Problems · by component
2001 BMW 3 Series power train problems
54 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 3 Series cite power train, 12% of all 457 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
54
12% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHEN SHIFTED TO REVERSE ENGINE RPMS WENT WIDEOPEN CAUSING IT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL FROM OUR DRIVEWAY INTO MOBILEHOME ACROSS FROM ME THEN INTO A VAN AND SHOVED IT INTO ANOTHER MOBILEHOME”
“IN MOTION TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS, CLUNK THEN EXCLAMATION POINT APPEAR NEXT TO DASHBOARD GEAR INDICATOR.1ST GEAR DISAPPEARS-THEREFORE DANGEROUSLY SLOW TAKEOFF SPEED.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 325I. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,866.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
“I AM HORRIFIED. I HAVE 135K MILES ON MY 2001 BMW 325I AND IT WILL NO LONGER REVERSE. I TOOK IT INTO THE TRANSMISSION GUY AND HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $4K TO REPAIR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, WITH BARELY ANY PROBLEM. HE ALSO SENT ME TO A WEBSITE WHERE APPARENTLY MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS A WELL KNOWN FAILURE ESP WITH THE 2001 MODEL 3-SERIES. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR RECALL SHOULD BE BROUGHT AGAINST BMW. *TR”
“VEHICLE OPERATED WITHOUT ISSUE AND THEN THE REVERSE GEAR CEASED FUNCTIONING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE FROM A PARKING SPOT AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED AS THE REVERSE GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION NO LONGER ENGAGED. REPEATED ATTEMPTS WITH THE VEHICLE AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND WHEN ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN YIELDED THE SAME RESULT. NOTHING LED ME THE FEEL THIS WOULD OCCUR AND COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF THE SITUATION HAD BEEN DIRE IF AN OUTCOME AS SUCH RESTED ON THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE REVERSE GEAR. *TR”
Showing 6 of 54 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.