2003 BMW 325I Complaints

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 BMW 325 IN JULY, 2003 FROM PERFORMANCE BMW IN CHAPEL HILL, NC. THE IGNITION COIL HAD TO BE REPLACED TODAY ON THE #2 CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 8,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD BY MEL, THE SERVICE TECH AT PERFORMANCE BMW IN CHAPEL HILL, NC, THAT BMW HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION COILS ON THE 2003 AND 2004 MODELS AND THAT BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS BMW HAS SWITCHED VENDORS FOR THESE IGNITION COILS AND NO LONGER USES THE VENDOR THAT SUPPLIED THE PARTS FOR MY CAR. SINCE THERE A 6 IGNITION COILS IN MY CAR, THAT MEANS THAT AT ANY POINT IN TIME ANY ONE OF THE OTHER 5 IGNITION COILS COULD FAIL AND LEAVE ME STRANDED AS HAPPENED TODAY. I ASKED THE DEALER TO REPLACE ALL THE IGNITON COILS IN MY CAR THAT WERE SUPPLIED BY THIS VENDOR SEEING AS I AM A FEMALE WHO TRAVELS FREQUENCTLY FOR BUSINESS THROUGH RURAL AREAS WHERE IT WOULD BE EASY FOR ME TO BE STRANDED. THE DEALER REFUSED SAYING THAT THE OTHER COILS HAVE NOT YET FAILED SO THEY CANNOT REPLACE THEM. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS PRODUCT, FOR WHICH BMW IS UNWILLING TO STAND BEHIND IT'S PRODUCT.*AK

LEFT/REAR AND RIGHT FRONT TIRES HAD DEVELOPED A LARGE "BUBBLE" IN THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRES HAD LESS THAN 2000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. BRIDGESTONE TURANZA, ER30 225/45ZR17, DOT NO. K9701ER3OU2, ORIGINAL TIRES. *AK *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON 2003 325I JERKS WHEN DOWNSHIFTS WHILE BRAKING. A LAUD THUD CAN BE HEARD ON LOWER SPEEDS.

1. TRANSMISSION: AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR, CONSTANT HARD DOWNSHIFTING OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN D AND S D MODES. VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD WHEN DECELERATING BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 42 TO 35 MPH (USUALLY WHEN DRIVEN BEFORE WITH SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES AN HOUR). ALSO, AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR, CONSTANT LOUD THUMPING NOISE WHEN COMING TO A STOP 2. ENGINE:INTERMITTENT LOUD ENGINE REVVING AND IMMEDIATE TORQUE LOSS OCCURRING WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP.INTERMITTENT DELAYED ENGINE START OF UP TO 3 SECONDS AFTER TURNING KEY IN IGNITION .INTERMITTENT PRM IDLE FLUCTUATION RESULTING IN VEHICLE SHUDDERING 3. BRAKES:LOUD BREAK SQUEAKING WHEN COMING TO A STOP 4. FUEL TANK / FUEL PUMP:AFTER DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK/PUMP REPLACEMENT, RECURRENCE OF LOUD WHINING NOISE ( CONFIRMED WITH BMW OF NORTH AMERICA) 5. CD PLAYER: INTERMITTENT BUILT-IN BUSINESS CD PLAYER SKIPPING 6.STEERING WHEEL: STEERING WHEEL CREAKING WHEN TURNING.*AK

THE COMPUTER FIRST FAILED ON MY 2003 BMW 325I ON JUNE 15, 2003, (THREE WEEKS AFTER I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP, BMW OF MANHATTAN), CAUSING ME TO LOSE ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS TRAVELLING AT 60-65 MILES PER HOUR IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO MANUEVER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE HAPPENED TO BE A VERY SMALL SHOULDER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRAFFIC WAS VERY HEAVY. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT; PARTICULARLY, BECAUSE THE CARS BEHIND ME HAD NO WAY TO DETECT THAT MY CAR WAS ONLY COASTING. THE NJ STATE TROOPERS HAD TO SHUT DOWN NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC IN ALL 4 LANES OF THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IN ORDER TO REMOVE MY CAR FROM THE PARKWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER, SO THEY SENT IT TO MONTVALE, NJ TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE DEALERSHIP RETURNED THE CAR TO ME ON JUNE 20, 2003. ON JUNE 25, 2003, THE COMPUTER FAILED AGAIN, CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THIS TIME, I WAS EXITING A PARKING GARAGE AND ANOTHER CAR NEARLY SLAMMED INTO ME ON THE EXIT RAMP. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, I WAS ABLE TO REACH THE TOP OF THE RAMP AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, (NOT AN EASY TASK DURING RUSH HOUR IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN!), BUT THE CAR LURCHED REPEATEDLY AND WAS UNABLE TO GO MORE THAN 5 MPH. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.BMW OF MANHATTAN HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO MY TELEPHONE CALLS. THE CAR CLEARLY HAS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT, WHICH COULD EASILY CAUSE FATALITIES.*AK

THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED VERY HARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND JUMPED FORWARD WHEN DECELERATING.*JB