2001 BMW 330CI Complaints

SUBFRAME FAILURE IN 2001 E46 330CI, REAR SUBFRAME TEARING NEAR SPARE TIRE STORAGE AND MOUNTS. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND I WAS BASICLLY TOLD TO GO SCREW MYSELF BY BMWNA.*AK

I BOUGHT A 2001 BMW 330CIC [XXX] IN OCT. OF 2003 FROM A PRIVATE PERSON. BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR I PAID ~$200 TO A BMW DEALER AND GOT IT CHECKED FOR MAJOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE CAR HAD ~ 53K MILES ON IT AND THEY SAID NO PROBLEMS. HENCE I WENT AND BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THIS PRIVATE OWNER. JUST AFTER 2 MONTHS I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT CONTROL BUSHINGS THAT COST ME ABOUT ~$500 AND AFTER ANOTHER 2 MONTHS THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT BAD. I PAID ABOUT $800 FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND PARTS. NOW JUST A FEW DAYS AGO THE CAR STOPPED DRIVING IN REVERSE. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS GOING FORWARD AND USING THE STREPTRONIC TRANSMISSION (A/T). NOW THE CAR HAS 64K MILES AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY CHARGED ME $100 TO TELL ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS BURNT UP BY LOOKING AT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE DEALER IS ASKING FOR ~ $4100 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. I HAVE CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND THE RESPONSE THAT I AM GETTING IS THAT BMW WILL NOT COVER THIS. BUT I HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT APPROACH; 1.AS A NEW OWNER I AM AT A LOSS BECAUSE I AM NOT ENTITLED FOR GOODWILL JUST BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS OWNER USED IT. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE SINCE I PUT MY TRUST IN BMW AND PAID A HANDSOME PRICE FOR THE CAR. (TRANSMISSION IS A MAJOR PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IF IT BRAKES AT MERE 64K MILES). 2. THE TRANSMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO LAST IN EXCESS OF 20000 MILES, BUT BECOMES DYSFUNCTIONAL AT A MERE 64000 MILES (PRODUCT QUALITY) 3.FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS CAUSING THE REVERSE GEAR NOT TO WORK BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD. I AM SURE THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE IMPRESSION OR EXPERIENCE THAT BMW WANTS ME TO HAVE! PLEASE SUGGEST OR ADVISE ME WHAT TO DO. THE CAR IS STILL WITH THE DEALER (UNITED BMW OF ROSWELL, GA PHONE:- 678-832-4600 BMW CUSTOMER RELATION PHONE:- 1-800-831-1117 THANKS, [XXX]. *AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM CAME LOOSE ON MY 2001 BMW 330CI. HAD COMPLAINED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS TO DEALER (VOB BMW - ROCKVILLE, MD) CONCERNING ABNORMAL JERK OF CAR WHEN COMING TO STOP. DEALER INSISTED THAT CAR WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. FINALLY TOOK CAR TO INDEPENDENT BMW GARAGE (BMW EXCLUSERVICE - ROCKVILLE, MD), AND INFORMED THAT RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS LOOSE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS POSSIBILITY RIGHT FRONT TIRE COULD COME OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED CONTROL ARMS WITH REDESIGNED 2004 MODEL YEAR CONTROL ARM. BMW REFUSED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM PROPERLY DIAGNOSED. I WOULD IMAGINE THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING TO OTHER CARS IF THEY HAD TO REDESIGN THE CONTROL ARMS. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A GOVERNMENT MANDATED RECALL FOR THIS. (I.E. POSSIBILITY OF WHEELS COMING OFF). *LA

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE THREAD SEPARATED IN THE INSIDE WALL, DUE TO THE WAY THE MANUFACTURER ALIGNS THEM AT TIME OF FACTORY INSTALLATION. MR

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY STALL WHILE DRIVING. (HAPPENS WEEKLY) THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SCC

TRANSMISSION WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE BEEN TODEALER,BUT PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING.FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THERE IS POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW WITH THE RIMS OR CONTINENTIAL TIRES, DUE TO TIRES DEFLATING AT HIGH SPEEDS.*TT

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING SHAFT FAILED CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A PARKED CAR. DEALER FOUND THE VEHICLE WAS BOTTOMED OUT WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING SHAFT TO BREAK/SHATTER, LETTER IS WRITTEN BY CLARENCE DITLOW FROM THE CENTER OF AUTO SAFETY, CONSUMERS NAME WAS NOT GIVEN. *TT

AUXILIARY FAN CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTERIL FAILURE; THIS CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE EXISTING RECALL / RECALL NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED / THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, MADE A SLIGHT TURN, AND VEHICLE HIT A PARKED CAR, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. *AK *SLC