2001 BMW 325I Complaints

POWER WINDOW MOTORS HAVE FAILED IN BOTH FRONT WINDOWS + RIGHT REAR, ALTHOUGH THESE WINDOWS ARE SELDOM USED. *NM

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES ON GOODYEAR EAGLE HP P205 55 R16 TIRES, THE SIDEWALLS ARE SEPARATING. THE TIRE IS RATED FOR ABOUT 40,000 MILES AND THE TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE IS STILL SUBSTANTIAL, HOWEVER THE TIRES MUST BE REPLACED. THEY ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO FAILURE. *JB

BOTH REAR SPRINGS FAILED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, AT LESS THAN 50,000 MILES WITH NO EXCESSIVE DRIVING. MY MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS ENDEMIC TO THE E46 BMW 3 SERIES. SHOULD THE REAR SUSPENSION HAVE BECOME UNLOADED ON A BUMP, ETC. A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED. IF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SPRINGS IS COMMON, IT COULD REPRESENT A DESIGN DEFECT. *JB

DEALER PERFORMING 60,000 MAINTENANCE CHECK ON 2001 BMW 325IX REPORTED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE CRACKED. ALSO REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR CRACKED SPRINGS ON A HALF DOZEN 3 SERIES CARS OF THE SAME VINTAGE (1999-2005) OVER THE LAST YEAR.*JB

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I COULD FEEL THE FRONT END BECOME UNSTABLE AND VIBRATE ESPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR CHANGING FROM ASPHALT TO CONCRETE.MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THE LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND HE CALLED BMW FOR INFORMATION AND THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM. HE RECOMMENDED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND WE PUT LESS THAN 8,000 MILES/YEAR ON IT. HE SAID THIS FAILURE SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED THIS EARLY. BEFORE GOING TO THE DEALER, I CHECKED THE INTERNET (YAHOO USING THE SEARCH TERMS: BMW "CONTROL ARM" REPAIR). I FOUND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESULTS, MANY OF THEM FORUM POSTINGS FROM OTHER 3 SERIES OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AT 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES. MOST OF THE POSTS ARE ON SITES LIKE BIMMERFORUM, BIMMERFEST, E46FANATICS, ETC. MY LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER AGREES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT THINKS I SHOULD PAY THE $1350 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS (THEY TELL ME THE OTHER IS CLOSE TO FAILURE). SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SO MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM AT 35,000 MILES OR LESS I AM COMPLETING THIS COMPLAINT FORM. I FEEL BMW SHOULD RECALL THESE AUTOS AND REPAIR THE CONTROL ARMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A LEAK WAS OBSERVED IN THE GAS TANK. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER EIGHT MORE TIMES. THE DEALER AGREED TO CONTINUE REPAIRING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT RELATES TO THE GAS TANK. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS DONE. EACH TIME THE TEST INDICATED A SMALL LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING MADE NOISE. *NM

I OWN A 2001 325 I BMW AND THE SIDE AND OUR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. DEALER SHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE AIR BAGS UNLESS WE PAY THEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED. ONE YEAR LATER WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DETACHED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONTACT ALSO REPORTED ANOTHER SAFETY DEFECT. WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVER SEAT, THE HEATED SEAT COILS BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT CAUSING INJURY TO THE CONTACT AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. UPDATED 02/24/06. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. A CHUNK OF GLASS WAS RETAINED ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ATTACHING BRACKET. THE WINDSHIELD WERE THE BRACKET IS GLUED TO RETAIN AN INDENTURE WITH THE CHUNK OF GLASS MISSING JUST ON THE INSIDE. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE NOTICED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *NM

TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN: I OWN A BMW 325XI 2001 MANUAL. A MANUAL SHIFTER IS DESIGNED TO GO TO THE MIDDLE WHEN IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THIS PROBLEM I HAVE CAUSES THE STICK SHIFT TO GO TO THE RIGHT (NEAR FIFTH GEAR) AND STAY THERE. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SHIFTED INTO THE WRONG GEAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I ALMOST BLEW THE ENGINE AND LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE STICK SHIFT DOES NOT RETURN TO WHERE IT IS DESIGNED TO BE, THE DRIVE CAN GET CONFUSED RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ONLINE AND I HAVE FOUND OVER 4000 COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS. I CHECKED FORUMS AND OTHER WEBSITES. THE DEALER INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE CORRECT PART (BUSHINGS) WANTS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION!!! WE ALL FEEL THAT NHTSA SHOULD STEP IN AND FORCE A RECALL. THE COMPANY IS NOT HELPING AT ALL! THEY WANT TO KEEP THIS IN THE DARK. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *JB