMPLAINED TO OPTHAMOLOGIST TWICE BUT MY EYES ARE OK. I'VE READ THT THE REFLECTOR BOWLS IN THIS MODEL MELT FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULB. I NEED TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION ASAP SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WAIT FOR AN INVESTIGATION.”

“MY HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM AT NIGHT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WITHOUT HIGH BEAMS ON AT ALL TIMES. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE BRIGHTER THAN MY NEW HEADLIGHT BULBS. ONLY SOLUTION SEEMS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH BMW SO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SPEND OVER 1500.00 WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM WITH A RECALL.”

“THE LAMPS IN THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY DO NOT WORK. THE CONNECTION IS CORRODED. SIMILAR ITEM WAS UNDER A RECALL FOR 2002-05 3 SERIES SEDANS (BMW RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-438) AND THIS X3 SHARES MANY COMPONENTS WITH THE SEDAN. THE LIGHTING ASSEMBLY/CONNECTOR IS SUSPECTED TO BE ONE OF THEM.”

“ZKW HID XENON LOW BEAM REFLECTORS BURNT OR CORRODED CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN LIGHT OUTPUT THAT BMW WANTS ~$3000 TO FIX. LIGHTS WERE A PREMIUM OPTION AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED BY XENON BULB REPLACEMENT. THE OUTPUT HAS DIMMED AS TO BE UNSAFE. *TR”

“THE VERY FIRST TIME I TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHTTIME TO GO BACK HOME, MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE ON BOARD, AND WE WERE MORE THAN 200 MILES FROM HOME. AFTER I TURNED ON THE LOW-BEAM HEAD LAMPS AND STARTED ROLLING, I COULD BARELY SEE THE ROAD BECAUSE THE HEADLAMPS WERE NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL.' PUTTING LIVES AND PROPERTIES AT RISK, I CONTINUED DRIVING UNTIL WE GOT HOME, ALL THE WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HIGH-BEAM LAMPS ON AND APPARENTLY GETTING THE OTHERS DRIVERS ON THE ROAD FUMING. I TOOK THE CAR TO BOTH A LAMP-ADJUSTING STATION AND A BMW DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD THE LAMPS COULD NEITHER BE ADJUSTED NOR THEIR BULBS MERELY REPLACED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS THE REFLECTOR BOWLS WERE DEFECTIVE AND HAD LOST THEIR ABILITY TO PROJECT LIGHT PROPERLY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BOTH THAT THE REFLECTOR BOWLS COULD NOT BE REPLACED INDIVIDUALLY, AND THAT BOTH (LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES) ASSEMBLIES MUST BE REPLACED AT A TOTAL COST OF MORE THAN $2000.00. MANY POSTERS IN THE BMW FORUMS HAVE VOICED OUT EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND I WISH THAT ALL WOULD FILE A COMPLAINT TO NHTSA. I NEVER DROVE THIS CAR AGAIN AT NIGHT UNTIL I HAD ? IN AUGUST…”