1999 BMW 328I Complaints

MY 1999 NMW 328I WONT GO INTO REVERSE ON OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS IN A DARK PARKING AREA ALONE. THE CAR GAVE ME NO WARNING. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR ALL THE DAY AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I GOT INTO THE CAR LATER TO GO HOME AND IT WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR SO THAT I COULD GO INTO DRIVE WHICH WORKS FINE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE BMW PLACE AT 10,000 MILES TO GET TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO NEED BECAUSE IT WAS A LIFETIME TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE BMW PLACE IN TALLAHASSEE FLORIDA CAPITAL EURO CHECKED THE CAR. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR ALMOST A MONTH AND THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR THEM SO THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND IT WAS FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND STARTED AGAIN. IT DOESN'T DO IT OFTEN BUT IM SCARED TO DRIVE IT FAR OR TO MUCH SO IM LIMITED TO WHERE I CAN GO BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION RIGHT NOW AND MY CAR IS PAID FOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE DEALER MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V223000 (AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW), BUT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 328. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR SUB FRAME WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A MAINTENANCE CHECK WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOUNT FOR THE REAR WHEELS HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE REAR AXLE AND SUB FRAME. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER IN REGARDS TO THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS WON IN JUNE OF 2009 AND THAT THE TIME FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO MAKE THE REPAIR HAS ELAPSED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE REAR WHEELS HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.

THE DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK AND CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY. PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN BE MANUALLY OVER-RIDDEN. *KB

ON A RAINY DAY, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ON MY 1999 BMW 328I FAILED UNDER STRESS. I DID NOT NOTICE A TURN ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND THEREFORE WENT INTO IT TOO FAST. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FIRST PULLED ME OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE INSIDE OF THE TURN, WHERE THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL ON THE GRAVELY SHOULDER. AT THIS POINT THE TRACTION SYSTEM MAY NOT HAVE FAILED YET. HOWEVER, I SPUN OUT LEFTWARD, AND THEN TO THE OTHER SIDE. I CROSSED ON-COMING TRAFFIC, AND GAINED CONTROL BEFORE LEAVING THE ASPHALT AND POTENTIALLY HITTING A TELEPHONE POLE. HOWEVER, ONCE I HAD THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AFTER LOSING TRACTION AND SLIDING ACROSS TRAFFIC, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CONTROL SYSTEM THREW ME INTO A SECOND SPIN THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OVER, AND I ENDED UP GOING BACKWARDS AGAINST TRAFFIC. THE SYSTEM WANTED TO GO BACKWARDS. I WORKED SO HARD THAT MY HANDS WERE BLEEDING AFTERWARDS. I KNOW THE SYSTEM HAD FAILED BECAUSE THE TRACTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON, AND WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE TRACTION SYSTEM WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON (INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED ON) FOR . SO THE CAUSE APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FAILURE, NOT A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, AND THUS REPLACING MY SYSTEM MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE DIED IF THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN THE CAUSE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN. SO THIS INCIDENT IS REAL, BUT MAY ONLY OCCUR UNDER STRESS. SO TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, BMW MUST TEST THE SYSTEM UNDER STRESS (I KNOW - I AM A RELIABILITY ENGINEER). BMW WILL NOT PAY TO INVESTIGATE OR REPAIR MY CAR BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THAT IT IS ONLY MY BELIEF THAT IT MALFUNCTIONED, EVEN THOUGH THEIR OWN ON-BOARD MONITORING SYSTEM DISPLAYED A FAILURE ONTO MY DASH BOARD (THE INDICATOR LIGHT). IT SEEMS TO BE "WORKING OK" NOW THOUGH (NO INDICATOR LIGHTS - SYSTEM TURNS BACK ON). IN SUMMARY, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILS UNDER STRESS AND THEN TRIES TO STEER THE CAR BACKWARDS. FYI, I WAS COMPLETELY SOBER RETURNING FROM AN ATHLETIC COMPETITION, THE TIRES HAD GOOD TREAD, AND WERE INFLATED PROPERLY. *TR

MY 1999 BMW 328I (E46) TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS REGULARLY FAIL, CAUSE FALSE FAULT DISPLAY WARNINGS, TURN SIGNAL BULBS BURN OUT OR FLASH AT A HIGH SPEED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN FLASH NORMALLY, AND THEN BURN OUT. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TURN SIGNAL/BRAKE LIGHT HARNESSES OVERHEATING, SHORTING OUT, AND MELTING. WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BMW TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, IT WAS JUST BAD BULBS. I HEAR BMW IS NOW CHARGING $400. PER SIDE TO REPAIR OUT OF WARRANTY CARS. MY CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY IN 2003, AND THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM BEFORE IT RAN OUT. THE MILEAGE WAS APPROX. 25K WHEN PROBLEM STARTED AND CONTINUES NOW AT APPROX. 89K MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES BUT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE UNTIL EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER CLIP WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V100000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,500. UPDATED 05/12/11 *BF UPDATED 05/31/11

THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM (GM5 MODULE) IS MALFUNCTIONING AS IT FAILS TO OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS. THE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE CANT EXIT THE VEHICLE. ONLY AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS DOES THE DOOR FINALLY OPEN. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT OR THE TEMPERATURE RISES THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE EXITING OF THE VEHICLE.

I HAVE A 1999 BMW 328I (E46 BODY). WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I HAVE HAD RECURRING ISSUES, USUALLY ON HOT OR COLD DAYS, WHERE THE DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. IN ADDITION, WHEN LOCKED, THE CAR ALARM WILL GO OFF AT RANDOM INTERVALS. I'VE EVEN HAD ONE INSTANCE WHERE THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP AUTOMATICALLY AND THE DOORS LOCKED WHILE I WAS STILL IN THE CAR AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET OUT WAS BY UNLOCKING THE DOORS WITH THE ELECTRIC KEY FOB. NEITHER OPENING THE DOOR HANDLE OR UNLOCKING FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE WORKED. SOME RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THESE SYMPTOMS ARE COMMON INDICATORS OF A FAULTY GM5 MODULE AND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN. GETTING IT FIXED WOULD REQUIRE A SERVICE VISIT, PERHAPS MULTIPLE DIAGNOSES, AND CLOSE TO $1000.00 TO FIX. I FEEL THAT BMW SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A FAIRLY SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN. I WOULD NOT WANT TO FIND MYSELF LOCKED IN MY CAR WITH NO WAY TO EXIT. *TR

I WENT TO BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE AND MY 1999 BMW 328I WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THE SHIFT LEVER SEEMED TO BE WORKING. THE INDICATOR ON THE DASH SAID "R". BUT THE ENGINE JUST REVVED. I PUSHED IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND DROVE TO MY AUTO MECHANIC. WHEN I GOT THERE, IT WAS WORKING PERFECTLY. I DROVE IT AROUND FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND THEN IT DID IT AGAIN. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 10 MINUTES I CHECKED AGAIN AND IT WAS WORKING. I CALLED TWO BMW DEALERS AND ALL THEY WOULD SAY IS "YOU NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST 5 GRAND". *TR