2000 BMW 323I Complaints

I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE NEW BMW 323CI CONVERTIBLE HAS A DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PUT CONSUMERS IN JEOPARDY. SPECIFICALLY, THE REINFORCED WINDOW FRAME IS SLANTED DRAMATICALLY DOWNWARD AND THE BLUNT TOP CORNERS OF THE WINDOW FRAME ARE POINTED INWARD, DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE HEADS OF THE PASSENGERS. DESPITE OTHER EXCELLENT SAFETY FEATURES OF THE BMW, IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH OF AN IMPACT TO HIT THE CORNER OF THE BLUNT WINDOW FRAME WITH YOUR HEAD (ONLY A FEW INCHES)! THE DOWNWARD SLANT OF THE WINDOW ALSO HINDERS AN OPTIMAL DRIVING VIEW. THIS IS A NEW DESIGN FOR 2000, AND THE PREVIOUS BMW CONVERTIBLES DID NOT HAVE THIS SLANT ISSUE OR THE PLACEMENT OF BLUNT CORNERS NEAR THE HEADS OF THE PASSENGERS. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE ON THIS DEFECT. BMW WILL BEGIN RELEASING THESE MODELS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE MAY TIMEFRAME. DEMOS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT THE DEALERSHIPS. I LOVE BMW AUTOMOBILES, AND I ORDERED THIS PARTICULAR CONVERTIBLE. I'M WRITING WITH THE HOPES THAT YOUR OFFICE WILL LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE ASAP AND HELP/ADVISE BMW TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION IF A TRUE PROBLEM EXISTS BEFORE THEY RELEASE THESE VEHICLES IN THE UNITED STATES IN MASS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO HAVE A PROBLEM FIXED WITH THE SUN ROOF AND MENTIONED THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING THE VEHICLE DURING BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEN I GOT THE REPAIR LIST BACK FROM THE DEALER I NOTICED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED A MAJOR PORTION OF THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYSTEM. THE SERVICE SEEMED RATHER FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T HESITATE TO REPLACE ALL OF THE COMPONETS WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF A SIGNIFIGANT PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HAVE NOT REPORTED IT. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING THE BMW WEBSITES ON THE 3 SERIES AND HAVE FOUND THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT IN THEIR VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER IS PAYING FOR THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEMS, BUT, ONLY IF YOU ASK ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY NOTIFYING INDIVIDUAL OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM TO HAVE THIS CONDITION CORRECTED PRIOR TO THE COMPLAINT.

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON, INDICTATING A DEFECT. DEALER CLAIMS COMPUTER NEEDS TO UPDATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 55 MPH DRIVER TOOK FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. THEN STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM 55 TO 80 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO KEEP FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK