BMW 328i Complaints (1999)

98 consumer complaints on file.

#10355072September 12, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WENT TO BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE AND MY 1999 BMW 328I WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THE SHIFT LEVER SEEMED TO BE WORKING. THE INDICATOR ON THE DASH SAID "R". BUT THE ENGINE JUST REVVED. I PUSHED IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND DROVE TO MY AUTO MECHANIC. WHEN I GOT THERE, IT WAS WORKING PERFECTLY. I DROVE IT AROUND FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND THEN IT DID IT AGAIN. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 10 MINUTES I CHECKED AGAIN AND IT WAS WORKING. I CALLED TWO BMW DEALERS AND ALL THEY WOULD SAY IS "YOU NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST 5 GRAND". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350555August 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY 328I BMW NOT GOING INTO REVERSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321555March 23, 2010
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SUSPENSION:REAR
BMW 328I YEAR 1999. I HAVE HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A REPUTABLE TECHNICIAN WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR HAS PROBLEM WITH REAR SUB-FRAM SEPERATION AND CRACKING. HE MENTIONED THIS IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHCILE TO LOSE CONTROL. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THIS YEAR AND MODEL HAVE ONGOING PROBLEM. AFTER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON WEB, THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SAME MODEL YEAR(S) 1999-2002 3 SERIES BMW CARS. I HAVE OVER 200 NAMES MYSELF, OF LOGGED COMPLAINTS ON A BMW BLOG SITE. HERE IS MY COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA AT ABOUT 112K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAS MULTIPLE STRESS FRACTURES AND SEPERATIONS AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT IS WELDED TO THE UNI-BODY. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINT. INSPECTIONS AT NORMAL INTERVALS. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY 90% OF THE TIME AND THE REST IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS. IT IS A FAMILY CAR AND HAS HAD NO MODIFICATIONS PERIOD. THE CAR WAS PRUCHASED WITH A BMWNA CPO WARRANTY THAT HAS SINCE EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO COVER ANY REPAIR COSTS ( ESTIMATED AT >3000 DOLLARS) BMWNA HAS IGNORED REPEATED REQUESTS FROM OWNERS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. IN FACT, BMW GERMANY HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND COVERS THE COST OF REPAIRS, THEY EVEN HAVE A METHOD OF REPAIR. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE SUSPENSION SHOULD NEVER SEPERATE FROM THE BODY BECAUSE OF TORSIONAL FORCES FROM THE TRANS/DIFF. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I PERSONALLY HAVE A LIST OF OVER 100 NAMES WITH DOCUMENTED SUBFRAME CRACKING/FAILURE OF THE E46 BODY YEARS 1999-2000. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE HAVE SUBFRAME DAMAGE AT THE SAME REAR DRIVERS SIDE DIFF MOUNT, IN OTHER WORDS, OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE FAILURE POINTS, THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE IS NEARLY ALWAYS THE FAILURE POINT !! PLEASE I IMPLORE THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE NOW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295023December 8, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1999 BMW 328I WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN IT WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE. ENGINE WOULD JUST REV UP LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $4500.00. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE IN NOREVERSE.ORG. FOR THE BMW. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFAULT FROM BMW AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. PLEASE HELP RENDER THIS ABUSE BY THIS MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284997September 23, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
1999 BMW 328I 4DR (E46) DOOR LOCK FAILURE DOOR LOCKS NO LONGER UNLOCK DOORS WHEN BUTTON IS PRESSED ON FOB OR FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE. HAPPENS 2 OUT OF THREE TIME'S DOOR ARE LOCKED, DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN CAR BEGINS TO MOVE. PROBLEM: LOCK NOT OPERATING, TRAP OCCUPANT IN VEHICLE, THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY. THIS IS SERIOUS, YOU CANNOT UNLOCK THE DOORS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268625May 13, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I, LIKE THOUSANDS IF NOT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, NOW HAVE A BMW THAT THE REVERSE HAS GONE OUT ON. IT IS A 1999 BMW 328I. EVERYTHING ELSE WORKS FINE. NO ISSUES PRIOR. JUST ONE DAY AFTER HAVING PARKED SOMEWHERE THE REVERSE WOULD NOT WORK. FROM THE WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THIS ISSUE I SEE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS THIS HAPPENS TO. DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER HOW MANY MILES A CAR HAS. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO BMW YET AS I KNOW WHAT THEY WILL SAY. IF THIS IS THIS BIG A PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY ISSUE LIKE REVERSE GOING OUT THEN BMW NEEDS TO FIX IT. IT IS NOT JUST A FEW HUNDRED CARS. IT IS THOUSANDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10199824August 16, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR IN DRIVE, BUT THE VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,300. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175738December 10, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
MY BMW 1999 328I/AUTO TRANSMISSION HAS 98K ON IT AND 90% OF THE TIME, IT CAN'T REVERSE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172512November 3, 2006
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2000 BMW 328I HAS CRACKED AND TORN REAR SUBFRAME UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY FACTORY ORIGINAL WITH ALL SERVICES UP TO DATE. IF LEFT UN-REPAIRED, VEHICLE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135682September 7, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR
1999 BMW 328I (E46) - DESIGN DEFECT IN THE REAR SUSPENSION LEADING TO A CRACK IN THE CHASSIS FLOOR WHERE THE REAR SUB-FRAME ATTACHES TO THE CHASSIS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE REAR SUSPENSION IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR. THERE ARE AT LEAST 50 INSTANCES OF THIS, OCCURRING ON 1999 - 2000 BMW E46 CARS AND ALMOST ALL OCCUR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, DISCUSSED ON THE INTERNET. SIMPLY DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR: "BMW E46 REAR SUBFRAME CRACKS". BMW HAS AGREED TO PAY 75% OF THE REPAIR COST BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN ISSUE AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CLEAR SITUATION REQUIRING A RECALL TO FIX AND/ OR STRENGTHEN THE SUSPENSION IN THESE CARS. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO FIX WHAT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THIS MODEL (E46). MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR WITH MY THREE CHILDREN AGES 6, 5, AND 2! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10119686May 3, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
REAR SUBFRAME TORN AWAY FROM CHASSIS CAUSING NOISY AND MISALIGNED SUSPENSION PARTS AND A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN FOR COMPLETE FAILURE. COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 WEBSITES DETAILING IT. TIME FOR A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10117382April 4, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONT/SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111900February 21, 2005
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
SUBFRAME PROBLEM THE SHEET METAL OF THE CAR RIPS DRIVER SIDE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10100997December 3, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT
CAMBER, TOE AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10100770November 30, 2004
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE DRIVER SIDE PAIR AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DO NOT MOVE. THE "REGULATOR" HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, AND THEY SIMPLY BREAK AGAIN. IT IS FRUSTRATING AND AT THIS POINT I HAVE NO PLANS TO PAY TO FIX THE REAR ONES. I TELL EVERYONE HOW GREAT THE CAR HAS BEEN...BUT FOR THE WINDOWS...AND THAT SEEMS TO BE AN UNDERSTANDABLE DETERRENT A PURCHASE BY MANY OF MY FRIENDS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099935November 15, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THIS MATTER WITH SOMETIMES AGO. DEALER STATED RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091075September 15, 2004
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING I STARTED TO HEAR AND FEEL A 'CLUNK' TYPE NOISE WHEN ENGAGING THE CAR INTO GEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC TO INSPECT AND HE FOUND SOME CRACKS IN THE REAR SUBFRAME ALONG WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS BEING PRATICALLY TORN OFF.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090500September 6, 2004
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW FRAME FAILURES ARE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT IN THE E46 BODY STYLE (3 SERIES). BMW IN GERMANY APPEARS TO BE ACTIVELY FIXING CARS. HERE IN THE US, HOWEVER, BMW NA APPEARS TO BE DOING NOTHING BUT IGNORING THE PROBLEM. POSTED BELOW IS JUST ONE OF MANY POSTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS ON THE E46. (PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS OCCURING TO OTHER BMW MODELS AS WELL.) HTTP://BIMMER.ROADFLY.ORG/BMW/FORUMS/E46/5633750-1.HTML COULD YOU PLEASE START AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHY BMW AG (HQ IN GERMANY) IS REPAIRING/RECALLING THESE CARS, YET NOTHING IS BEING DONE HERE? THANK YOU.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10089681August 25, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 00V048000; THE BRAKE LAMPS IN THESE VEHICLES ARE CONTROLLED BY A SWITCH ACTIVATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS SWITCH COULD FAIL INTERNALLY, CAUSING IT TO REMAIN EITHER IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS ON" POSITION. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THIS RECALL IS ONLY FOR THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER'S IN 2000. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088280August 20, 2004
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
I WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER SEAT BELT BUCKLE. MY VEHICLE JUST REACHED THE 50,171 MILES. THIS A SAFETY ITEM THAT SHOULD BE COVERED REGARLESS EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to BMW 328i