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E46 ZKW Reflector Recall-Open NHTSA Investigation
As most of you know, and from what I gather through several internet sites in addition to my experience, the low beam reflectors on 2003-2004 ZKW HID headlights were made of some material that degraded when subjected to the heat produced by OEM Xenon bulbs. This results in a significant decrease in light output as the reflector became scorched. I don't know the exact ins and outs, but 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.
I called the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) out of curiosity to see if the problem had been noted and if there was anything in the works to fix the defective parts. The gentleman that I spoke with said that an investigation of the issue was opened in 2009, closed at one point, and has been reopened. I gave him my information, VIN, and a description of the problem and the affected cars, and he told me their engineering staff would be sending me their ongoing investigation report with a questionnaire of sorts for me to return with more information on the issue. He also told me that the more people who report the issue, the greater the chance of some sort of recall. If you suffer or suffered from the headlight issue and have a few minutes to spare, please call the NHTSA at 888-327-4236 to report a vehicle defect. If you would rather not call, there is the option to fill out an online form. Go to http://www.nhtsa.gov/ and click the blue banner to the right "Report a Vehicle or Child Seat Defect," then choose to File an Online Form and go from there. Thanks Ed |
1: Maybe we have another "subframe type problem" on our hands.
2: Wow - what a first post. You didn't ask about Angel Eyes, what type of oil to use or how to add horsepower for under $250 - nice job!!!! |
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Stickied.
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At the very least, BMW should make it so you could buy the projector bowls without buying the entire assembly. This whole issue wouldn't be a big deal if all it required was the replacement of a $50-100 piece every 5 years or so |
Thanks for the welcome and the sticky. Hopefully some more/lots of people will get on their horse and make some phone calls...
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If the automotive industry accepts headlights as regular wear items, why did BMW and ZKW bother to change the design for other models and years? The E90 ZKW HID assemblies use a metal reflector that does not degrade over time. From BMW's income perspective, wouldn't it benefit them to continue to produce headlight assemblies that "wear" out and force their customers to shell out over $2000 for replacement? What does it matter from BMW's perspective, as headlights are a "wear" item just like a clutch or windshield wipers, right? Wrong. And BMW knows that. All auto manufactures have their positives and negatives. BMW is known for their great balance of handling and comfort among other things. The price to pay for these qualities ranges from control arm bushings that go bad soft after a few thousand miles to an appetite for rear tires when compared to your average people mover. Those are understandable. Defective, unsafe headlight assemblies are not. |
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The situation sucks, but it it is what it is. It's a mostly uphill battle. |
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I understand that the deck is stacked against us, but the squeaky wheel (sometimes) gets the grease, right? The more people who make some noise, the better our chances. I will call the NHTSA this week an see where things stand. I don't know if there will be any action or changes in their investigation, but you need to stoke the fire every now and then, right? |
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So, if you want to see how many people complained about this E46 ZKW Reflector Recall, they say you can do so here: - http://www.safercar.gov (click on "VEHICLE OWNERS" & then "Search Complaints") |
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I just submitted my complaint.
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I will call also. Also post this into as many "wth my ZKW" threads too
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Just submitted my claim online. Thank you edlvrt!
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The truck delivering my 04 330i ZHP broke down in N. Carolina, about an hour S of Richmond, VA. Picked it up there (long story). The wife and I stopped in Richmond for dinner, then headed home on I-64. As dusk turned into night, I could hardly see and had to pull over to see if the headlamps were actually on. The appeared bright from a glance, but did not project any perceptible beam pattern on to the roadway in front of me. After 2 + hours of straining to see in the twisty mountain roads, I arrived home with a tremendous headache.
I subsequently researched the issue and file complaints with the NHTSA and DOT. I was told by an engineer that the problem that I was going to have was the fact that DOT only regulates that new vehicles (and equipment) and there is no ongoing standard for lighting in terms of maintaining effectiveness over time. I fought this battle in the forums and with BMW NA to no avail, eventually I sold the car rather than pay a hefty fee for a retrofit or 33% of my purchase price for new lenses. Ironically, I had a previous 540/6 with the pixel issue on the dash and BMW sent a new unit to a dealership and I only had to pay labor. After that experience, I figured that this issue would be remedied quickly given the obvious safety impact, but to no avail. BMW seems to have changed their strategy in terms of "customer loyalty". If you are very close to the timing of your warranty running out, they will consider making some concession. Otherwise forget about it. Don't even waste your time trying to discuss the difference between wear and non-wear items. The minimum wage worker on the other end of the line most likely doesn't have the capacity to understand you and the supervisor that you will get transferred to will write you off. |
FWIW: the ZKW lights were installed in 2005 (at least early 2005s, i.e. sedans) cars as well. My 2005 330i (ZHP) has the ZKW lamps and the bowls are finally starting to burn (they were fine when I bought the car a little over two years ago and the service records don't indicate any sort of replacement--guess the PO didn't drive long distances at night very often).
I'm more than a bit annoyed about this, because it has the potential to be a very expensive problem--and because it already has me adjusting my driving habits simply to extend the life of the bowls. All the dumb little issues I had with my 323i seldom bothered me (easy or cheap to fix), but this is a ridiculous design defect. I should also add that I had OEM AL low beam xenons in that car which saw hundreds of hours of use without issue. So, I've filed a complaint as well. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on this. |
i filed out a complaint also
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Just got off the phone with a lady with the NHTSA. She was able to tell me that BMW issued a service bulletin to somehow correct the issue at the owner's expense, but the head investigator for this issue was not satisfied with the response. She gave me the investigator's name, and a quick google search provided his contact info, so I shot him an email. I'll let you know where this leads.
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I have a 2004 325i sedan with the ZKW lights. I had the burnt bowl problem. For what its worth, after researching possible solutions, I purchased new projectors from theretrofitsource.com. I bought the Infinity-type ones. I cannot recall the exact name of them. I was given a link to detailed instructions to retrofit them into the original headlight housing. It took me a week to complete the job but I was able to do it. It is not difficult, just time-comsuming. My cost for the projectors was $175 and about $20 for misc. other items I needed. A dremel tool is also needed. So for under $200 and about 30 hours of my time, I have bright xenons again.
This is not to say BMW should not address and provide a cure for the ZKW's, but only to tell you there are other options to get the lights fixed rather than go buy used bowls or new ZKW's at $1000 each. |
Did this only affect sedans or coupes/convertibles as well?
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How can you tell if you have ZKW headlights? Is there a marking somewhere? Thanks
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