1999 BMW 323I Complaints

I HAVE HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MY 1999 323I SINCE 4/30/2003 THAT THE BMW SERVICE TECHNICIANS CANNOT RESOLVE AT TWO SEPARATE BMW DEALERS IN MARYLAND, TISCHER BMW (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR), AND TOWSON BMW. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CHECK ENGINE, EML AND DSC (TRACTION) LIGHTS ALL COME ON AT THE SAME TIME, AND THE CAR LOSES POWER NOT ABLE TO GO ABOVE 40 MPH (APPARENTLY GOES INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE). THE LIGHTS THEN GO OUT ONE BY ONE AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF ABOUT FOUR TIMES, AND POWER IS RESTORED TO THE CAR. ALL IS WELL SEEMINGLY UNTIL IT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN! NOTE: I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT OCCURS WHEN GOING DOWN A STEEP DECLINE SECTION OF ROAD, COASTING AT ABOUT 40 MPH.I CAN REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AT WILL, AND USUALLY WHEN YOU CAN REPRODUCE A PROBLEM, IT IS FIXABLE. THEY CHARGED ME OVER $500.00 AND DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM (THEY PUT A NEW IDLE SENSOR ON). THEY HAVE SINCE REIMBURSED ME FOR THIS TWO MONTHS LATER THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I TOOK IT TO BMW OF KENILWORTH TOWSON, THEY HAVE HAD IT ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THEY RESET SOME DEFAULT SETTINGS AND CHARGED ME $90.00, NOT CERTAIN IF THIS WOULD FIX IT OR NOT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT MAY BE A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ISSUE, AND A RECALL MAY BE IN THE WORKS. TWO DAYS LATER THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THEY PUT A NEW MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ON AND CHARGED ME ANOTHER $400.00 (THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE 99% CERTAIN THAT THIS WOULD FIX IT) IT DID NOT! THE VERY NEXT MORNING WHILE RIDING TO WORK, THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN! TOWSON BMW ALSO SUPPOSEDLY SENT THE DME MODULE UP TO HOME OFFICE TO HAVE IT REPROGRAMMED.THIS DID NOT HELP EITHER. TOWSON BMW FINALLY REIMBURSED ME AS WELL FOR THE PART THAT THEY PUT ON WHICH DID NOT REPAIR IT. MANAGER AT TOWSON BMW, HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE BAFFLED AND CANNOT FIX MY CAR! *LA

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD TWO CONTINENTAL CONTITOURING CONTACT TIRES MADE FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER. THE TWO TIRES, WHICH WERE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BLEW OUT. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AROUND 17000 MILES . *AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW PROBLEMS . MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK *TS

I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 BMW 323I ON HWY 101 IN SANTA CLARA, CA. THE CAR SUNDENLY FEELS "WEAK". I IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF THE NEXT EXIT. AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AFTER THE EXIT RAMP THE CAR STALLS. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT, SLOWLY, TO A PARKING LOT. THERE I FOUND THAT A). I LOST THE REVERSE GEAR B). THE TRANSIMISSION PROGRAM LIGHT WAS ON. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN TO SEE IF IT MOVES BUT THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING - I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSIMISSION DOES NOT APPEARS TO BE SHIFTING. IT IS LIKE STARTING A MANUAL SHIFT CAR FROM THE 3RD GEAR.THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGN OF ALL THESE. IT HAPPEN ALL IN A SUDDEN. THE CAR HAD JUST GONE THROUGH THE BMW 60K MILE SERVICE (MAJOR SERVICE) A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.*AK I HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY BMW DEALER AND THERE THEY PRONOUNCE THE TRANSIMISSION DEAD - TRANSMISSION LOCKED-UP. I AM SCARED! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED THAT DAY!

ENTIRE TRANSMISSION FOR 1999 BMW 323 IC NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (ESTIMATED CHARGE IS $4600.00) - AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DID NOT ALERT ME OF THE PROBLEM SOON ENOUGH.

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