1999 BMW 323I Complaints

MY 323'S DOOR LOCKS ARE EXPERIENCING OCCASIONAL LOCKING PROBLEMS. THE KEY WILL NOT REMOTELY OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS. I CAN INSERT THE KEY INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR ONLY. PUSHING THE DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE THE CAR DOES NOTHING (BUT YOU CAN HEAR A CLICKING SOUND). THE PASSENGER DOORS WOULD OPEN ONLY BY PULLING ON THE INTERIOR LEVERS TWICE. BUT SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T WORK WHICH CAN BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. I CAN STILL OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE KEY REMOTE AND LOCK ALL THE DOORS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I'VE NOTICED THE PROBLEM HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY DURING WARMER DAYS. I'VE CHECKED BULLETINS WITH OTHER BMW OWNERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM BUT WITH NO SOLUTION. I'VE CALLED THE NA BMW SUPPORT NUMBER AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE.*AK

CIOLS BAD AND ALL 5 HAVE FALIED, FAIRLY NEW CAR. FAN DOES NOT COME ON CAR OVERHEATS AND AFTER VISITS TO THE DEALER AND MONEY THEY CANNOT TELL ME THE PROBLEM. *AK

AT 19,100 MILES I BROUGHT IN MY 1999 BMW 323IS FOR SERVICE AND MADE A COMPLAINT THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEY CHECKED IT BUT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROBLEM UNTILL SOMETHING ELSE WOULD HAPPEN. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND AT 37,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION WENT BAD. SEVERAL MECHANICS I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT IF THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING IT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE TRANSMISSION. BMW DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBLITY AND I AM STUCK DRIVING THE CAR WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION. FUTHERMORE, MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION IS A GM TRANSMISSION THAT IS USED IN AN IZUZU. I THOUGHT I HAD BOUGHT A BMW WITH BMW PARTS. THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION AND BMW HAS YET TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.*AK

ON MAY 20, 2004, I WENT OUT TO MY 1999 323I BMW, PARKED INSIDE A GARAGE, WHERE IT IS PARKED EVERY NIGHT AND MOST DAYS, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS STUCK IN SUCH A WAY THAT NO ONE IS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF I WANT TO GET INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE IT, I HAVE TO GET INTO THE BACK SEAT OR IN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, MAKING SURE THAT THE DOOR DOES NOT SWING BACK EVEN A LITTLE; OTHERWISE, THE DOOR LOCKS. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IN AN ACCIDENT. THUS FAR, I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CORRECTED AS THE DEALERSHIP WOULD LIKE ME TO DRIVE THERE AND CANNOT TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM MYSELF OR SEND ME ANYWHERE NEARBY. THE DEALERSHIP IS 30 MILES ONE-WAY AND I DON'T HAVE THE GASOLINE OR THE TIME. ANOTHER PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THE CAR IS THAT IT WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT MY DOING ANYTHING, AND I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, USUALLY HAVING TO APPLY THE BRAKE FULL-FORCE. THIS IS INTERMITTENT, SO I HAVEN'T ALERTED THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A THUMPING SOUND. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO NOTICED THAT REAR SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER MOUNT TORE AWAY FROM THE FLOORBOARD. *AK

1999 BMW 323I PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON AROUND 75K MILES. COMPUTER FOR AIRBAG WAS DECLARED MALFUCTION. AIR BAGS WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT IF THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS. OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDE ENGINE HESITATION DUE TO FAULTY OXYGEN SENSORS. BMWNA WILL NOT ASSIST IN AIR BAG PROBLEM.*AK

NUMEROUS BALL JOINT REPLACEMENTS. *PH THE CLOCK BULB, THERMOSTAT, CONVERTIBLE TOP TENSIONER AND POWER STEERING INTAKE WERE REPLACED. *JB

WILL DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE AIRBAG FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND ABOVE CAME OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE JMK DEALER TO REPLACE THE GASKET IN THAT DOOR 2 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS FROM THAT DAY IF BLOW OUT.

BMW 323I CONTROL ARM (SUSPENSION) DESIGN IS FLAWED AND BMW HAS QUIETLY REDESIGNED THE PART BUT REFUSES TO OFFER REPLACEMENT TO CUSTOMERS. *LA

AT APPROXIMATELY 64,000 MILES THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING POORLY. ENGINE WOULD QUIT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP UNLESS THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPED AND WOULD MISFIRE INTERMITTENTLY DURING ACCELERATION. AFTER A HUNDRED PLUS MILES OF DRIVING THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A CHECK OF THE FAULT CODES INDICATED MISFIRES ON CYLINDERS NO.1, 2, & 6. A CHECK OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM REVEALED VERTICAL CRACKS IN THE INSULATORS OF ALL SIX, 100,000 MILE, FACTORY BMW NGK R5 SPARK PLUGS. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT BOTH BMW NORTHWEST & BMW SEATTLE. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH THAT BMW WOULD NOT HELP. *LA