1999 BMW 323I Complaints

MY BMW 323I DOOR LOCKS DON'T OPEN. ONCE WE ARE INSIDE THE CAR, DOORS DON'T OPEN USING THE DOOR HANDLE. *TR

GREETING, I HAVE BEEN IN POSSESSION OF MY 1999 BMW 323I FOR 11 YEARS. I MADE THE PURCHASE OVERSEES THROUGH THE MILITARY BMW SALES PROGRAM. I HAD THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BY BMW HIGHLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS SINCE YEAR 2000. THE CAR WAS SERVICE AT BMW IN 2007 FOR THE HEATING & AIR CONDITION COMPRESSOR (HVAC) AND BMW WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT. WE INFORMED BMW ON MANY SERVICE VISITS PRIOR TO THE 2007 SERVICE VISIT AND AFTER 2007 THAT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMES ON WHEN EITHER CONDUCTING NORMAL DRIVING ON APPROVED ROADS OR ON ONE OCCASION WHEN THE DRIVERS DOOR WAS SHUT AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM A SERVICE VISIT. ON ONE VISIT THEY RESET THE LIGHT WITHOUT CHARGE AND ON OTHER SERVICE VISIT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE A FEE FOR RESETTING THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT. HOWEVER, ON ONE SERVICE VISIT BMW SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I NEVER RECEIVE ANY NOTICES FROM BMW INFORMING ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. I ASSUMED THAT TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE THAT ALL PROBLEMS WAS IDENTIFIED BY BMW ALLOWING THE CUSTOMERS TO DETERMINE THE REPAIR DECISION. ON OR ABOUT 03 AUG 08, THE HEAD AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE CONDUCTING NORMAL DRIVING ON AN APPROVED HARD BALL ROAD. AFTER TAKING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND INFORMING BMW ABOUT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT, THEY REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON PRIOR TO THE DEPLOYMENT. THE CAR HAS BEEN DISABLED FOR 4 MONTHS PENDING A DECISION ON REPAIR COST OF $9000.

I OWN A 1999 323I BMW. THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. 1.) THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION WORKED FINE. THEN WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION AFTER PARKING THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. 2.)THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THIS PROBLEM COMES AND GOES. THE CAR CANNOT REVERSE. 3.) NO CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN YET, I AM JUST NOT DRIVING IT - TOO DANGEROUS. *TR

1999 BMW 3 SERIES AND LATER HAS A DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE REAR AND PASSENGER DOORS TO LOCK AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO BE OPENED EITHER FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED MANUALLY. REMOTE KEY WILL NOT OPEN DOORS OR THE GAS TANK FLAP. DOORS ARE LOCKED AND CAN'T BE OPENED IN ANY WAY, EITHER BY THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE HANDLES, BY THE POWER LOCK BUTTON, OR MANUALLY WITH KEY. PASSENGERS ARE LOCKED INSIDE CAN ONLY GET OUT BY CLIMBING OVER THE SEATS AND OUT THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THIS IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY COMPONENT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT IN HOT WEATHER MALFUNCTIONS AND LOCKS ALL DOORS. PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY IN COOLER WEATHER. APPARENTLY HEAT RELATED, CIRCUIT BOARD IS LOCATED BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX, UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND OVERHEATS IN THE SUN. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR OTHER SITUATION, PASSENGERS CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS SITUATION OCCURS. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN BY DEALERS AND BMW CAR OWNERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 323 I. WHILE MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. SHE HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE IN ORDER TO SWITCH GEARS. SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 135000.

MY 1999 BMW 323I WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE. THIS HAPPENED INITIALLY WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR AROUND FOR AWHILE, LOW AND BEHOLD, REVERSE WOULD ENGAGE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE SHIFT PLATE WAS NOT ALIGNED AND THE CAR WAS THINKING IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. AFTER HAVING THAT REPLACED AT $700, THE NEXT DAY, SAME PROBLEM. THEN THE DEALER SAID THAT IT HAS TO BE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT $2000, LOW AND BEHOLD, 2 DAYS LATER, THE SAME EXACT THING STARTING HAPPENING. THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED WITH 132,000. ALL OF THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN ON 10/22/2009. BMW NEEDS TO RECALL THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH SEVERAL OWNERS. *TR

AUTO ACCIDENT RESULTS IN DEATH OF A PASSENGER DUE TO THE INABILITY TO UNLOCK CAR DOORS IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXIT AUTO WHICH CAUGHT FIRE SHORT AFTER AN INTERSECTION ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGERS WERE UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR LATCH, UNABLE TO PULL ON DOOR LOCK KNOBS THAT ARE FLUSH TO DOOR PANELS AND UNABLE TO PRESS ON MAIN DOOR LOCK SWITCH WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO EXIT VEHICLE QUICKLY AND SAFELY. THREE PASSENGERS EXITED THROUGH A BROKEN WINDOW BUT UNFORTUNATELY ONE WAS NOT SO LUCKY. BMW CHOSE TO IGNORE ALL REQUESTS FOR A RECALL ON A "GENERAL MODULE 5 - DOOR RELAYS" FOR 1999 BMW 323I'S DUE TO UNWANTED COSTS TO THE AUTO MAKER, UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME THE COST WAS PAID BY A FAMILY WHO HAD TO ENDURE THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED IN REGARDS TO THIS DOOR LOCK MODULE YET NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS DEFAULT. HOPEFULLY A POLICE REPORT, A DEATH CERTIFICATE, AND LETTERS FROM THE VICTIMS FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE ENOUGH TO SHED LIGHT TO THIS DEADLY ISSUE. *TR

I BOUGHT A 1999 BMW 323I IN JANUARY OF 2000. IT WAS A CERTIFIED BMW. I HAVEN'T HAD MUCH TROUBLE WITH IT. I HAVE DONE TYPICAL MAINTENANCE, BRAKES, OIL CHANGES, NEW PLUGS, WIRES, ETC. LAST YEAR I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS MORE THAN 65 MILES PER HOUR THAT THE RPMS WOULD MOVE FROM 2500 TO 3000, AND A LIGHT SHOWED UP ON THE DASH. I GOT TO WORK AND CHECK MY MANUAL AND IT IS TELLING ME THE LIGHT IS A SERVICE TRANSMISSION LIGHT. IF YOU SEE THIS LIGHT, PULL OVER, PUT IT IN PARK, PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, WAIT AND RESTART THE ENGINE TO RESET TRANS. I TOOK IT TO MY REPAIR TECH AND HE PLUGGED MY CAR INTO HIS COMPUTER AND IT STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF 5TH GEAR. ESTIMATE FOR NEW TRANS IS $4,000. FOR A REBUILT TRANS IS $2,500.00. I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR A 10 YEAR OLD CAR. I HAVE NOTICED IN THE WINTER MONTHS (COLD KEEPS TRANS FLUID THICKER??) THAT IT DOESN'T SLIP AS OFTEN, AND IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, IF I KEEP MY SPEED UNDER 65 MPH, IT DOESN'T SLIP AS MUCH. BUT IT IS A HASSLE, AND I AM JUST WAITING FOR IT TO GET WORSE. IT SLIPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAYS MAKING IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER AND RESET THE CAR SO THAT IT WILL GO INTO 5TH GEAR. I DON'T ESPECIALLY LIKE TO DRIVE IT WHEN THE RPMS ARE SO HIGH, IT SEEMS TO BE PUTTING A STRAIN ON THE ENGINE, AND MY GAS MILEAGE HAS GOT TO BE DECREASING TREMENDOUSLY, WHEN IT SLIPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR. *TR

I DRIVE A 1999 BMW 323I, TODAY THE REVERSE STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON AT ALL. DROVE FINE THIS MORNING, I PULLED INTO A STORE TO RUN AN ERRAND AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE REVERSE WAS NO LONGER WORKING. I NOW READ THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL BUT THAT BMW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, THIS IS UNFORTUNATE AS I'VE ALWAYS LIKED BMWS BUT NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR THAT IS UNSAFE AND EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR

I DISCOVERED ONE MORNING THAT MY CAR WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD "CATCH", BUT IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY GO ANYWHERE. I TOWED IT TO MY REGULAR REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY QUOTED ME $6000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I FOUND A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO QUOTED ME $1600-$3500 TO ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF REPLACE, SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED A SECOND TIME OVER TO THEM. SHOP CALLED BACK AND SAID NEITHER BMW OR GM WILL SELL HIM ALL THE PARTS HE NEEDS TO DO FIX IT. BMW DOESN'T OFFER THEM (ONLY WHOLE TRANSMISSIONS), AND GM WON'T WARRANTY THE PARTS IF THEY'RE INSTALLED ON A BMW. HE ALSO SAID HE'D DONE SOME RESEARCH ON MY CONCERNS WITH THE 1999 TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FROM BMW ON IT. THERE WAS A BULLETIN ON THE 2000 ZL MODEL TRANSMISSION BUT NOT ON MINE (WHICH HE SAID WAS A 5L40-E MODEL), SO HE DOESN'T THINK THERE'S A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. BMW STARTED USING THE 5L40-E TRANSMISSION HALFWAY THROUGH 1999 WHEN THEY CHANGED THE 323 OVER FROM THE E36 TO THE E46 CHASSIS. AND ALTHOUGH THERE IS A NEW COMPLAINT ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS PAGE ALMOST DAILY REGARDING FAILURE TO GO IN REVERSE, BMW HAS NOT ISSUED A SINGLE SERVICE BULLETIN. THIS SAME TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER, WAS ALSO USED IN THE 2003 CADILLAC CTS, OF WHICH THERE ARE OVER 30 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION. TWO OF THESE SPECIFICALLY MENTION FAILURE IN REVERSE. WHY WILL CADILLAC AT LEAST ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM, BUT BMW MAKES NO MENTION OF IT IN A VEHICLE THAT'S BEEN ON THE ROAD FOUR YEARS LONGER? I KNOW A BULLETIN WON'T HAVE ANY EFFECT ON MY NOW $5000 REPAIR BILL, BUT I THOUGHT I HAD DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE IN RESEARCHING THE 1999 323I, E46'S, AND BMW IN GENERAL BEFORE I BOUGHT THE [XXX] THING. IF I'D HAVE KNOWN THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR WAS BOTH NON-SERVICEABLE AND PRONE TO FAILURE, I'D HAVE BOUGHT A KIA. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR