2000 BMW 323I Complaints

SEVERAL DAYS OF SLUGGISH START, BURNING OIL SMELL, TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON - I TOOK MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY REFERRED ME TO THIS SITE BECAUSE THEY LOOKED UP TO SEE IF THERE WERE COMPLAINTS/RECALLS. *NM

CLUNKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. HAS TO DO WITH SUBFRAME AND MEMBERS, I.E., MOUNTING POINT WHERE SUBFRAME IS ATTACHED TO TEARS AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE SHEET METAL THAT FORMS THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE IN REVERSE. AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT RESPOND TO REVERSE, HOWEVER, VEHICLE HAS NO PROBLEM IN FORWARD GEARS. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE STRUCK A POT HOLE THAT RESULTED IN DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH SIDES AIRBAGS, AND THE DRIVER'S HEAD RESTRAINT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED THE AIRBAGS. AFTERWARDS, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WHICH RESULTED IN DEPLOYMENT OF THE SAME AIRBAGS. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

2000 323I BMW BODY FAILURE AT LEFT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT POINT. THE FOLLOWING IS A FEW OTHER PPL WHO HAD SAME PROBLEM: HTTP://FORUM.E46FANATICS.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=195602&PAGE=23&PP=20. *NM

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2000 BMW 323I WITH 49,000 MILES AND WAS JUST TOLD TODAY THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, TO THE TUNE OF $5200. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO REVERSE. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL OWNERS OF THIS VERY MAKE AND MODEL BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED ON DIFFERENT WEBSITE. NATURALLY, MY WARRANTY RAN OUT LAST SUMMER AT 36,000 MILES SO I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING THERE. I BELIEVE THERE IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM HERE WHEN A TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AT LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. I PLAN ON CONTACTING BMW N.A. TO DISCUSS THE OUTRAGEOUS PRICE THAT I HAVE BEEN QUOTED TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP INTERVENE OR OFFER A SOLUTION. *NM

SUBJECT: INTERMITTENT IHKA BLOWER OPERATION ON BMW E46 PRODUCED PRIOR TO 06/2000. SITUATION: THE IHKA BLOWER WILL INTERMITTENTLY CUT OUT. THE IHKA LCD DISPLAY WILL INDICATE THAT THE BLOWER IS OPERATING EVEN THOUGH THE BLOWER IS NOT FUNCTIONING. CAUSE: IHKA FINAL STAGE RESISTOR (BLOWER REGULATOR). *NM

DT: 2000 BMW 323 CI - THE REAR SUB FRAME MOUNT TORE LOOSE FROM THE CAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS MAKING A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, AND THAT WAS WHY THE CONSUMER TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH THIS CAR. THE COST WILL BE $2500-$3000. TOO VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER DID RESEARCH AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS CAR. *AK

DT: 2000 BMW 323I. THE ELECTRONIC LOCKING SYSTEM FAILED. WHEN THIS FAILED IT LOCKED WITH FAMILY IN THE CAR. WENT TO USE THE BUTTON TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THEY WOULD NOT UNLOCK, THEREFORE, WENT TO USE THE HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. HAD TO GET FAMILY OUT OF THE BACK SEAT FROM THE WINDOWS. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE SAID THE ELECTRONIC LOCKING SYSTEM FAILED. THE CAR WAS GOING INTO THE BMW SHOP ON FRIDAY. CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE DOORS STILL LOCKED. E-MAILED THE MANUFACTURER THIS MORNING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE A BMW 323CI, YEAR 2000. IT HAS AROUND 42000 MILES ON IT. A FEW DAYS AGO, I WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE AND HIT THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE CAR WENT NOWHERE. IT DIDN'T SHIFT INTO REVERSE AT ALL. I PUSHED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE, AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE GEAR. IT WENT FORWARD FINE. I DROVE IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY LOOK AT IT AND SAID I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS WILL COST THOUSANDS. ON A BMW WITH ONLY 42,000 MILES ON IT! MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND MODEL YEAR. IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT WHICH OUGHT TO BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL.*JB