2001 BMW 323I 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 2001 BMW 323I, 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
- Transmission266.7%
- Electrical133.3%
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
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
FOR NO REASON THE REVERSE WENT OUT ON MY 2001 BMW 323I. I TOOK IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH THAT IS OCCURRING IN THOUSANDS OF BMW'S FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THE STEPTRONIC TRANSMISSION THAT BMW PUT IN THE CARS IN DEFECTIVE. WHY WON'T BMW RECALL THIS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE $3700 THE REPAIR SHOP WANTS TO FIX A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *TR
2001 BMW 323I DOES NOT GO INTO REVERSE WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE GEAR. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING OR NOISE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT, SINCE IT WILL COST ME 40% OF THE CARS CURRENT VALUE TO REPAIR 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
WHILE DRIVING 55 TO 60 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD OF VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS.*AK
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 .