BMW 323i Complaints

564 consumer complaints on file.

#10289262October 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO REVERSE IN 2000 BMW 323I WITH 92K MILES. REVERSE WENT OUT SUDDENLY WITH NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OR WARNINGS. BMW DEALER SAYS HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE. THE DEALERS SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY, APPROX. $5,500. FROM LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB CONCERNING THIS ISSUE, IT SEEMS BMW SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE IN MY GARAGE WHEN IT QUIT WORKING, BUT THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE JUST A FEW HOURS PRIOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10289118October 20, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
WE HAVE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH OUR BMW 323I YEAR 2000. THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL ACTUATE AND THEN YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THE CAR THROUGH 3 OR 4 DOORS. THE ELECTRIC LOCKS WILL NOT DISENGAGE AND YOU CANNOT RELEASE THEM WITH THE HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. PASSENGERS ARE BASICALLY TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR AND HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE FRONT SEAT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECURRING FREQUENTLY. AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, WE ARE USUALLY ABLE TO GET THE LOCKS TO WORK. I FOUND 10 COMPLAINTS FILED ON THIS SAME ISSUE WITH ONE DEATH AND 3 INJURIES RESULTING FROM THIS MALFUNCTION. THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE COMPLAINTS BUT I JUST LOOKED AT 3 VEHICLE YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10287319October 14, 2009
VISIBILITY
I DRIVE A 2000 BMW 323I AND AT TIMES DUE TO A FAULTY CENTER CONTROL MODULE (MOST LIKELY) I CAN NOT GET OUT OF MY CAR. IT WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE, BUT THANKFULLY I CAN ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS IF I NEED TO GET OUT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF I NEEDED TO GET OUT IN A HURRY. THE BMW DEALERSHIPS WANT TO CHARGE AN ARM AND A LEG TO JUST POSSIBLY FIX A PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10287394October 14, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWNED BMW 2000 323I WITH 79,000 MILES AND REVERSE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS MINE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285956October 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN THE MIDDLE OF A 3-POINT TURN, VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND THE REVERSE GEAR FAILED. GIVEN THAT MY CAR WOULD NO LONGER OPERATE IN REVERSE, I WAS TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. OF COURSE, I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE MY CAR FROM THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A COMMON AND WIDESPREAD ISSUE REGARDING REVERSE GEAR FAILURE. BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS TRANSMISSION IS PRODUCED BY GM, AND IS INSTALLED IN CADILLAC CARS AS WELL (FOR WHICH A RECALL WAS ISSUED). NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY BMW. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286031October 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2000 BMW 323I WITH ONLY 21,500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS KEPT IN AN INTERIOR GARAGE AND DRIVEN MOSTLY WITHIN THE CITY. UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO, I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND NEVER HAD ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION (OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER). I BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE, DROVE TO A STORE, DID MY SHOPPING AND RETURNED TO THE PARKING LOT. I TURNED THE IGNITION ON AS NORMAL, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK AND SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND TRIED TO BACK OUT, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL BUT THE DASHBOARD CLEARLY READ THAT I WAS IN REVERSE. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO INDICATOR LIGHT WENT ON, NO NOISE OR SOUND OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE CAR DID DRIVE FORWARD, SO I WAITED UNTIL THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME LEFT AND DROVE MY CAR TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR. THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF A TRANSMISSION REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT UNTIL I GAVE THEM $300 TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I DECLINED AND BROUGHT IT TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THE MECHANIC REMOVED A PAN AND SHOWED ME THE LIQUID WHICH WAS BLACKISH IN COLOR. HE SAID THAT IT HAD ALUMINUM POWDER IN IT, INDICATING THAT SOMETHING INSIDE PROBABLY BROKE AND CAUSED BURNING. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DECIDING WHAT TO DO NEXT: EITHER GET THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED OR HAVE IT REBUILT. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE BMW DEALERSHIP I GOT THE CAR FROM REFUSE ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285873September 30, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BMW 323 LOST REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING! WITHOUT WARNING, MY 3000 BMW 323I WITH 62,300 MILES HAD NO REVERSE. CAR WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION GARAGE. PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A BROKEN REVERSE DRUM THAT SHED METALLIC PARTS THROUGHOUT THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRING A OVERHAUL. COST $2800. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284985September 23, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
'2000 BMW 323I, 108K, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE. ENGINE REVVED UP, BUT NO ENGAGEMENT. THIS IS SO FAR INTERMITTENT AND HAS TAKEN PLACE THREE TIMES WITHIN 1 WEEK. ALL OTHER GEARS APPEAR TO WORK FINE. ALL INSTANCES I HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH CAR OUT OF PACKING SPOT. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP AND REVERSE WORKED AT THE TIME SO COULD NOT DETERMINE FAULT. I HAVE SINCE SEEN MANY IDENTICAL REPORTS LISTED ON WEB. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284796September 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2000 BMW 323I WITH ZERO ACCIDENTS. THERE ARE 88,000 MILES ON IT, AND SUDDENLY THE REVERSE GEAR IS NOT WORKING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS VERY MAKE AND MODEL. I CONTACTED BMW IMMEDIATELY AND NOT ONLY DID THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS TRANSMISSION, BUT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO ABOUT MY SITUATION. THIS IS A RIDICULOUS PROBLEM TO HAVE AT ONLY 88,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT FORMAL NOTICE OF BMW'S DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284468September 18, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, AIR BAGS
I HAVE A 1998BMW 323IS AND I RECENTLY MET WITH AN ACCIDENT ON SUNDAY 9/13/2009. MY FRIEND WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND IT CRASHED VERY BADLY. THE WHOLE FRONT PORTION IS GONE AND CAR IS REUSABLE. WHAT SURPRISES ME IS THE AIRBAGS NEVER CAME OUT. ONLY THE SIDE AIRBAG(DRIVERS SIDE) JUST CAMEOUT1/2. IS THIS WHAT HAPPENS IN A CRASH?HOW CAN I TRUST CARS IN THE CRASH? *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284557September 18, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2000 BMW 323I WITH 93K MILES. MY CAR HAS NEVER MISSED A SERVICING. YESTERDAY, WHILE PARKED, IT WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. THERE WAS NOT WARNING THAT ANYTHING WAS FAILING. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED BMW SPECIALIST, AND THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THEY QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $5,520 TO INSTALL A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FROM BMW. I HAVE READ ONLINE OF HUNDREDS OF VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY WITH BMW 2000 323I. I AM SEEKING INFORMATION ON THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLED IN NJ IN 10/08, MDL 1922. BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT BY GM. THE SAME TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED IN THE CADILLAC. WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, GM RECALLED ALL THE CADILLAC'S. BMW SHOULD DO THE SAME THING. A TRANSMISSION NOT GOING IN REVERSE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284410September 17, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I GOT INTO MY 2000 BMW 323I, AND PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE BUT THE DID NOTHING BUT IDLE. I'VE BOUGHT THE CAR USED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO WITH 92K MI, AND I NOW HAS 100K. THE CAR CLEARLY HAS BEEN MAINTENANCE METICULOUSLY AND THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY KIND PRIOR TO THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283968September 15, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2000 BMW 323I AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD NO REVERSE AT 72,000 MILES. ALL THE OTHER GEARS WORK FINE. THERE WAS NO SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND COST ME $3000. ITS BEEN 4 YEARS SINCE AND STILL NO RECALL DESPITE THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND SITUATION. BMW OUTSOURCED THIS TRANSMISSION TO GM WHO USED THE SAME ONE ON THEIR ESCALADES WHICH ALSO FAILED. GM REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE BMW'S BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSOURCED....IT WOULD BE REAL NICE IF SOMETHING WAS DONE AND I GET BACK SOME OF THIS MONEY SOME DAY... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283661September 11, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THERE IS NO POWER. ENGINE REVS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. FORWARD GEARS SEEM FINE. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. NO WARNING INDICATORS. ESTIMATED COST OF REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS $6K. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282723September 3, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
AUTO ACCIDENT RESULTS IN DEATH OF A PASSENGER DUE TO THE INABILITY TO UNLOCK CAR DOORS IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXIT AUTO WHICH CAUGHT FIRE SHORT AFTER AN INTERSECTION ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGERS WERE UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR LATCH, UNABLE TO PULL ON DOOR LOCK KNOBS THAT ARE FLUSH TO DOOR PANELS AND UNABLE TO PRESS ON MAIN DOOR LOCK SWITCH WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO EXIT VEHICLE QUICKLY AND SAFELY. THREE PASSENGERS EXITED THROUGH A BROKEN WINDOW BUT UNFORTUNATELY ONE WAS NOT SO LUCKY. BMW CHOSE TO IGNORE ALL REQUESTS FOR A RECALL ON A "GENERAL MODULE 5 - DOOR RELAYS" FOR 1999 BMW 323I'S DUE TO UNWANTED COSTS TO THE AUTO MAKER, UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME THE COST WAS PAID BY A FAMILY WHO HAD TO ENDURE THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED IN REGARDS TO THIS DOOR LOCK MODULE YET NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS DEFAULT. HOPEFULLY A POLICE REPORT, A DEATH CERTIFICATE, AND LETTERS FROM THE VICTIMS FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE ENOUGH TO SHED LIGHT TO THIS DEADLY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#10282070August 28, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAD DROPPED MY WIFE OFF AT WORK AFTER LUNCH AND WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING STALL. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, LET OFF THE BRAKE AND WAS WATCHING FOR CARS BEHIND ME. I WENT TO GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS TO CONTINUE BACKING UP AND IT REVVED UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THEN BACK IN REVERSE AND STILL NOTHING. NO GEAR OR NOTHING. I DROVE HOME IN DRIVE JUST FINE. I PUT IT IN THE GARAGE. I HAVE TESTED IT SINCE AND IT DOES NOTHING IN REVERSE, BUT DRIVES JUST FINE IN DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278652July 29, 2009
SUSPENSION:REAR, STRUCTURE:BODY
MY 2000 BMW 323I HAS SUB FRAME FRACTURES AS DEFINED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST BMW. IN THE SETTLEMENT, BMW HAS AGREED TO INSPECT AND REPAIR ALL EFFECTED VEHICLES. THE DEALER TOLD ME MY CAR WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND OFFERED ME A CASH SETTLEMENT WELL BELOW AVG TRADE-IN VALUE. I WANT MY CAR FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278161July 24, 2009
AIR BAGS
ON JULY 1, 2009 RECALL REPAIRS WERE MADE AT UNITED BMW ROSWELL, GA FOR A RECALLED AIRBAG MODULE. A WEEK LATER MY 2000 BMW 323I WAS PARKED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED AND A TOW TRUCK WAS SENT TO PICKUP AND RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER A DAY OF DIAGNOSTIC WORK ON THE CAR THE DEALERSHIP STATES THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN FRONT END COLLISION. BMW NORTH AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED AFTER DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND IS CURRENTLY BEING "INVESTIGATED".... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277980July 22, 2009
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY BMW 323I NO LONGER GOES INTO REVERSE. I READ ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN BMWS AND I'M WONDERING WHY BMW HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS AN IDENTIFIED COMMON PROBLEM. THE WEBSITE I FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS ON IS: HTTP://WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG/COMPLAINTS.HTML THE PROBLEM PRESENTLY IS CONSTANT - THE CAR JUST HAS NO REVERSE FUNCTION ANY LONGER. I HAVE NOT HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A SHOP AS THEY WANT $550 TO TAKE THE TRANSMISSION OUT TO EVALUATE (AND THAT COST GOES TOWARD EXPENSE OF REPAIR BUT IF THE REPAIR IS UNAFFORDABLE - IT IS TOO RISKY TO HAVE THEM DO THE EVALUATION AND SPEND $550 FOR NOTHING). SO NOW I'M IN A POSITION WHERE I CAN'T EASILY SELL THE CAR EITHER SINCE I CAN'T EXACTLY DETERMINE EASILY WHAT IS WRONG. FROM WHAT I READ IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE D-G CLUTCH DRUM THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION. THIS SAME CAR ABOUT 4-5 YEARS AGO HAD FAULTY WIRES WITH THE FAN WHICH WOULD NOT STOP RUNNING. THIS CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND $5000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275851July 6, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2000 BMW 323 CSI WITH 81,000 MILES. SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF REVERSE GEAR NO WARNINGS. OTHER GEARS APPEAR UNAFFECTED. CAR APPEARS TO BE IN NEUTRAL WHEN IN REVERSE, ENGINE REVS WITH NO EFFECT. SUGGESTED REPAIR: REPLACE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION FOR A COST OF $6,700. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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