2000 BMW 3 Series Owner Complaints

REAR LIGHTS . CLIP CONTACTS MELTING GROUND WIRE . PURCHASED LIGHTS AND CLIPS 3 TIMES AND MELTED AGAIN. LIGHTS INOPERABLE AFTER 2 WEEKS OF LIFE HARNESS MELTED . RECEIVED MULTIPLE WARNINGS AND A TICKET I NOW HAVE TO PROVE REPAIR . RECALL FOUND FOR EVERY OTHER MODEL EXCEPT THE 323I 2000 . NOT SAFE TO HAVE NO TAIL LIGHTS AVAILABLE . CAN'T DRIVE CAR IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS. CAN'T SELL CAR IN UNSAFE CONDITION

NHTSA ID

11386688

Incident

Oct 10, 2019

Mileage

216,000 mi

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WITH A TAKATA RECALL NOTICE. MY 2000 323I HAS A AIRBAG SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGE FROM THE REAR END PASSENGER SIDE. REPAIR WORK WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE DAMAGES.

NHTSA ID

11048275

Incident

Nov 12, 2013

Mileage

99,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL!! I WAS DRIVING 35 MPH ON A REGULAR STREET I ALWAYS DRIVE ON AND MID DRIVE BOTH PASSANGER AND DRIVER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON!!!! CAUSING VERY SERIOUS INJURIES!! ALSO CAUSING MORE DAMAGE TO MY CAR!!!!

NHTSA ID

10888439

Incident

Jul 23, 2016

THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK... THE TRANSMISSION- REVERSE HAS GONE OUT... AND THE RADIATOR HAS A SERIOUS LEAK... MAKES THE CAR RUN HOT!

NHTSA ID

10887482

Incident

May 27, 2016

Mileage

148,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10860502

Incident

Sep 9, 2014

RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM BMW USA FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 14V-428 (DEFECTIVE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AIR BAG) LAST SEPTEMBER 2014. AS OF TODAY'S DATE (MARCH 11, 2015), BMW USA HAS NOT INFORMED ME WHEN I CAN EXPECT THEM TO PERFORM THE WORK NEEDED TO RECTIFY THE DEFECTIVE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG. THEIR SUGGESTION THAT I OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER IS LUDICROUS AND VIRTUALLY IMPRACTICAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693573

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

62,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10682812

Incident

Sep 8, 2014

WELL DOCUMENTED NO REVERSE ISSUE FOR BMW GM TRANSMISSION D-CLUTCH FRACTURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641065

Incident

Sep 4, 2014

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE AIRBAG ICON ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STAYS ON. MY MACHANIC TOLD ME THIS MEANS THAT A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT AND, AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF A COLLISION. SO I ASKED THEM TO REPAIR IT, AFTER PAYING ABOUT $700, ABOUT 8 MONTHS LATER IT POPPED BACK ON , SO I'M SERIOULY LOOKING TO TRADE THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621676

Incident

May 16, 2012

Mileage

105,034 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEATER SETTING ON WARM, SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM CENTER CONSOLE AND LEFT SIDE OF GLOVE BOX FROM UNDERNEATH. HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND ESCAPE THE SMOKE FILLED CABIN THE SMOKE TURN TO A FLAME FROM UNDER THE GLOVE BOX. THE CAR PROCEEDED TO TOTALLY BURN FROM THIS INCIDENT. I REVIEWED THE SCHEMATICS TO IDENTIFY THE ONLY HEATING DISSIPATING ELEMENT LOCATED UNDER THERE IS THE FSR BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SMOKE APPEARED SUDDENLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10542017

Incident

Sep 3, 2013

Mileage

200,000 mi

I WAS PREPARING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE ACTED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN "NEUTRAL" AND DID NOT MAKE ANY NOISE OR MOTION. THE REVERSE NEVER SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF TROUBLE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ON A LIMITED BASIS OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE CAR WHILE ACCELERATING BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 25 MPH AND 30 MPH DRIVING FORWARD. IT WAS SUBTLE AND ACTUALLY BEGAN TO GO AWAY. I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY UNUSUAL STRESS, NOISE, OR DIFFICULTIES WHILE GOING INTO REVERSE PRIOR TO FINDING IT COMPLETELY GONE TODAY. I FEEL EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THIS OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DID NOT INVOLVE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I FEAR THAT IT COULD HAVE PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN GREAT BODILY HARM, HAD I NOT BEEN SO LUCKY. I FEAR FOR WHAT THIS MAY COST TO REPAIR OR EVEN EVALUATE, SINCE MANY ONLINE HAVE EXPRESSED A SIMILAR SITUATION RESULTING IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF REPAIRS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10538646

Incident

Sep 3, 2013

Mileage

142,780 mi

THE LEFT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT TORN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE UNIBODY/FRAME MOUNTING LOCATION. THE REAR BODY METAL FATIGUE WAS CAUSED FROM LOADING AND UNLOADING OF THE DRIVE TRAIN DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY BMW. A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT REQUIRED BMW TO FIX THE PROBLEM FROM 2009 TO 2010, BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR THE METAL FATIGUE SHOWED UP AFTER THE 2010 DEADLINE FOR REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE REAR AXLE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A VEHICLE RECALL AND ALL BMW E46 3 SERIES SHOULD HAVE THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINTS REPAIRED AND REINFORCED BY BMW AT NO COST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10535754

Incident

Jul 23, 2013

Mileage

192,000 mi

CAR JUST STOPPED GOING INTO REVERSE. THIS IS A ISSUE THAT IS COMMON IN MANY OTHER 2000 3 SERIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509968

Incident

Apr 8, 2013

Mileage

254,000 mi

GREAT CAR UNTIL PARKED AT GROCERY STORE AND CAR WOULD NOT BACK UP WHEN PUT IN REVERSE. ONLY 75000 MILES. BMW DEALER WANTED $6000 TO REPLACE WITH FACTORY REBUILT TRANSMISSION. CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN REPAIR. OFFERED TO CONTACT DEALER AND ASK FOR 10% REDUCTION. NEVER HEARD BACK. LAST BMW FOR ME. VERY FREQUENT FAILURE PER THE INTERNET AND THIS SITE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10497676

Incident

Oct 17, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED GOING INTO REVERSE. WORKS IN DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475709

Incident

Sep 13, 2012

Mileage

103,200 mi

ON FEBRUARY 6, 2012 EXITING THE FREEWAY AN ABOUT A MILE OR SO AFTER, I HEARD THIS BIG CLUNK THAT CAME FROM THE REAR, STOPPED AND PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT THAT WAS. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE REAR AXEL WAS HANGING AND SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY FOR INSPECTION AND CALLED BMWNA TO FILE THE CLAIM. THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND OFFERED 50% OF THE COST. MY CAR HAS 160K MILES AND IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BESIDES THIS FAULTY ENGINEERED BY BMW AND THEY WILL NOT PAY. LUCKILY I AM STILL ALIVE. HOW ABOUT IF I WAS STILL ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING AND THIS THING HAPPENED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT? THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS! SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I AM STILL DEALING WITH BMWNA TO COVER FOR THE REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT THIS INCIDENT CREATED. IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND NOW THEY DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449155

Incident

Feb 6, 2012

Mileage

160,000 mi

THE REVERSE GEAR STOP WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445482

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE CAR TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. THE ISSUE HAPPENS SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING, AND ACTS EXACTLY AS IF YOU WERE IN NEUTRAL GEAR. THERE IS A DEDICATED SITE CALLED HTTP://WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG THAT DOCUMENTS THOUSANDS OF CASES FROM BMW OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NORTH AMERICA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ITS TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES 1999-2003 HAVE THIS ISSUE, BUT FAILS TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE ON THIS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. IN NOVEMBER, I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY NORMALLY TO DRIVE TO WORK. WHEN I ARRIVE AT WORK AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE INTO THE SPACE, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACT THIS WAY. ALL OTHER GEARS WORK NORMAL (MEANING IT DRIVES FINE FORWARD), IT IS JUST THAT YOU CANNOT ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10444721

Incident

Nov 1, 2011

Mileage

125,000 mi

THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED GOING INTO REVERSE. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO GET OUR OF THE PARKING SPOT AND WENT STRAIGHT HOME. THE NEXT MORNING, THE REVERSE GEAR DECIDED TO WORK SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT FOR TEST DRIVE AGAIN AND IT FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE AGAIN. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BMW OWNERS THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REVERSE GEAR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FROM BMW TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441425

Incident

Nov 6, 2011

Mileage

139,000 mi

THE CAR WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10437354

Incident

Nov 18, 2011

Mileage

128,000 mi

THE WINDOW REGULATOR (I.E., THE MECHANICAL MECHANISM IN THE DOORS WHICH RAISES AND LOWERS THE WINDOWS) APPEARS TO BE FAULTY. I HAVE REPLACED THE REGULATORS 6 TIMES SINCE 2000. THESE ARE REPEATED FAILURES: THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR HAS FAILED TWICE (2003 AND 2009); THE LEFT FRONT REGULATOR HAS FAILED TWICE (2003 AND 2011); THE LEFT REAR HAS FAILED ONCE (2008) AND THE RIGHT REAR HAS FAILED ONCE (2007). BMW ONLY COVERED THE FAILURES UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY (2003). THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN AT MY COST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436806

Incident

Jan 17, 2003

Mileage

25,280 mi

I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END, TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THE SUBFRAME HAS TORN OFF OF THE REAR SUSPENSION. HE CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL, BUT NONE HAS BEEN FOUND. HE DID NOTICE ONLINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, WITH MANY COMPLAINTS, AND THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAD BEEN FILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436306

Incident

Nov 1, 2011

Mileage

128,000 mi

I TOOK MY YEAR 2000, BMW 328CI IN TO REPLACE A REAR DIFFERENTIAL BUSHING. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED FRAME DAMAGE WHERE THE DRIVER-SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BUSHING ATTACHES TO THE CAR BODY/FRAME. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I CALL MY INSURANCE AGENT TO SEE IF THIS WAS COVERED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR WHO INFORMED ME OVER THE PHONE & EMAIL (INCLUDING PHOTO ATTACHMENTS) THAT THE DAMAGE COULD NOT BE CAUSED BY ANY COLLISION AND WAS NOT COVERED BY MY INSURANCE POLICY. THE AGENT STATED THAT THIS WAS A BMW ISSUE. HE ALSO SENT A LINK OF A VIDEO OF ANOTHER BMW 3 SERIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM SHOWING METAL FATIGUE HTTP://VIDEO.GOOGLE.COM/VIDEOPLAY?DOCID=8362789948066992482# . I SENT PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN BMW REPAIR. HE SAID IT WAS NOT SOMETHING SEEN EVERYDAY BUT SOMETHING BMW KNOWS ABOUT BASED ON WHAT HE HAS READ. HE ALSO STATED THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SUGGESTED I CALL THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND ASK ABOUT ANY RECALLS. I CALLED THE BMW DEALER WHO ASKED FOR MY VIN # AND THEN SAID THERE WERE "NO OPEN CAMPAIGNS AT THIS TIME". I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/25/2011. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS AROUND $5000, WHICH IS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. *TT

NHTSA ID

10432838

Incident

Oct 14, 2011

Mileage

179,886 mi

THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE REVERSE ON THESE VEHICLES. WE THOUGHT WE HAD A UNIQUE PROBLEM BUT IT IS A OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. I FOUND 359 COMPLAINTS ON OUR YR/MAKE/MODEL ON THIS WEBSITE ALONE. ALSO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON A WEBSITE CALLED NO REVERSE.ORG. OUR BMW WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I HAVE LEARNED TO PARK ON AN INCLINE SO I CAN ROLL BACKWARDS OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. BMW NEEDS TO DO A RECALL. THEY ARE LOOSING FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS BY NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. IF THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, I WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. BMW REPS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE DECLINE TO HELP SO FAR. *KB

NHTSA ID

10429943

Incident

Apr 1, 2010

Mileage

79,000 mi

MY 2000 3 SERIES BMW HAS STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE. AT ALL. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AS I WAS IN TRAFFIC YESTERDAY AT A RED LIGHT WHEN A SEMI TRUCK TURNED THE CORNER IN FRONT OF ME AND NEEDED ME TO BACK UP. I WAS STUCK BEHIND A VAN THAT WAS ABLE TO GO IN REVERSE AND OF COURSE EXPECTED ME TO FOLLOW SUIT, AND I COULDN'T! I'VE BEEN READING ONLINE AND ALL OVER THE WORLD PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH THIS PARTICULAR SERIES OF BMW. I'VE ONLY HAD MY CAR A YEAR. IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 100K MILES ON IT. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT AFFORD THE 3-5K IT WILL COST TO REPLACE IT. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB. PLEASE HAVE THIS RECALLED BEFORE IT TURNS INTO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEBACLE. IT'S NOT FAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10425149

Incident

Sep 1, 2011