There are 23 stored owner reports matching the visibility & wipers leading-label group for the 2002 BMW 3 Series in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 23 of 23 matching reports. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)THIRD WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE ON MY 2002 BMW 325 - THREE DIFFERENT WINDOWS. I FINALLY GOT SICK OF IT AND CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE WINDOWS GO DOWN & YOU CAN'T GET THEM BACK UP. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND EASILY FOUND TONS MORE COMPLAINTS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT BMW SHOULD BE FORCED TO MAKE GOOD ON - IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND ANYONE WHO ALREADY PAID TO FIX IT SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. CHEAP ROTTEN PARTS. HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT I SAW WHEN I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET -. HTTP://REPAIRPAL.COM/REAR-WINDOW-REGULATOR-455 AND HERE IS ANOTHER ONE HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=802143. *TR
THE REAR WINDOW ROLLS DOWN AND WON'T GO BACK UP AGAIN. HA EMAIL BEEN INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT IT'S BROKEN AND WINDOW REGULATOR NEEDS TO REPLACED. THE WINDOWS ARE RARELY USED. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE FULLY AWARE OF IT. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS, RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE AS IT IS EXPENSIVE FIX. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ALREADY. MY CAR HAS BARELY 60K MILES. *TR
LIKE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE MY THIRD TIME REPLACING A WINDOW REGULATOR IN MY 2002 BMW 325I. THE MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR, AND A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR. THIS TIME I AM REPLACING THE REGULATOR ON THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THIS IS NOT AN INEXPENSIVE REPAIR. IT'S ABOUT $400 PLUS PER WINDOW. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND PROVIDE A REIMBURSEMENT TO THE CONSUMER (ME). HOPEFULLY THE NEXT REPAIR WILL BE COVERED BY BMW. I'M SURE THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEXT. *TR
THIS IS THE THIRD WINDOW I HAVE HAD THAT ROLLS DOWN THEN SUDDENLY BREAKS AND WON'T ROLL UP. WHEN I GOOGLE IT I SEE MANY OTHER BMW 325I CAR OWNERS E46 BETWEEN 2001 AND 2006 HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY A KNOWN WEAK SPOT IN THESE CARS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE TOLD THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND REIMBURSE US. MY BACK SEAT IS NEVER USED SO THOSE BACK WINDOWS ARE NEVER USED AND IT HAPPENED WITH THE BACK WINDOW - IT HAPPENED WITH BOTH THE FRONT WINDOWS - ONE AT A TIME AND EVERY TIME IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL POWER WINDOWS FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD INDEPENDENTLY OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
ON MY 325I, I HAVE HAD THREE TO FIX THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR THREE TIMES FOR TWO DIFFERENT WINDOWS, TODAY I TOOK IT IN TO FIX THE PROBLEM A FOURTH TIME AND FOR THE THIRD WINDOW. THREE OF THE FIXES HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY ' UNFORTUNATELY THE LATEST ONE IS NOT COVERED. EVEN UNDER WARRANTY, IT IS INCONVENIENT AND THIS TIME WHEN IT HAPPENED I WAS FOUR HOURS AWAY FROM HOME AND I HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOW DOWN ' IN THE COLD ' TO GET HOME. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS NOT RAINING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325I. HE STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC WINDOWS BROKE INSIDE OF THE DOOR THREE TIMES. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE THIRD AND MOST RECENT FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN SO THAT THEY COULD DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76000.
I'VE READ SEVERAL SAME COMPLAINTS RE: WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE, SO AM ADDING THIS REPORT FOR RECORD: I HAVE REPLACED TWO RARELY USED REAR WINDOW REGULATORS THAT WERE DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY (BOTH REAR DOOR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE) ON MY LOW MILEAGE 325I 2002 -- EACH WAS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED (DATES: 7/07 AND 9/09). THE WINDOW MECHANISM SIMPLY STOPPED RESPONDING/WORKING, PRODUCED A GRINDING NOISE WHEN DEPLOYED, AND WOULD NOT RAISE BACK UP FROM A PREVIOUSLY WORKING DOWN POSITION. DEALER GAVE ME A 10% LABOR DISCOUNT FIRST TIME AND THEN A 10% EACH PARTS AND LABOR DISCOUNT ON SECOND OCCURRENCE. COST AVERAGED AT $330+ PARTS AND LABOR. *TR
THE REARVIEW MIRROR LEAKED AND IT IS BLURRY NOW IN MY 2002 BMW M3. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF BMW'S. DEALER WON'T REPLACE AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MIRROR IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ITEM AND OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR
PROBLEM SUMMARY: WINDOW REGULATOR PULLEY FAILURE. ON OR ABOUT MAY 2008, DEPRESSED SWITCH TO LET DRIVERS FRONT WINDOW DOWN. UPON DEPRESSING, A LOUD CRACKING NOISE OCCURRED. SEEING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, I DEPRESSED THE SWITCH AGAIN TO GET THE WINDOW UP. THE WINDOW WOULD NOT COME UP, ONLY THE LOUD NOISE COULD BE HEARD.. THE WINDOW WAS PULLED UP MANUALLY AND STAYED IN THIS POSITION UNTIL REPAIR. THIS ISSUE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON JUNE 6, 2008 AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE PROBLEM WAS (QUOTE) "'LEFT WINDOW REGULATOR PULLEYS FAILED. REPLACED LF WINDOW REGULATOR AND NUTS'". ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 2008, WHILE RIDING ON A CALM WEATHER DAY, I CHOSE TO LET ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN. WHEN THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WAS DEPRESSED, I HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE AS IF THE WINDOW HAD CRACKED. WHEN I STOPPED TO EXAMINE, I TRIED TO LET IT UP AND REALIZED IT WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. I REALIZED I HAD THE SAME ISSUE THAT OCCURRED IN LATE MAY08 WITH THE FRONT WINDOW. THE WINDOW WAS MANUALLY PULLED UP. TO DATE IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. ON OCTOBER 10, 2008 WHILE RIDING OUT, I CHOSE TO LET THE 3 WORKING WINDOWS DOWN TO ENJOY THE AIR. AROUND 5:30PM, OCT. 10, 08 I PRESSED THE REAR PASSENGER LEFT WINDOW AND ALL I GOT WAS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE AS IF THE WINDOW HAD CRACKED. I PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REALIZE THAT I NOW HAVE A 3RD WINDOW THAT HAS NOT HELD UP IN DURABILITY. MY PARENTS HAVE HAD A CAR FOR 20 YEARS WITH POWER WINDOWS AND NEVER HAD SUCH AN ISSUE. I PERSONALLY HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR 11 YEARS THAT HAD POWER WINDOWS AND NEVER HAD SUCH AN ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR PULLEY USED FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE DEFECTIVE AS THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD UP TO NORMAL WINDOW USAGE. THIS LEFT REAR WINDOW HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. *TR
THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT OPERATE THE SUNSHADE ON MY 2002 325I HAVE BROKEN FOUR TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2003 REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE DEALER COVERED IN FULL UNDER THE CPO WARRANTY, WHICH RAN OUT IN MARCH 2008. OUT OF WARRANTY COSTS ARE $350 TO REPAIR. TRIED TO GET THE DEALER TO COVER THIS LAST REPAIR, WHICH I REPORTED JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED, BUT THEY REFUSED. *TR
REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. VEHICLE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND WINDOW WAS REPAIRED AT DEALER. OPPOSITE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. FRONT WINDOW OPERATORS MOVE THE WINDOW SLOWLY AND WINDOWS NEED MANUAL ASSISTANCE (PUSH ON GLASS) TO CLOSE. INVESTIGATED WHETHER NEW WINDOW REGULATOR DESIGN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED. DETERMINED THAT REPLACEMENT WINDOW REGULATORS ARE IDENTICAL TO ORIGINAL. THE DESIGN PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE ATTACHMENT OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE ENDS INTO PLASTIC RETAINERS. OBVIOUSLY, DURING THE CYCLES OF WINDOW OPERATION, THE PLASTIC IS OVER-STRESSED AND FAILS. PLACED WRITTEN COMPLAINT WITH BMW USA TO NO AVAIL AS THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. FIRST WINDOW FAILURE WAS AROUND 50K MILES. REMAINING WINDOW FAILURES WERE AROUND 90K MILES. *TR
I AM TAKING MY 2002 BMW 325I INTO THE SHOP AGAIN TOMORROW TO FIX THE 4TH POWER WINDOW REGULATOR TO BREAK ON THE CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT LAST YEAR. THESE HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH THIS FAILURE IS OCCURRING SUGGESTS A DEFECT. EACH TIME, THE SAME SYMPTOMS WERE PRESENT: A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE FROM THE WINDOW AND IT GETS STUCK HALF WAY AND NO LONGER MOVES. THIS TIME, I HAD DAMAGE TO MY WINDOW TINT. I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT WITH THE WINDOW DOWN WHICH IS RISKY. THE POWER REGULATOR WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER EACH TIME. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING UP AND THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REMOVED TO REINSTALL THE MOLDING. PRETTY BIZARRE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *TR
RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW FAILURE (STUCK DOWN). AT DEALER NOW BEING FIXED. ON 11/17/2005; LEFT FRONT DRIVER DOOR WINDOW FAILED STUCK DOWN. REPLACED DOOR REGULATOR. SUN ROOF WINDOW STUCK OPEN; REPLACED WINDOW REGULATOR. UNABLE TO SECURE VEHICLE (2002 BMW 325I - 4 DOOR) DURING TIMES OF FAILURES AND IN CASE OF ACCIDENT PROBABILITY OF EGRESS THROUGH WINDOWS DOUBTFUL. *JB
I HAVE HAD FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS REPLACED ON MY 2002 BMW 325I. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 16K MILES. MY FRIEND, WHO ALSO HAS A 2002 BMW 325I, RECENTLY HAD THREE REGULATORS REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY, HER CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE SHE HAS ALREADY EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE ALLOWANCE FOR THE WARRANTY. THUS, SHE HAD TO PAY A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HAVE THREE WINDOW REGULATORS REPLACED. THIS SPECIFIC PART IS CLEARLY A DEFECT. *NM
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THE LIFT REGULATOR AND POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON EVERY WINDOW EVERY SIX MONTHS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,192. UPDATED 1/19/2010 *CN UPDATED 01/27/11
ON THE BMW MODEL 325I YERAS 2002 AND 2003 THE HEATED OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS ARE HEATED. THEY ARE NOT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED AND THEREFORE ARE ALWAYS ON. THE PROBLEM ARISES IN THAT IF YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND UNINTENTIONALLY TOUCH ONE FO THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS, YOU BURN YOUR FINGERS. THIS WAS OBSERVED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN REARVIEW MIRRORS AFTER THE CAR WAS ON FOR SOME TIME. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE BNW DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE MIRRORS WERE ALWAYS ON, NOT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLED AND WERE ALWAYS HEATED. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE WINTER MONTHS AS THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS COLDER. HOWEVER IN THE SUMMER THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A CHILD OR UNWITTING ADULT TO BE BURNED ON THE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS.
HEATED MIRRORS ON ALWAYS. TEMPERATURE READING IN EXCESS OF 115 DEGREES F. POSES BURN RISK.
Showing 1-20 of 23 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
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Vehicle import recorded: Aug 30, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.