BMW 323i Complaints (1999)

136 consumer complaints on file.

#10217099February 6, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY REVERSE ON MY 1999 323I AUTOMATIC DOES NOT GO INTO REVERSE. IT INITIALLY WORKED THEN IT WOULD NOT REVERSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216977February 5, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REVERSE MYSTERIOUSLY NOT WORKING. GOES IN AND OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215475January 20, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REVERSE DOES NOT WORK. THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM HUNDREDS OF OTHERS CAN BE FOUND AT NOREVERSE.ORG. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN PUT OUT TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION BUT BMW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214610January 12, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY 1999 BMW 323I, HE PULLED FORWARD AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE ON OUR STREET IN ORDER TO BACK INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. AFTER PUTTING IT IN REVERSE AND TRYING TO BACK UP, THE ENGINE REVVED AND ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, THE REVERSE GEAR FAILED. IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS. I WAS PARKED AT A SHOPPING CENTER AND WHEN I TRIED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, THE REVERSE AGAIN FAILED. AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE PERSON WHO WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF ME LEFT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL FORWARD AND DRIVE HOME. THE REVERSE WAS WORKING AGAIN BY THE TIME I GOT HOME. IT BEGAN FAILING MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT USUALLY WILL COME BACK SOONER OR LATER. WE TOOK IT TO OUR BMW MECHANIC, HE SAID THE SEAL APPEARED TO BE BROKEN AND FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT. HE REFILLED THE FLUID AND ORDERED A NEW SEAL. THE REVERSE WORKED FINE FOR 2 DAYS, THEN STARTED FAILING AGAIN. THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT SINCE THE REVERSE FAILED SO QUICKLY, THE SEAL WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND WE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON MY OWN ONLINE, I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS WIDESPREAD AND UNRESOLVED. CHECK THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE FOR COUNTLESS TESTIMONIALS ON THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, THEY EVEN NAMED A WEBSITE FOR THE PROBLEM SPECIFIC TO BMW: WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10202070September 6, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1999 BMW 323I NOT GOING INTO REVERS AT 90K MILES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200831August 26, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE REVERSE GEAR IN MY BMW 323I FAILED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AS A DRUM IN THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY IS CAST FROM WEAK METAL AND COMES APART UNTIL IT FAILS TO COMPRESS THE PLATES FOR THE REVERSE GEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10199888August 17, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 1999 BMW 323I FOR THE PAST YEAR WITH FEW PROBLEMS. TODAY I GOT UP TO GO ON A ROAD TRIP, AND MY CAR WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY, BUT THERE WAS INDICATION OF A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM EXISTING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WILL COST ABOUT $3,000.00 TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. A QUICK WEB SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10189653May 3, 2007
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
REAR SUB-FRAME HAS CRACKED. OUR 1999 323I MODEL HAS 103,000 MILES AND APPARENTLY IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CALLED BMW USA N.A. TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR CHECK THE CAR ON 3/21/07 AND WAS TOLD TO GET THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID WE HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, AND TO DATE, DESPITE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1999-2005 323I MODELS. THE CAR HAS BEEN MODIFIED BY THICKENING THE METAL ON NEWER MODELS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182354February 12, 2007
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
HEATED CAR SEAT IN A 1999 BMW STARTED ON FIRE--SEAT AND COAT DAMAGED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10177685January 3, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2003 BMW 323I RUNS ROUGH ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTS UP. THE VEHICLE REACHES A SPEED OF 35-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHE HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE NOT TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO WAYNE SERVICE CENTER IN WAYNE, NJ, AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR FACILITY THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUEDTO EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE, AS WELL AS, HAVING WARNING INDICATORS WHICH SHOWED THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING WHEN IT WAS NOT OVERHEATING, AND THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE ENGINE AND AIRBAGS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171697October 24, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A POTHOLE, CAUSING THE FRONT LEFT DOOR AND FRONT LEFT SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165995August 19, 2006
TIRES
I PURCHASED FOUR P205/60R15BW AMEAG H (GOODYEAR)ON 8/2/06, THESE TIRES HAVE A 60,000 MILE TREAD WEAR. ON 8/15/06 MY CAR WAS SENT TO A CERTIFIED BMW MECHANIC DUE TO EXCESSIVE WHEEL NOISE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM OF ORGIN TO BE "ALL TIRES VERY NOISEY & L/F CHOPPY TIRE AFTER 37 K MILES." HE ALSO STATED THE L/F TIRE WAS ALMOST SEPERATED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161690July 6, 2006
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
I'M REPORTING THE MANUFACTURER PROBLEM WITH BMW ON THE SUBFRAMES OF THE 1999 E46 323I. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS ON THIS MATTER. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154672April 6, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I JUST READ ABOUT THE PERSON WHO HAD THE 1999 THAT HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRANSMISSION LIGHT GO ON. I HAVE HAD THE SAME THING. A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE SAID THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE THE "LIFETIME" FLUID AND IT MIGHT CLEAR IT OUT. WHEN PUT ON THE COMPUTER IT SHOWED A PROBLEM WITH THE 5TH GEAR. WE WENT AHEAD AND PAID TO HAVE THE FLUID CHANGED. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIRTY AND DEFINITELY A GOOD IDEA TO CHANGE IT....WELL IT DIDN'T RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY BMW THAT I WILL NEED TO PROBABLY HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED...BMW IS PART PUSHERS ONLY, NOT MECHANICS.....MY CAR IS A 1999 AND HAS ONLY 70K MILES ON IT...I HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH A CAR WITH THAT LITTLE OF MILES ON IT. I HAD SOMEONE SUGGEST NOT USING THE 5TH GEAR SO I AM DRIVING IN S4 INSTEAD OF "D". SO FAR IT IS WORKING JUST FINE, HOWEVER MY ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON PERIODICALLY. I AGREE THAT BMW SHOULD HAVE A LONG WARRANTY WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSMISSION ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ AND PRICE OF THIS "MOST WONDERFUL CAR". AT THIS POINT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BMW. I TOO PLAN TO GO INTO A TOYOTA OR HONDA. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154555April 4, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
1999 BMW 323I (E46) I DIDN'T KNOW MY GERMAN CAR CAME WITH A CRAPPY TRANSMISSION MADE BY GM IN FRANCE. IT FAILED AFTER 89,000 MILES AND REQUIRED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT BECAUSE PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. THIS COSTS $4500. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I'M SURE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT THEM ON VARIOUS BMW MESSAGE BOARDS. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A KNOWN DEFECT AND BMW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS. THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY ACTION TO RECTIFY THIS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152778March 15, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30MPH THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE AIRBAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES BEFORE BY THE DEALER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138404October 3, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
I OWN A 1999 BMW 323I. RECENTLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON ALONG WITH THE SIGN FOR THE TRANSMISSION (THE EXCLAMATION IN THE CIRCLE). THEN THE POWER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WHICH DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO DRIVE OVER 40 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE BMW DEALER NEAR MY HOME AND AFTER THEY RAN THE EXPENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC TEST THEY STILL WEREN'T SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY RECEIVED A BULLETIN FROM BMW TELLING THEM THAT RESETTING THE COMPUTER FOR THE TORQUE AND TRANSMISSION WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX, AS IT ONLY LASTED FOR ONE WEEK. THE LIGHT STILL CAME ON AND THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS FRUSTRATES ME THAT THE BMW DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I KNOW OF SEVERAL OTHER BMW OWNERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY ALL HAVE TRADED THEIR CARS IN FOR A HONDA OR SOME OTHER JAPANESE MADE CAR, WHICH I AM CONSIDERING TOO! HOWEVER, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO THIS, AS I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS LUXURY CAR AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT. NEVERTHELESS, I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, AS MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AMONG OTHERS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY BMW OWNERS AND DEALERS. A CO-WORKER'S HAD A '98 325 AND HAD ONLY ABOUT 70K MILES ON IT AND SHE HAD MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS AND SPENT ABOUT $3500 DOLLARS AND THE PROBLEM STILL WASN'T FIXED. SO, SHE TRADE HERS IN FOR A HONDA. I SPENT ABOUT $400.00 AND MY PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. I AM HESITANT TO POUR ANY MORE MONEY INTO FIXING MY CAR ESPECIALLY, AFTER MY FRIEND SPENT MUCH MORE AND HERS WASN'T FIXED, AND WHEN THE MECHANICS AREN'T SURE WHAT THE FIX IS. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ACROSS THE BOARD TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MANY IF NOT ALL BMW'S AND THE MANUFACTURER DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT IT. JUST GO TO BMWCOMPLAINTS.COM TO SEE FOR YOURSELF. I WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM AND A RECALL TO FIX THESE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136954September 19, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
EVER SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR, I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE ECM HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY AND ON MANY OCCASIONS THE DEALER WOULD JUST RESET THE COMPUTER SO THAT THE MALFUNCTION LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF. I AM POSITIVE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY SUCH E46 BMW 323I 4 DOOR CARS. THE ECM IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO HEAT OR COLD AND IT GOES OFF ONLY AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES. IT CAN SOMETIME TAKE DAYS FOR THE LIGHTS TO GO OFF. SECOND FAILURE IN THE E46 323I BMW'S IS THE AIR-BAG SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT (PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR). THIS HAS TO BE CHECKED BY THE NHTSA AS I AM FACING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE CAR ARE. BMW OWNER FORUMS ON THE INTERNET HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT DEALERS TRYING TO RIP THEM OFF ON SUCH PART REPLACEMENTS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10115713April 18, 2005
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH CONSUMER RAN OVER A POTHOLE. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AND SIDE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY, BUT NOT INFLATE. THE CAUSE OF WHY THIS HAPPENED WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK THE CURTAIN AND SIDE AIR BAGS, HEADLINER AND SEAT BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *BF *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10114225March 17, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE CEASED WORKING AFTER I HAVE COME TO A STOP AND THEN STARTED MOVING AGAIN. THIS ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE WIPERS HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED VISIBILITY AND DIFFICULTY EVEN PULLING OFF THE ROAD. IN ONE CASE I HAD TO DRIVE OVER A QUARTER MILE BEFORE FINDING A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. IT WAS DARK AND MY WAS VERY POOR. THE WIPERS WILL START WORKING IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS AND THEY HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED OR CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT I AM RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IF IT IS RAINING AND CANNOT USE IT FOR ANY EXTENDED TRIP. I AM NO LONGER CERTAIN OF THE EXACT DATES OF THE INCIDENTS. THE DATE I HAVE ENTERED IS APPROXIMATE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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