2000 BMW 323i complaints

AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS, MY REVERSE GEAR IS ESSENTIALLY GONE. MY CAR WILL ROLL IF I HAVE A SLIGHT GRADE, BUT THERE IS NO POWER IN REVERSE. DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DOES NOTHING BUT REV THE ENGINE WHEN IN REVERSE. ALL FORWARD GEARS IN TRANSMISSION WORK SMOOTHLY AND FLAWLESSLY. *TR

NO REVERSE GEAR. NO WARNING. *TR

I OWN A 2000 323I BMW AND IT HAS STOPPED TO GO INTO REVERSE. APPARENTLY THE TRANSMISSION IS TO BE BLAMED FOR IT AND THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. APPARENTLY THERE ARE 60 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIR WEBSITE THAT SAME YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR HAS HAD THIS CONTINUING ISSUE. *TR

VERY WELL MAINTAINED 2000 BMW 323I. SUDDENLY OUT OF THE BLUE "NO REVERSE". *TR

I HAVE A 2000 BMW 323I. ON ABOUT AUGUST 29, 2007, I WAS TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, BUT I COULD NOT. THE REVERSE GEAR IN MY CAR WAS NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WITH A USED UNIT, COSTING ME $2595. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR BMW 323I. *TR

REVERSE WENT OUT ON CAR @ 104,000 MILES. TOLD BY REPAIR SHOP THAT THE CAR WOULD NEED A $5,000.00+ REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. UNACCEPTABLE. I EAGERLY AWAIT THE PENDING CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT! *TR

TRANSMISSION REVERSE NO LONGER OPERATIONAL ON 2000 323I BMW SEDAN. REVERSE ACTS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. REPAIR REQUIRED: REPLACE DRUM IN TRANSMISSION. COST OVER $1,900. *TR

I WAS BACKING INTO MY GARAGE LIKE NORMAL WHEN WITH NO WARNING MY CAR WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE, THE RPM JUST REVVED UP. I THEN CALLED MY BMW SERVICE CENTER TO FIND OUT THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR ABOUT $5,200. AFTER ALMOST CHOKING I LOOKED ONLINE TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY WON'T BMW FIX THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM? *TR

AS REPORTED BY MANY, MANY, OTHER BMW 323I CAR OWNERS, I TOO, HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO GO IN REVERSE. JUST LIKE THE COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE INTERNET SAY, THE CAR JUST SITS THERE WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE, AS IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL. YOU CAN REV THE ENGINE, BUT YOU GO NOWHERE. AND LIKE THE OTHERS MENTIONED, I'VE CALLED BMW, BUT CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAYS THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM, AND WON'T ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT ONLY HAD 69,600 MILES ON IT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. A LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID IT WOULD COST THOUSANDS TO FIX IT, AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS AFTER I BRING IT IN, AND PAY THEM $100 FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. I'VE CALLED 3 DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS AND EACH ONE IS VERY, VERY, FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. ONE SHOP OWNER SAID THE 1999 AND 2000 MODEL 323I'S HAD THE SAME BAD TRANSMISSION, AND THAT HE'S REPAIRED THE SAME PROBLEM IN EVERY ONE THAT HAS CROSSED HIS PATH. PLUS, MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT BMW HAS COME UP WITH AN UPDATED PART TO MAKE THE REPAIR. SO WHY WOULD BMW MAKE A NEW PART IF THERE IS NO SUCH PROBLEM? PLUS, THIS IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAD TO PUSH MY CAR TO GET OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, AND IT NEARLY RAN OVER ME. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY! *TR

I HAVE A 2000 3.23I BMW . IT HAS BEEN DEALER SERVICED AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION . IT HAS 89,000 MILES. THE OTHER DAY I TRIED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE. IT DRIVES FINE ,SO I TOOK IT TO PRINCETONL BMW AND WAS IN FORMED I WOULD NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. I AM VERY UPSET ,THE COST FOR REPAIR -5400.00. . I HAPPENED UPON THIS SITE (WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG) WHILE LOOKING FOR A TRANSMISSION AND CAN NOT BELIEVE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. BMW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION AS IT IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

MY 2000 BMW 323I WITH STEPTRONIC TRANSMISSION STOPPED GOING IN TO REVERSE. WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE IT OPERATES AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF CAR OWNERS THAT HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEM. ALL SAY THAT BMW IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM SINCE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO RECALL. CONSUMERS ARE LEFT WITH A BILL OF ANYWHERE FROM $4000 -$8000 IN TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 BMW 323I CAR. ABOUT A WEEK AGO I WENT OUT TO GO TO WORK AND THE CAR WOULD NOT BACK UP. I STARTED RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CASES OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. IT SEEMS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND THAT A HIGH % OF THESE ARE GOING BAD. IT COST $4000+ DOLLARS TO REPAIR. THERE IS A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THE NO-REVERSE PROBLEM. THERE ARE ALSO MANY POST ON A CONSUMER AFFAIRS SITE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS PEOPLE ARE HAVING. BMW KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. BELOW ARE A COUPLE OF WEBSITES ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SOMEONE NEEDS TO HELP, I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. THANKS HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/BMW_TRANS.HTML HTTP://WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG/INDEX.HTML THE NOREVERSE SITE EVEN SHOWS A PICTURE OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON 2000 323I WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. FED UP!!! TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. BMW WILL DO NOTHING. SAME FAILURE VERY WIDE-SPREAD. PROBLEM IS ALL TOO WELL KNOWN TO BMW. THEY JUST DON'T CARE. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 323I MODEL AND JUST YESTERDAY THE CAR'S REVERSE GEAR STOPPED ENGAGING. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND SEE THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. BMW NEEDS TO STAND UP AND ISSUE A RECALL. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323I. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE WHEN IT WAS PLACED INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN 2006. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,306.

LIKE THE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE, MY 2000 BMW 323I WITH 84K MILES FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE. I WAS AT A STORE AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS - EVER. THE CAR WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BMW OF ARLINGTON AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT AND THE COST WILL BE $5,000 FOR A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. I DECIDED TO CHECK THE WEB AND WAS ASTOUNDED THAT THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF BMW 2000 323I OWNERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED BMW OF AMERICA VIA EMAIL AND WAS GIVEN THE SAME RESPONSE AS THE OTHER OWNERS OF "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." MANY OWNERS HAD LESS THAN 50,000 AND BMW IS NOT OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEM. MANY HAD DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A GM TRANSMISSION AND THAT GM ISSUED A RECALL ON ITS VEHICLES OWN VEHICLES HOWEVER BMW HAD NOT AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT INTERESTINGLY THEY ARE NO LONGER USING THESE TRANSMISSIONS. A CLASS ACTION IS BEING DISCUSSED AND RIGHTLY SO. THIS IS A RIP OFF OF THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS AND DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN SEE SOMEONE NOT BEING ABLE TO BACK UP OFF OF A TRAIN TRACK, ETC. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU.

TRANSMISSION WOULD SUDDENLY NOT GO INTO REVERSE. SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM. I'VE HEARD THERE IS A TSB 613552 ON THIS PROBLEM BUT CAN'T GET MY HANDS ON IT. VEHICLE ALWAYS SERVICED BY BMW. ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES AND TAKEN CARE OF LIKE A BABY. BMW TOTALLY UNCOOPERATIVE AND ARROGANT. WEB SITE WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG SHOWS HOW WIDESPREAD THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE. NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED WITH ONLY 87,000 MILES. *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILS TO GO INTO REVERSE. *TR

A FEW DAYS AGO MY 2000 BMW 323I WOULD HESITATED BEFORE GOING INTO REVERSE. IT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY TWO DAYS AGO AND I TOOK IT INTO A CAR MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME HE NEEDED TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN A 2000 BMWI IN THE PAST YEAR INCLUDING ONE IN AUGUST. I HAVE JUST OVER 30,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL WITH THAT LOW MILEAGE. BMW WAS OF NO HELP AT ALL AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING REVERSE GEAR FAILED ON MY 2000 BMW 323I. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323I. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE ONLY MOVING FORWARD. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. AS OF OCTOBER 5, 2007, THE DEALER AND MECHANIC HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,900. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED CAR LURCHED FORWARD INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AMOUNT OF REPAIRS WOULD BE $5,000. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

ENGINE STARTED CHOKING AND COULD NOT SUSTAIN ABOVE 30-40 MPH. MECHANIC (AFTER 2 WKS) FINALLY DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE VALVES WAS WARPED, AND HAD TO DO A VALVE JOB. TOTAL COST $3,300. *TR

WINDOW REGULATOR. LEFT REAR WENT OUT, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WINDOW WAS SCRATCHED WHEN ASSEMBLY BROKE. *TR

WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS THE 2ND ONE OF THE OEM REGULATORS THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE BUYING THE CAR BRAND NEW. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - REVERSE FUNCTION NO LONGER WORKING. *TR

MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2000 BMW 323I (WITH ONLY 100K MILES) HAS LOST THE REVERSE FUNCTION - I WILL REQUIRE A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $4000. *JB

2000 BMW 323I SEDAN - CANNOT REVERSE. METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED CAR. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR CANNOT REVERSE AND I WAS STUCK IN A PARKING GARAGE. WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. BMW NEEDS TO DO A RECALL! *JB

IN LATE MARCH,2007, MY BMW 323I BLEW A HEAD GASKET AFTER ONLY 82,000 MILES.THIS WAS AFTER THE CAR BEING BABIED WITH SERVICE ETC.THE DEALER I TOOK THE CAR TO, PRESSTIGE IMPORTS IN SANTA ROSA,CA. FOUND THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS RUNNING AT OVER 300 DEGREES AND WARPED THE BLOCK, RUINING THE ENGINE. THEY WERE AS CONFUSED ABOUT THIS AS I WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD PERFORMED ALL OF THE SERVICE AND HAD JUST SERVICED THE CAR 2 MONTHS BEFORE, WITH NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM. THEY ASKED BMW FOR SOME HELP IN THE REPAIR COST SINCE THIS WAS SO UNUSUAL.THEY ALSO GAVE ME A LOANER CAR AT NO CHARGE, AND HAVE BEEN UNBELIEVABLY WONDERFUL THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE. BMW CAME BACK AND ANNOUNCED THAT THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WON'T INTERVENE AT ALL,CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $6000 FOR A " USED" ENGINE TO BE PUT IN. I HAVE SINCE GONE ONTO GOOGLE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF POSTED PAGES ABOUT OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM THAT BMW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT OR THEM. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. ROBERT LACKEY *TR

ON 8/707 I NOTICED THAT I COULD NOT SHIFT MY 2000 BMW323CI INTO REVERSE. NO PRIOR NOTICE AND NO ENGINE OR CHECK LIGHTS CAME ON. IT'S LIKE BEING IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE REVS BUT THERE IS NO MOVEMENT. IN ANOTHER INSTANCE I WAS ON A HILL AND TRIED TO BACK UP. WHEN I SWITCHED INTO REVERSE, THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD!! THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AS OF TODAY 8/13/07. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD (SEE ATTACHED LINKS). BMW RECALLED THE 5 AND 7 SERIES FOR THIS REASON BUT DID NOT RECALL THE 3 SERIES (PERHAPS BECAUSE TOO MANY 3 SERIES WERE SOLD COMPARED TO THE 5 AND 7 SERIES??). BMW REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/BMW_TRANS.HTML HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2007/01/BMW_TRANSMISSION.HTML HTTP://ABCLOCAL.GO.COM/KGO/STORY?SECTION=7ON_YOUR_SIDE&ID=4407296 HTTP://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/CARS/1999/BMW/5_SERIES/RECALLS/ HTTP://WWW.INTERNETAUTOGUIDE.COM/AUTO-RECALLS/09-INT/1999/BMW/7-SERIES/INDEX.HTML *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323I. SHE STATED THAT WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY IN ALL OTHER GEARS. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 61,850.

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO PERFORM IN REVERSE. IT SIMPLY ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND UPSETTING TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY WHERE AND WHEN IT DID. I WAS STUCK AND HAD TO HAVE REVERSE TO LEAVE THE LOCATION WHERE I HAD TAKEN MY DAUGHTER. ONLY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TWO (2) MEN WAS I ABLE TO GET THE CAR WHERE I COULD USE THE FORWARD GEAR TO MOVE AHEAD. THIS MANUAL MANEUVERING OF THIS CAR PUT THE MEN HELPING ME, IT PUT ME, AND IT PUT OTHERS ON THE ROADWAY AT RISK WHILE THIS MANEUVERING WAS BEING DONE AT, OBVIOUSLY, VERY LOW SPEEDS. BMW HAS NOT OFFERED ANY SUBSTANTIAL HELP WITH MY PLIGHT, NOR DO THEY CONFIRM ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BMW 3 SERIES, 2000 AND LATER. PART OF THE LITANY OF THE SAME COMPLAINT CAN BE FOUND ON THE CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM BLOG SITE. I'M CONFIDENT BMW IS AWARE OF THESE COMPLAINTS. THEY SIMPLY TRY TO LOOK AWAY AND IGNORE US ALL. *TR

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. *TR

COULD NOT BACK UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION (NO REVERSE AND NO WARNING). 323I BMW 2000 TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR

MY 2000 BMW 323I ABRUPTLY STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE. LIKE MANY DISSATISFIED 323I OWNERS, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND OUT IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND MANY OTHER BMW OWNERS ARE DEALING WITH THIS FRUSTRATION. THE COMPLAINTS ARE BEING LOGGED ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/BMW_TRANS.HTML *TR

AUTO TRANSMISSION REVERSE FAILED WITH NO WARNING AT 87,000 MILES. BMW SAYS REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT FULL COST. *TR

THE REVERSE GEAR IN MY 2000 BMW 323I HAS FAILED. *TR

BMW IS NOT ON YOUR LIST OF VEHICLES! TRANSMISSION FAILED ON 2000 323I BMW WITH ONLY 57K. SCANNING ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT 323I TRANSMISSION FAILURES IT SEEMS NHTSA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE UNIT BY NOW! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323I. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, IT FAILED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. A LOCAL MECHANIC MADE THE REPAIR. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 29,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. THE CONSUMER QUESTIONED WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY BMW WILL NOT ADMIT TO THE DEFECT WITH THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS? UPDATED 08/07/07 *TR

I OWN A 2000 BMW 3.23I THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN 2000. I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THAT CAR AND HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDOW REGULATORS MANY TIMES, AND HAD A WATER LEAK PROBLEM. I SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN OTHER ITEMS THAT WAS JUST CRAZY, ESPECIALLY FOR A CAR THAT JUST HAD 70,000 MILES. THE BIG PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED ME WRITE THIS COMPLAINT WAS THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING WITH THEIR CARS NOT WANTING TO GO IN REVERSE. THE CAR JUST OUT OF NOWHERE STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE. THIS WAS JUST ABNORMAL FOR A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE. BMW DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, AND IT WAS JUST CRAZY. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED BY THEIR BUSINESS TACTIC OF NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS CLEARLY NOT NORMAL, YET THEY WERE TRYING TO AVOID TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT, AND THEY DIDN'T CARE AS THEY WERE MAKING SO MANY ENEMIES. I NEVER CARED FOR MERCEDES AS I LIKED THE WAY BMW DROVE, BUT THIS EXPERIENCE WAS MAKING THEM LOSE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE. PLEASE MAKE THEM ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS, AND STOP THIS BUSINESS BEHAVIOR. *AK

2000 BMW 323I SERIES FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THIS YEAR ONLY FOUND ON CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM LEADING ME TO BELIEVE A RECALL WAS APPROPRIATE. ALL INCIDENTS WERE IDENTICAL AND HAPPENED WITH AS LOW AS 30000 MILES. *AK

I AM AN OWNER OF 2000 BMW 323I. IT CURRENTLY HAS ~115K MILES ON IT. TODAY (FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2007), I ENTERED THE PARKING GARAGE AT WORK AND ATTEMPTED TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE --- AS I ALWAYS DO. I DROVE FORWARD, THEN PUT MY CAR IN THE REVERSE GEAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, IT WOULD ONLY MAKE AN IDLING SOUND LIKE IT WAS IN THE NEUTRAL GEAR --- EVEN THOUGH THE LCD SHOWED "R" (REVERSE). AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS OF TRYING TO GO IN REVERSE, I REALIZED THAT ALL MY EFFORTS CAME TO NAUGHT. LUCKILY, I HAD JUST ENOUGH ROOM TO "DRIVE" FORWARD AND CLEAR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO THAT I COULD TAKE MY CAR TO GET REPAIRED. COME TO FIND OUT, I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I FIND IT VERY ODD THAT MY TRANSMISSION WOULD GO OUT THIS EARLY AND IT WOULDN'T GIVE ANY TYPE OF WARNING. ALSO, I FIND IT VERY FRUSTRATING THAT THERE ARE CARS THAT COST 1/3 OF THE PRICE AND PROVIDE BETTER UTILITY. THIS EXPERIENCE DEFINITELY HAS ME QUESTIONING MY BRAND LOYALTY. BMW SURELY ISN'T LIVING UP TO ITS' BRANDING MESSAGE AS "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" --- UNLESS IT SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES GOING IN REVERSE.

2000 BMW 323I WILL NOT MOVE WHEN IN REVERSE GEAR. THE CAR BEHAVED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER TROUBLE, WARNING LIGHT, ETC. LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. THE CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED BY BMW AUTHORIZED DEALERS, HAS 66000 MILES AND WAS VERY GENTLY DRIVEN. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FACED BY LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF 2000 BMW 323I OWNERS IN THE LAST YEAR ON CARS BETWEEN 60,000 AND 70,000 MILES; PLEASE SEE ATTACHED LINK: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/BMW_TRANS.HTML. I REQUESTED YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM WITH BMW WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF DETERMINING IF A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WAS WARRANTED.*AK

DRIVERS SIDE REAR SUBFRAME IS TEARING AWAY FROM BODY. THIS HAS BEEN NOTED SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS WEBSITE ALREADY. *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 3I. THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT RECALL# 02V223000 WAS REPAIRED IN JULY 2003. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS FAILURE USUALLY DIDN'T OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO AN AIR BAG ENGINEER ,WHO ALSO STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD. THE CONTACT WAS THE OWNER AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND WASN'T NOTIFIED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS DONE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE AT HER OWN EXPENSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 16,000. *AK

THE SHIFT PLATE INDICATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IT IS AGAIN FAULTY. IT GIVES A FALSE INDICATION OF THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CAR CAN BE IN DRIVE, BUT THE NEUTRAL LIGHT WILL BE ON. *NM

HAD BRAKES AND SUSPENSION REPLACED AND WHILE AT DEALERSHIP THE REVERSE GEAR WENT OUT. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE I SEE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. ALL OTHER GEARS WORK OTHER THAN REVERSE, WHICH WILL COST 4000 TO REPLACE. *NM

ON MY 2000 BMW 323I WITH ABOUT 100K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAS SEPARATED AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT IS WELDED TO THE UNI-BODY. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE SUSPENSION SHOULD NEVER SEPARATE FROM THE BODY BECAUSE OF FORCES FROM THE TRANS/DIFF. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I PERSONALLY HAVE A LIST OF OVER 150 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 !! I URGE THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY SOMEBODY GETS HURT OR DIES! *JB

2000 BMW 323I TRANSMISSION REVERSE GEAR FAILED. ATTEMPTED TO PUT IN REVERSE BUT NO GEAR. A QUICK SEARCH OF INTERNET REVEALS LITERALLY DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF E46 MODEL SERIES BMW OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING. NO REVERSE OR TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDS COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT OR REBUILD. *NM

THERE WERE 50 DOCUMENTED TRANSMISSION FAILURES FOR THE 2000 BMW 3 SERIES AUTOMOBILES. THERE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY MORE, BUT THE PEOPLE JUST PAID THE $3000 TO $5000 REPAIR BILL. THERE IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAILING AND BMW KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB