2000 BMW 328I Complaints

LEFT SIDE DRIVER WINDOW WILL NOT MAKE FINAL POWER UP AFTER SHUTTING DOOR IF THE WINDOW HAS BEEN PARTIALLY OPENED OR CLOSED PREVIOUSLY. THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THE WINDOW CLOSE TIGHTLY IS TO POWER DOWN THE WINDOW COMPLETELY AND THEN POWER UP COMPLETELY WITH NO STOPPING PART WAY. *JB

THE EXACT DATE UNKNOWN. IT WAS DURING HEAVY RAINS IN SAN DIEGO. INSURANCE CO. SAID I NEED A DATE. WE PUT DOWN NOV 02 2005. DURING HEAVY RAIN SAN DIEGO DEVELOPS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF POT HOLES. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN THE RAIN, THE CAR RAN INTO A LARGE POT HOLE. THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED ACCORDING TO THE MAN THAT INSTALLED NEW TIRES ON THE CAR. AT LATER WEEKS THE CAR WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISES, I THOUGHT IT WAS REAR SHOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. MY SON TOOK THE CAR TO BMW REPAIR SHOP. AFTER THE INSPECTION MY SON WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NOT SHOCK BUT THAT THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE WELDED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES BODY SHOP AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER EXAMINED THE CAR AND SAID THAT HE CONTACTED BMW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS METAL FATIGUE THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE AND THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. (THE INSURANCE CO.) BMW DOES NOT HAVE A REGULAR FRAME THAT OTHER CARS DO. ALL THE WHEELS AND OTHER PARTS ARE HELD UP BY SOME KIND OF JOINT THAT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. HE GAVE ME AN EXAMPLE "IF YOU HAVE A TOWEL RACK IN THE BATHROOM AND SOME ONE PULLS IT DOWN YOU KNOW HOW SCREWS AND DRY WALL WILL LOOK LIKE?" HE BLAMES IT ON MANUFACTURER DEFECT BECAUSE THE BMW DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE. *NM UPDATED *JB ON FEBRUARY 6, 2006 BMW ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VEHICLES DEFECT. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE BODY SHOP BEING REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *NM

2000 BMW 328CI. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENTER 3RD GEAR AND GOES STRAIGHT INTO FIFTH. COMMON PROBLEM ON BMW'S WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. UNSAFE TO SKIP GEARS IN A NORMAL ACCELERATING SITUATION. CAR GOES STRAIGHT INTO FIFTH AND NEARLY STALLS EVERY TIME. BMW INSISTS THERE IS NO FLAW, BUT BMW FORUMS HIGHLIGHT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. A FAILED $4 PART COSTS OVER $1000 TO REPAIR AND IS A TRAFFIC HAZARD AS MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION AS THE SHIFTER CAN STICK OR BIND IN NEUTRAL OR 5TH GEAR AND MUST BE FORCED INTO THE CORRECT GEAR, PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM EXERCISING THE EXTREME CAUTION AND DEDICATION THAT DRIVING REQUIRES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH THERE WAS A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT VIBRATED THROUGHOUT. THE NOISE BECAME MORE COMMON AT ALL SPEEDS AND WHILE DRIVING IN GENERAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE SUB FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE BODY ALONG THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS CRASHES OR DAMAGE TO CAUSE THE SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

CRASH - NO INJURIES. XENON HEADLIGHTS OF A 328I 2000 BMW. LOW FLAT BEAM NOTED TO BE A PROBLEM - I CAME UP UPON FOUR VERTICAL STICKS IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, A RURAL 2 LANE COUNTRY ROAD, ON A DARK NIGHT. WHEN I WAS APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THEM, THE LIGHT REFLECTING FROM THE ROAD, ILLUMINATED THE UNDERSIDE OF A DEER. LUCKILY I HAD SLOWED ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME. I ASKED THE BMW DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ,AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LIGHTS SHOULD NOT BE RAISED BECAUSE THE XENON LIGHTS WOULD BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS, AND THEY WERE AT THE CORRECT HEIGHT. ONE YEAR LATER, MY SON WAS DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, AND HIT A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK. CONDITIONS - NIGHT, RECENT SNOW PLOWED STREETS CAUSED THE PICKUP TO PARK A FOOT AND A HALF FROM THE CURB. THE TRUCK WAS A DARK GREEN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, FARM PICKUP (HIGH BUMPER)(MID BUMPER MEASURES 27" OFF PAVEMENT). MY DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. NEITHER SEEN THE PICKUP UNTIL THE LAST SECOND. MY DAUGHTER SPOTTED IT FIRST AND SCREAMED. MY SON LOOKED OVER AT HER AND LOOKED BACK JUST AS THEY HIT IT. I DO NOT BELIEVE HE EVEN HIT THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, HE STARTED TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT. THE BUMPER OF THE CAR WENT UNDER THE BUMPER OF THE TRUCK , HITTING ONLY THE TRUCK'S SPARE TIRE AND DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THE TRUCK'S BUMPER DID HIT THE RADIATOR AND VALVE COVER OF THE ENGINE. THE BMW WAS TOTALED - THE RIGHT SHOCK TOWER WAS MOVED BACK BY ABOUT 5 INCHES. THE AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF - DEALERSHIP STATES THAT IS BECAUSE, "THE BUMPERS DID NOT HIT". THE TRUCK HAD MINIMAL DAMAGE - BENT BUMPER, TRUCK BED WAS ELEVATED AND DID DENT THE BACK OF THE CAB/DRIVERS SIDE. I BELIEVE THAT THE XENON LIGHTS PROBABLY DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE PARKED TRUCK ADEQUATELY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SHINE HIGH ENOUGH. HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR OTHER DRIVERS OF BMWS AND MERCEDES.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY DISCOVERED A CRACK IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE REAR AXLE AND THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP BELIEVED THE CRACK OCCURRED FROM DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE. *AK

REAR SUBFRAME DAMAGE WHERE REAR SUSPENSION CONNECTS. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN MISTREATED OR RUN ON ANYTHING BUT STREET ROADS. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RACED, PRIMARILY A FAMILY VEHICLE. *NM

MY 2000 BMW 328I IS ALL STOCK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A HIGH-END AFTERMARKET INTAKE... IT IS ONE OF MANY E46 BMW'S TO HAVE THE DREADED "BODY FAILURE AT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINT". LET ME BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE ISSUE AT HAND: "...THE REAR MOUNTING POINTS FOR THE SUBFRAME CAN RIP OUT FROM THEIR SPOTS IN THE SHEET METAL. ...THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMITS THE TORSIONAL LOAD FROM THE ENGINE THROUGH THE SUBFRAME, THEN INTO THE CHASSIS. THIS CONSTANT LOADING AND UNLOADING WEAKENS THE SHEET METAL AND CAUSES IT TO FATIGUE AND SEPARATE FROM THE CHASSIS. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE SEEN MANY FAILURES OF THE CHASSIS ON LOW MILEAGE STREET CARS.." THAT IS A QUOTE FROM THE RESPECTED BMW SPECIALISTS AT TURNER MOTORSPORT (WWW.TURNERMOTORSPORT.COM). THAT IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I'VE HAD. BMWAG (GERMANY) RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE AND HAS ADDRESSED IT... BMWNA (NORTH AMERICA) HAS BLOWN A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF US OFF... STATING THAT WE ARE POST WARRANTY AND THAT IT'S DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS OR JUST WEAR AND TEAR. THE FRAME, SUBFRAME, AND IT'S MOUNTING POINTS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WITHOUT QUESTION. I'VE ALREADY GOT A LAWYER WHICH WILL BE PERUSING THIS - AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BMW UNTIL THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE A RECALL ON ALL E46 BMWS. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE - WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION / FRAME COLLAPSES ON A WINDY ROAD OR ON THE HIGHWAY? IT WILL ABSOLUTELY LOSE CONTROL AND MOST LIKELY HEAD LEFT - TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE NO OTHER VEHICLE WHICH I CAN DRIVE AND THE CONDITION IS ONLY GETTING WORSE ... LOUDER ... MORE ANNOYING. PLEASE HELP. THERE ARE MUCH MORE OF US THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE... PLEASE REFER TO THE LINKS BELOW. I'M NOT TRYING TO GET OVER ON ANYONE - I JUST KNOW THAT BMW NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE ... THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST AUTOMOBILES ON THE ROAD, NOT TO MENTION "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE". THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, I DO APPRECIATE IT. JOHN HANSON. *NM

1. THE REAR RIGHT WINDOW WOULD MAKE A CLICK SOUND WHEN TRYING TO CLOSE/OPEN. 2. THE WINDOW STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE POWER BUTTON AND WOULD NOT GO UP/DOWN. THE WINDOW GLASS THEN SLID DOWN BY ITSELF. SINCE I WAS DRIVING I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. MY INFANT WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AND THE WINDOW GLASS CAME DOWN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE WIND WAS COMING CREATING SAFETY HAZARD. I STOPPED TO BRING THE GLASS UP BY HAND BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY UP AND SLID DOWN ALL THE TIME. 3. II HAD TO GET THE WINDOW REGULATOR CHANGED WHICH COST $260. THIS WINDOW WAS VERY RARELY USED FOR UP/DOWN THROUGH THE POWER SWITCH. *JB

WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN BRAKES GAVE OUT. CAR HIT 2 TREES AND CAME TO STOP. $6500 BODY DAMAGE. BODY DAMAGE REPAIRED. BREAKS AFTER INSPECTION REQUIRE OVER $1500 REPAIR. BREAK CALIPERS BENT. TECHNICIAN ATTRIBUTES BREAK FAILURE TO CALIPERS BEING DEFECTIVE AND WEAK IN ALL 3 SERIES AND 5 SERIES BMW.