2000 BMW 328I Complaints

MY 2000 328CI BMW 5 SPD. THE SUBFRAME BEGAN TO TEAR IN 2004. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS BUT I'VE NOTICED VARIOUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. *NM

AT ABOUT 112K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAD MULTIPLE STRESS FRACTURES AND SEPARATIONS AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT WAS WELDED TO THE UNIBODY. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS AT NORMAL INTERVALS. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY 90% OF THE TIME AND THE REST IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS. IT IS A FAMILY CAR AND HAS HAD NO MODIFICATIONS PERIOD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH A BMW NA CPO WARRANTY THAT HAS SINCE EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO COVER ANY REPAIR COSTS ( ESTIMATED AT >3000 DOLLARS) BMW NA HAS IGNORED REPEATED REQUESTS FROM OWNERS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. IN FACT, BMW GERMANY HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND COVERS THE COST OF REPAIRS, THEY EVEN HAVE A METHOD OF REPAIR. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE SUSPENSION SHOULD NEVER SEPARATE FROM THE BODY BECAUSE OF TORSION FORCES FROM THE TRANS/DIFF. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I PERSONALLY HAVE A LIST OF OVER 100 NAMES WITH DOCUMENTED SUBFRAME CRACKING/FAILURE OF THE E46 BODY YEARS 1999-2000. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE HAVE SUBFRAME DAMAGE AT THE SAME REAR DRIVERS SIDE DIFF MOUNT, IN OTHER WORDS, OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE FAILURE POINTS, THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE IS NEARLY ALWAYS THE FAILURE POINT !! I IMPLORE THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES !!*JB

THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT IN MY 2000 328CI HAS A SIGNIFICANT FATIGUE CRACK AT THE SUBFRAME MOUNT WITHIN THE REAR AXLE SUPPORT. THIS PART, BMW #41117000246, FAILS DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKS FORMING IN THE SHEET METAL AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE SPOT WELDS OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. THE CRACK WAS OBSERVED DURING A REGULAR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND MORE COMMON FAILURE THAN THE NUMBERS REPORTED TO NHTSA. ONE ENTHUSIASTS SITE HAS A LIST WITH 120 1999 AND 2000 E46 CARS WITH THIS FAILURE. THE CRACK IN MY CAR WAS OBSERVED BECAUSE I KNEW TO LOOK FOR IT. OTHERS HAVE NO IDEA THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN. THERE WAS NO PRIOR ACCIDENT OR EVENT THAT WOULD MAKE ONE SUSPECT SUCH A FAILURE. I ONLY KNEW BECAUSE A FELLOW BMW CAR CLUB MEMBER WARNED ME TO LOOK. THE CONSEQUENCES IS THAT THE REAR DRIVETRAIN AND SUSPENSION ARE SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. AFTER THE FIRST SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINT FAILS (VIRTUALLY ALWAYS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR) THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR FAILS. IF SOMEONE FAILS TO FEEL THE WOBBLY FEEL TO THE DRIVETRAIN AND SUSPENSION THE FRONT TWO MOUNTS (4 TOTAL IN THE BACK) WILL PROCEED TO RIP OUT. NEXT THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNTS FAIL. AT THIS POINT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CAR AND SUSPENSION/DRIVETRAIN IS VERY DANGEROUS. THERE ARE FIXES FOR THIS BUT THEY INVOLVE REMOVING THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE SUPPORT WHICH IS A VERY INVOLVED PROCESS AND COSTS > $4000. BMW CHANGED THIS DESIGN IN 2001, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE E46 CARS PRODUCED BEFORE THEN. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD BE ADDRESSED FOR SIGNIFICANTLY LESS MONEY IF DONE BEFORE CRACKING STARTS. BMWAG REPAIRED OR REINFORCED ALL E46 CARS PRODUCED PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 2000, BUT BMWNA REFUSES TO. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS THIS IS NOT RIGHT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A VIBRATION WAS HEARD AND FELT WHILE DRIVING ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BUT CONTINUED TO HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 10MPH. THE NOISE WAS CONTINUOUS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THE SAME SOLUTION AS THE DEALER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT RIGHT AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CONTROL SENSOR UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO AVOID FUTURE AIRBAG FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM.

ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER IT WAS STARTED COLD, THEN SHUT OFF WITHIN 15 - 20 SECONDS. CAR OWNER CALLED BMW SERVICE MANAGER (TIM POLK, ERHART BMW) AND WAS ADVISED TO REMOVE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS, PLACE THEM ON A COOKIE SHEET IN A 325 DEGREE OVEN UNTIL THEY ARE DRIED. CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRIED PLUGS WERE RE-INSTALLED. *JB

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. LOCAL DEALERSHIP SPECULATES THAT IT IS DUE TO FUEL TANK AND VENTILATION SYSTEM BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. *JB

AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN TURNING, THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS A CREAKING SOUND DUE TO DISTORTED AND LOOSE BALL JOINTS ON BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS - REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH CONTROL ARMS. *JB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO FAULT CODE 168 - FAULTY THERMOSTAT THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE THERMOSTAT. *JB

CABIN HEATER BLOWER FAN IS SPORADIC (RUNS HIGH THEN LOW THEN HIGH AGAIN ON ITS OWN) DUE TO DEFECTIVE FINAL STAGE RESISTOR. *JB