2004 BMW 325I Exterior Lighting Problems

NHTSA component category: EXTERIOR LIGHTING · data through 07/14/2026

43Exterior Lighting complaints

29.3%Of all 147 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How exterior lighting ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS61 · 41.5%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING43 · 29.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20 · 13.6%

ENGINE6 · 4.1%

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES4 · 2.7%

Share of the 147 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 BMW 325I overview page.

What owners report

“TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000…”NHTSA complaint 10986054 — filed 05/16/2017

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BECAME DIM AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO VIEW THE ROAD…”NHTSA complaint 10944364 — filed 01/11/2017

“HID (XENON) HEADLIGHTS VERY DIM. CAN BARELY TELL THEY ARE ON WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. (THE FOG LIGHTS ARE MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE HEADLIGHTS). CREATES…”NHTSA complaint 10851828 — filed 03/27/2016

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Exterior Lighting complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 BMW 325I have exterior lighting problems?

Exterior Lighting is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2004 BMW 325I: 43 of 147 complaints on file (29.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 BMW 325I have in total?

147 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 4 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's exterior lighting category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the EXTERIOR LIGHTING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.