1999 BMW 3 Series structure problems

“THE WELDS SECURING THE PASSENGER SIDE FUEL STRAP BRACKET TO THE BODY FAILED WHILE DRIVING AROUND 45MPH ON A SMOOTH ROAD. I NOTICED A METAL SCRAPING NOISE AND PULLED OVER. THE BRACKET WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE STRAP AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND UNTIL I TOOK IT OFF. THE FAILURE HAPPENED DURING COMPLETELY SAFE CONDITIONS, WITH NO WARNING SIGNS OF FAILURE. INSPECTION OF THE BRACKET AND AREA OF THE FRAME SUGGESTS THAT THE TACK WELDS WERE DEFECTIVE. IF THE FAILURE HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR ON A ROUGH SURFACE, IT COULD WELL HAVE CAUSED A BLOWOUT OF THE REAR TIRE AND POSSIBLY DROPPING THE GAS TANK. THIS DEFECT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. A QUICK SEARCH TURNS UP DOZENS OF ACCOUNTS OF THE EXACT FAILURE FOR THIS MODEL.”

“MY 1999 323I CAUGHT FIRE IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH ONCE PARKED.THERE WAS A LOUD "SNAP", FOLLOWED BY LARGE FLAMES COMING FROM AROUND THE HOOD AND FRONT WHEEL WELLS. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN 5-7 MINUTES (FORTUNATELY THEY ARE BOTH LOCATED LESS THAN 1 MILE AWAY). ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, MY CAR'S FRONT 1/2 WAS MELTED INTO MY PARKING SPACE. IT WAS A COMPLETE LOSS AND I AM EXPECTING THAT MY AUTO INSURANCE WILL PAY VERY LITTLE; REGARDLESS THAT THE CAR WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *TR”

“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”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 323I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE AREA AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 229,000.”

“AFTER 6 MONTHS OF SQUEAKING & RATTLING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE, I WAS DRIVING ON CA ROUTE 10 WHEN I NOTICED THE SOUNDS WERE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT, AS THE CAR'S HANDLING BEGAN TO FEEL LOOSE. I REDUCED SPEED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP, FEARING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND UPON ARRIVING HOME HAD MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY BEVERLY HILLS BMW, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE'S SUBFRAME WAS DAMAGED TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CAR WAS "NOT ROAD WORTHY" ([XXX]) AND I WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED OUT OF THE SHOP. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT [XXX], WHO INFORMED ME THAT BMW HAD A PROGRAM (THAT I BELIEVE IS PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT), IN WHICH THEY RECOGNIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE EARLY E46 BMW MODELS' SUB-FRAMES AND OFFERED TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED & IN SOME CASES WOULD PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. BMW CHOSE TO DENY ME REPAIR, CITING THAT THEY HAD MAILED ME A LETTER ABOUT THE PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY (THAT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED) & THAT THE PROGRAM HAD NOW ENDED. AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT PARTY, I CONTACTED[XXX]TO SEE IF BMW WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR SOME OF MY COSTS…”

“THE SUBFRAME HAS RIPPED AWAY FROM THE FLOORPAN. THROUGH INVESTIGATION THIS HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A VERY COMMON FAILURE ON E46 BMW 3 SERIES. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL BY BMW TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THE SUBFRAME SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF ANY CAR. *TR”