2001 BMW 330I Complaints

WE WERE DRIVING MY 2001 BMW 330I THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (70 MPH) IN MISSOURI ON HWY 57 NORTHBOUND IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE WHEN SUDDENLY, AT MILE MARKER 19, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE CAUSING THE DRIVER TO TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE AIRBAGS HITTING HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE FACE, UP AGAINST HIS RIGHT ARM AND ELBOW, AND COVERING HIM WITH A LIGHT, WHITE POWDER. HE QUICKLY REGAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR AND MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD ON TO THE RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER, HITTING SEVERAL POTHOLES, SLICING INTO THE BOTH PASSENGER SIDE TIRES (SLICING THE SIDEWALLS) , DAMAGING THE RIMS AND DAMAGING THE ALIGNMENT ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD AND AVOID HAVING THE CAR CAREEN DOWN THE EMBANKMENT INTO THE RAVINE AND OFF INTO THE WOODS. UPON INSPECTION BY US AND BY TROOPER SPAIN FROM THE MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL IT BECAME CLEAR THAT NO COLLISION OR ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED. MEANING, NONE OF US COULD LOCATE ANY EXTERIOR DAMAGE ON THE VEHICLE POSSIBLY DUE TO FLYING DEBRIS OR HITTING ANOTHER CAR, NOR COULD WE FIND ANY ROAD HAZARDS LIKE POTHOLES IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. APPARENTLY BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED (WITHOUT CAUSE) BREAKING THE WINDOW, HITTING THE DRIVER AND DESTROYING THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANELING AND RESULTING IN OTHER DAMAGE AS HE TRIED TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. WITH SOME DIRECTION FROM THE STATE TROOPER, WE TOOK PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE ON ALL SIDES; THE TIRE MARKS ON THE ROAD; THE GLASS ON THE ROAD WHERE THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED (IN THE CENTER OF THE HIGHWAY SHOWING NO POTHOLES) AND ALL THE INTERIOR DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS JUST SERVICED BY PERILLO BMW IN CHICAGO IN PREPARATION FOR THIS ROADTRIP - WHERE THE OIL AND BELTS WERE CHANGED. THE AIRBAG INDICATOR WAS NOT ON AND DID NOT COME ON DURING OUR TRIP. I HAVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT; PHOTOS; AND CAR RECORDS DATING BACK TO 2001 INCLUDING WORK FROM ALL PREVIOUS OWNERS PROVING NO PRIOR ACCIDENTS OR POSSIBLE CAUSE. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT MY 2001 330I BMW TWO MONTHS AGO WITH 103,000 MILES ON IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY WANT $2000 TO PUT A NEW ONE IN. I THEN LOOKED AROUND HERE AND SAW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO I HAD TO CHANGE TWO OF THE WINDOW REGULATORS. - ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW. IS BMW DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? WHY DOES BMW MAKE THE PUBLIC PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY MADE? *TR

DESIGN FLAW IN TRANSMISSION, SPECIFICALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER, ON 2000-2002 E46. REQUIRING REBUILDING AND OR REPLACING TORQUE CONVERTER. BMW IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS AND IS WIDESPREAD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS AFTERMARKET CHROME ARROW CORNER LIGHTS (MANUFACTURER UNKNOWN, PART #MHB17926/156). THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE LIGHTS WERE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT COME WITH A SEAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT ON THE LIGHTS AND THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE A REFUND. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PICTURES OF THE AD ONLINE AND EMAILS VIA CONSUMER'S REQUEST. THE CONSUMER STATED WANTED A REFUND DUE TO THE FACT THE LIGHTS HAVE A DEFECT. UPDATED 09/10/07 *TR

SEPARATION AND DELAMINATION OF INTERIOR CLOTH ON INTERIOR HEADER AND INTERIOR SUPPORT PILLARS CLOTH IN REAR WAS OBSTRUCTING REAR VIEW DO TO DROPPING DOWN. COST OF REPLACEMENT $1499.27. *JB

IN JANUARY 2006, THE TROUBLE LIGHT IN OUR 2001 BMW 330I, SIGNALED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT ACTIVATES THE AIR BAGS HAD FAILED. THE LOCAL DEALER INDICATES THAT HE HAS 3 OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT TO THIS DATE HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO SECURE THE PROPER REPLACEMENT PARTS IN THE U.S AND IS ON BACK ORDER TO THE FACTORY IN GERMANY. DURING THE PAST 4 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT AIR BAGS IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF THE PROPER REPLACEMENT PARTS. *JB

MY WIFE WHO LIVES IN FLATONIA, TX AND WHO DROVE MY 2001 BMW 330I THAT I BOUGHT FOR HER TO DRIVE TOLD ME THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD FALLEN OFF AND THAT SHE HAD TO HOLD IT IN PLACE TO SEE REAR TRAFFIC AND THAT ACTION WAS VERY DANGEROUS. IMMEDIATELY, I SWITCHED CARS SO I COULD GET THE BMW REPAIRED. I WENT TO BMW OF AUSTIN TO GET THE REAR VIEW MIRROR REAPPLIED. AFTER A LOT OF WORK, THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THAT THE GLUE THEY USE TO HOLD THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS ON THEIR WINDSHIELDS DOES NOT WORK ON THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS A OEM ONE MAD E BY PPG THAT HAS A TYPE OF PAINT ON IT WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED THAT THEIR GLUE DOES NOT WORK ON. THE SERVICE WRITER CALLED AROUND AUSTIN TO FIND AN OPEN PPG DEALER WHO TOLD HIM THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN REPAIRED IF I GO THERE IMMEDIATELY. I DID. BUT AS THE MAN INSTALLED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HE TOLD ME THAT ONCE THEY START FALLING OFF THEY CONTINUE TO BECAUSE IT''S AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH PPG WINDSHIELDS FOR THIS BMW. I SENT AN E-MAIL TO PPG ASKING FOR HELP WITH THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED NO REPLY OF ANY KIND TO THIS E-MAIL. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, IT FELL OFF AGAIN. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT SOME PPG RETAILERS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE TRAINED AND EQUIPPED TO DO A BETTER JOB THAT ''STANDARD'' PPG RETAILERS. I FOUND ONE IN GEORGETOWN. I TOOK MY BMW THERE. THE DESK PERSON WHO HELPED ME TOLD ME THAT THERE IS AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH REAR VIEW MIRRORS STAYING ON PPG WINDSHIELDS FOR THIS MODEL OF BMWS. THE INSTALLER SAID THAT HE HAD A NEW TWO PART ADHESIVE THAT SHOULD DO THE TRICK. HE INSTALLED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. IT FELL OFF A FEW WEEKS LATER. I AGAIN SENT AN E-MAIL TO PPG SEVERELY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR BMW WINDSHIELDS. TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REPLAY FORM PPG. THE ONLY SOLUTION PPG IS OFFERING TO RESOLVE THIS OBVIOUSLY KNOWN DANGEROUS SITUATION IS TO REPLACE THE UNUSABLE PPG WINDSHIELD WITH A BMW WINDSHIELD THAT COSTS ABOUT $470.*JB

THE CAR HIT A POTHOLE AND THE AIRBAG THAT RUNS ALONGSIDE THE ROOFLINE OF THE PASSENGER'S SEAT DEPLOYED. *JB

HITTING A POTHOLE CAUSED AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *NM

1. YOU START HEARING METALLIC RUBBING NOISE AT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. 2. 2001 BMW 330I LEFT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT DAMAGED/RIPPED. ACCIDENTS MAY HAPPEN AND MAY NOT BE APPARENT DUE TO ACCIDENT. 3.A LOT OF COMPLAINS FROM THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://FORUM.E46FANATICS.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=195602&PAGE=1&PP=20 BMW CLAIMS IT TO BE WEAR AND TEAR SO IT IS NOT COVERED FOR REPAIR. *JB