2000 BMW 3 Series power train problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. ON ONE OCCASION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND CAUSED A FENDER BENDER WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH AN UNKNOWN BMW DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REVERSE DRUM FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE METAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.”

“I PARKED THE CAR AND WHEN I GOT BACK IN TO DRIVE AWAY, I COULDN'T BACK UP AFTER PUTTING IT IN REVERSE. ENGINED REVVED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO PUSH CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE. DEALER WANTS $ 5000.00 TO FIX, WHAT THEY SAY IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2000 BMW 328I'S.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR A TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2003 BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.”

“REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SUBFRAME MOUNT POINT FAILURE. THE CAR HAS GONE THROUGH CLASS ACTION SUIT IN 2009, AND WAS INSPECTED BY BMW IN 2010--WAS TOLD EVERYTHING IS OK AND IT WILL NOT FAIL SINCE ONLY ONES WITH VISIBLE DEFECT WILL FAIL. BUT MINE FAILED ANYWAY 5 YEARS LATER. THIS SHOWS EVEN IF THE DAMAGE/DEFECT IS NOT VISIBLE IT CAN MANIFEST ITSELF AT ANY TIME. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH ON CITY STREETS GOING STRAIGHT, ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, SHIFTING GEARS FROM 2ND TO 3RD WHEN A LOUD EXPLOSIVE BANG WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR WITH AN ALARMING JOLT THAT TRIGGERED AN INTERIAL LOCK ON SEATBELTS, MADE ALL OCCUPANTS SCREAM IN SHOCK AND CHILDREN CRYING. INSPECTION OF UNDERCARRIAGE REVEALED THAT THE FLOOR PAN WHERE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SUBFRAME ATTACHES TO HAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED, LEAVING DRIVER SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME, DIFFERENTIAL, AND REAR AXLE FLOATING WITH CHUNKS OF SHEETMETAL FROM MOUNT POINT MISSING. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS FAILURE AND I SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING THE CAR, AND THE ONLY REASON OF FAILURE IS DEFECT IN THE CAR. MECHANICS BELIEVE THIS FAILURE POSES SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD SAYING IT CAN EASILY SEPARATE THE REAR AXLE AND…”

“THE VEHICLE HAS A HARD TIME REVERSING, I CAN COMMAND IT TO REVERSE BUT SOMETIMES NOTHING HAPPENS LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL, THE CAR IS A 2000 AND ONLY HAS 96K MILES. THIS PAST MONTH I HAVE SPOKEN WITH BMW ABOUT THE ISSUE. I LET THEM KNOW I FEEL IT POSES A SAFETY RISK BUT THEY SAID THEY CANNOT HELP ME. EVEN THOUGH IT IS CLEARLY A MFG. DEFECT. JUST HOPING TO HAVE AN ADVOCATE TO HELP ME. THE CAR IS STATIONARY ON A STREET.”

“GOT IN CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING PUT IT IN REVERSE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THEN CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS AS IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE APPLIED BREAKS AND PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND ALL THE FORWARD GEARS WORKED FINE, TRIED REVERSE AGAIN AND SAME THING HAPPENED DIDN'T MOVE NO MATTER HOW MUCH THROTTLE WAS APPLIED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION/WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM,BEFORE THIS THE TRANSMISSION WORKED GREAT NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AS IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING IT COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE.”