2003 BMW 325I Latches, locks and linkages Problems
- Complaints
- 13about this part
- Share
- 7%of 199 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 104,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the latches, locks and linkages of the 2003 BMW 325I, 7% of the 199 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 104,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My 2003 Bmw 325I will not unlock. I cant get into the car. I have tried the key and the fob and the doors will not unlock. I had to break the window to get into the car only to find out the doors still will not unlock. This is a safety issue you cant unlock the doors from the inside or the outside. This is extremely concerning and a true safety issue.”
NHTSA complaint #10439295, filed 2011-12, 114,000 miles“2003 Bmw 325I 4-door sedan. Driver's side door lock will not unlock. Happens all the time. Started about a year ago. I have gone online and found many other people have same problem. Seems to me to be a safety issue. If I can't get out of the car.”
NHTSA complaint #10346651, filed 2010-08, 112,000 miles“Vehicle has recurring locking issue. When inside the vehicle, door locks stop functioning. Pressing door lock button will not work. Pressing button on remote will not work. Attempting to manually open door using door handle will not work. This is a safety issue. The last incident both myself and my child were trapped inside the vehicle in the heat and had to call 911 as we did not have the key to roll down the window. The front window had to be broken and we had to be removed through a window because the door locks would not release. We were taken to the hospital for heat stroke. …”
NHTSA complaint #10671939, filed 2015-01, 122,000 miles“Doors will not open because door locks will not unlock. Key fob button will not unlock any doors 90% of the time. Most of the time I can only get in car on drivers side with manual operation of driver's side door lock (sticking key in lock and turning). Once in car, 90% of time I still cannot unlock any other doors, even by pulling on door handle (which would ordinarily unlock the door). The interior button to unlock the doors will not work. On friday, 12/9/11, I could not even get out of the driver's side door when I arrived at my destination. …”
NHTSA complaint #10439291, filed 2011-12, 59,000 miles“The car doors at times do not unlock. It is very intermittent. A key can be used to open the driver's door but a couple of times even the door key has not worked. The most serious issue is that I have been locked inside the car and unable to open any of the doors, including the driver's door, with the main lock control or even by trying to open the door with the inside door handle. I have had to have passengers crawl out of the window to exit the car a few times. There are times when the key works to get in but I cannot get the other doors open even by attempting to use the inside door handle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10555381, filed 2013-12, 30,000 milesLatches, locks and linkages: other model years
Other parts of the 2003 BMW 325I
62 complaintsExterior lighting
48 complaintsElectrical system
43 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
18 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsFuel system
8 complaintsSteering
6 complaintsSuspension
6 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaintsEngine
5 complaintsBody and structure
5 complaintsBrakes
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 BMW 325I
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology