2000 BMW 323CI Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2000 BMW 323CI, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags1134.4%
- Powertrain (other)618.8%
- Body & structure515.6%
- Suspension412.5%
- Electrical39.4%
- Tires & wheels13.1%
- Engine13.1%
- Exterior lighting13.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD BEEN NOTIFICATED ABOUT POSSIBLE INJURIES FOR SUDDENLY EXPLOSIN HAZARD FOR TAKATA AIR BAGS COMPONENTS, MY CONCERN ITS MY FAMILY AND MY OWN SECURITY.
BMW OF NORTH AMERICA ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE CAMPAIGN NO. 14V-428 FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG, AS OF TODAY. NO CALLS OR UPDATE INFORMATION FROM BMW. *TR
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRACKED REAR SUBFRAME
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE INSPECTING THE TRUNK AREA, A LARGE CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRAMAN BMW LOCATED IN JUPITER, FLORIDA, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW SUBFRAME RECALL. TOOK MY 2000 323CI IN FOR TUNE UP. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT LH REAR SUBFRAME SEPARATED FROM UNIBODY. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2009 BUT WAS NEVER INFORMED BY BMW. WANTING TO KNOW HOW TO ACCESS RECALL FOR BMW TO FIX. VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP WHEN NOTIFIED OF ISSUE.
THE CAR WENT INTO THE SHOP FOR A BROKEN WATER PUMP. THE SHOP NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND FLOOR PAN WERE BROKEN AND THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RIPPED FROM THE CAR. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE IS $5,300. BMW NA HAS BEEN TERRIBLE TO DEAL WITH AND TOLD US "WE ARE ON OUR OWN" AND THAT OUR VIN # WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. AFTER 5 WEEKS OF ESCALATING THE MATTER WITHIN BMW NA, THEY HAVE OFFERED US $2,000 TOWARDS THE COST OF REPAIR. GIVEN THAT THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN HARD NOR IN AN ACCIDENT, IT IS CLEAR THAT IT IS A RECURRING MECHANICAL DEFECT THAT BMW IS AWARE OF BUT NOT WILLING TO SHOULDER ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR. THE WORST PART IS, HAD THE WATER PUMP NOT FAILED, WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE CRITICAL DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN OUR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY HAD WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
A FAULTY GM5 SEEMS TO BE THE REASON FOR THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR NOT UNLOCKING WITH THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE REMOTE KEY CAN UNLOCK THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, BUT NOT THE DRIVER'S SIDE.
I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN MY PASSENGER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT THE AIR VENT. FROM THERE I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER AND REMOVED AS MANY PERSONAL ITEMS AS POSSIBLE. FROM THERE THE FIRE TOOK OVER THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND PROCEEDED TO TORCH THE INTERIOR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
OVER THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINS FROM MANY OWNERS. WEBSITE IS CREATED SO THAT OWNERS CAN SHARE THEIR DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE VISIT HTTP://NOREVERSE.ORG/ . *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR WONT LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS. KEY FOB WONT WORK DOORS WONT OPEN CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM WONT WORK ALARM WONT WORK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .