Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1999 record →
AIRBAG SENSOR MAT WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES ON PASSENGER SIDE (2/9/01, 12/20/01 AND 10/31/02) AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BEING ON. CURRENTLY 4/10/03 THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING RESULTING IN FOURTH TIME THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS ITEM. *NLM
VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH YET THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *NLM *TS
WHILE 65MPH BOTH SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM DEFECT IN SEAT HEATER. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *MR
UPON READING A WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 2002 CONCERNING AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION INTO 1999 THROUGH 2001 3-SERIES BMW'S, I FELT THAT MY INCIDENT FELL INTO THIS PROBLEM CATEGORY. UPON RUNNING OVER A POTHOLE THAT INFLICTED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL, BOTH SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON DRIVER'S SIDE RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO REPAIR IN TERMS OF BOTH DOLLARS (INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE) AND ONLY PARTIALLY COVERED RENTAL CAR COSTS FOR THE ONE MONTH IT TOOK TO REPAIR. NO INJURIES OCCURRED HOWEVER.*AK
ABS IS NOT ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH WHEELS ARE LOCKED UP AND TIRES ARE SLIDING ON WET PAVEMENT. ABS MAY ACTIVATE IF EXTREME PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO BRAKE PEDAL. LOTS OF LUCK FIGURING THIS ALL OUT IN AN EMERGENCY. THE HAYNES REPAIR MANUAL #18021 (BMW 3 SERIES) PG 9-10 STATES THAT "THE PURPOSE OF THE SYSTEM IS TO PREVENT THE WHEEL(S) FROM LOCKING UP DURING HEAVY BRAKING."*AK
AFTER 2 VISITS TO DEALER FOR RATTLING NOISE, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FAILED AND JAMMED ON 30MAR02. DRIVER WAS FORCED TO EXIT THE FREEWAY IMMEDIATELY.
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
FEBRUARY 2000 THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR CAMPAIGN 99V063000, THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, NOVEMBER 2001 THE PASSENGER /DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE THE CAR WAS AT A STOP LIGHT.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 20555R16)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. UPON STOPPING VEHICLE, NOTICED TREAD HAD STARTED TO SEPARATE. MICHELIN TIRES, MODEL XSE205/55R/16. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVERS DOOR AND ROOF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WAS TWO BLOWN OUT TIRES AND RIMS, THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE (CLAIM # 11-3413-500). *YD
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A TRUCK AND RAN INTO A CURB, AS A RESULT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED (CLAIM # 53-C838-338). *YD
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLIDE AND HIT A CURB ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT ( CLAIM # 13-7252-037). *YD
CONSUMER STATES THE SIDE DOOR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH NO IMPACT (CLAIM # 35-W527-881). *YD
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION, AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
SIDE AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED,VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 99V063000, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FAILED INTO FULLY RECLINED POSITION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND OFF, AND AT TIMES WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ON NOVEMBER 1, 2000, I HAD A U.S. AIR FORCE APPOINTMENT IN THE U.S. PENTAGON IN WASHINGTON, DC. I PROCEEDED TO LEAVE IN MY BMW 323I, WHICH I LEASE THROUGH PASSPORT BMW IN MARLOW HEIGHTS, MARYLAND. IT WAS A DREARY DAY, THUS, I TURNED ON THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION. I PLACED THE VEHICLE'S GEAR IN REVERSE AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY, AND WITH GREAT VELOCITY, SPED BACKWARDS. I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE BRAKES PREVENTING AN ACCIDENT. I TRIED THIS TIME TO GO FORWARD AND THE CAR SPED FORWARDS BACK INTO THE SPACE I ORIGINALLY BACKED OUT OF. I WAS QUITE SHAKEN-UP AND COMPLETELY ANALYZED THE VEHICLE AND MY OPERATION OF IT ENSURING. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH ON HIGHWAY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. AND HIS HEAD HIT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. BECAUSE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AT ALL. BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES SEPARATING AND PEELING, CONTINENTAL CONTITOURING CONTACT, 20555R16, DOT # ACOF 3FW. *CJ
FAULTY FRONT AND REAR PADS AND SENSORS CAUSED THE BRAKE LINING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, THE BRAKES ALSO GRAB. NLM
ALL CONTINENTAL GENERAL TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO CRACKING AND SPLITTING, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
ALL 5 ORIGINAL TIRES HAD SIDEWALL SPLITTING/HERNIATION (INCLUDING THE SPARE), OTHER INSTANCES WERE REPORTED TO ME BY PEAKE BMW (I.E. 15 TO 20 OTHER SETS OF TIRES WERE REPLACED FOR A DISCOUNT AS UNDER WARRANTY). I AM CONCERNED BY THESE NUMBERS AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL NOT PAY 100% TO REPLACE THE TIRES. I AM ALSO CONCERNED AS TO HOW THEY REPORT THIS DATA AND WHETHER THEY ARE COLLECTING THE DATA IN A MANNER SUFFICIENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A RECALL IS WARRANTED.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 205 TIRESIZE: 205/55R16C)
ON A CLEAR NIGHT I WAS TURNING AND WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR BY A DRIVER TRAVELING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH. MY CAR WAS HIT AND NONE OF THE 6 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE RESULT: BACK INJURIES AND TIME AWAY FROM WORK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE IMPACT RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING CUT INTO TWO PIECES, (POSSIBLE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS), THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN 2 INJURIES AND ONE DEATH. *SLC
TIRE TREAD IS SEPERATING FROM TIRE. THERE ARE CRACKS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. MFG WILL REPLACE TIRE(PRORATED) WITH THE SAME TIRE. HOWEVER I DON'T FEEL CONFORTABLE WITH THE SAME TIRE SINCE IT ONLY HAS 13000 MILES ON THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE CAR. I HAVE AN IN-LAW THAT HAS THE SAME CAR AND HIS TIRES ARE DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE TALKED WITH BOTH BMW OF NA AND GENERAL TIRE AND ASKED IF IT TAKES A FATALITY TO GET SOMETHING DONE. BMW IS NOT ACKNOLEDGING A PROBLEM AND GENERAL TIRE IS NOT WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CONSUMER. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P20555R16 )
WHILE CONSUMER HAS BEEN INSIDE OF VEHICLE TRYING TO TURN HEADLIGHTS TO HIGH BEAM VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK *ML
ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 22 MY BMW MODEL 323I CAUGHT FIRE IMMEDIATLY AFTER TURNING ON THE HIGH BEAMS. BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO THE CABIN THROUGH THE DASH AND THE AIR CONDITIONER. IMMEDIATELY AFTER FIRE STARTED COMING IN THROUGH THE FRONT PART OF THE DASH, GIVING ME HARDLY ENOUGH TIME TO COME OUT OF THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME. MY LIFE WAS PUT IN DANGER AND IT HAS BEEN 5 WEEKS AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WRITTEN INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK
VEHICLES BRAKES ARE SQUEAKING UPON BRAKING, DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC. NLM
WHILE DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ILLUMINATED EVEN THOUGH THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN RECODED 3 TIMES. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLUGGISH. NLM
BRAKES: STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION ON HIGHWAY WHEN BRAKING - THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. HEAD LIGHTS: LEFT HEADLIGHT - BULB WAS REPLACED ONCE & BULB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ONCE. THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT BULB REPLACED ONCE. CAR STILL VIBRATES ON HIGHWAY WHEN APPLYING LIGHT PRESSURE TO BRAKES. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, SERVICE ADVISOR & EMPLOYEE IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT BMW HAS BEEN SUPPYING THEM WITH DEFECTIVE ROTORS. DEALER IS CONTINUING TO PUT NEW ROTORS ON VEHICLES WHICH THEY KNOW MAY BE WARPED. WARPED ROTORS ARE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. PLEASE HELP ME WITH ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY PROVIDE. THANK YOU - ROBERT SAMBOR
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1999 BMW 323i → · Every 323i year → · How the figures are calculated →