2003 BMW 325CI Problems

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (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 MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB AND KEY FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK THE DOORS BY USING THE KEY FOB AND KEY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE MODULE FIVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. MA 09/22

WHILE TRAVELLING ON ROUTE 50 IN MARYLAND AT 55MPH ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT AT LEAST $1100 WORTH OF WORK (THEY THINK ITS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). AFTER $1100 THEY STATE IT WOULD BE AN EASY $200 FIX OR A SUBSTANTIAL $6-8000 FIX. I WILL BE BRINGING IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR SECOND OPINION. I WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC AND COULD PULL OVER SAFELY.

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE/ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL MODULE. WHENEVER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD, THEN STOPS AND GOES INTO A CYCLE WHERE IT DOES THIS "BUCKING" ACTION A FEW TIMES. THE CAR IS 2 YEARS OLD, BUT HAS ONLY DONE THIS FOR THE PAST YEAR. I'VE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED BY BMW- HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR THE LAST EIGHT (8) MONTHS WITH NO RESULT. MY FAMILY REFUSES TO RIDE IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE JERKING MOTION MAKES THEM SICK. A BMW FIELD REPRESENTATIVE KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I HIRED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT WAS ABLE TO TRACE THE PROBLEM TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL, BUT DOES NOT POSSESS THE BMW SOFTWARE OR EQUIPMENT TO REPAIR IT. NOW IT HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. IT'S IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE LEFT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS SINCE THE CAR JERKS FORWARD AND STOPS. A FEW TIMES I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO THIS.

WHILE TRAVELLING ON ROUTE 50 IN MARYLAND AT 55MPH ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT AT LEAST $1100 WORTH OF WORK (THEY THINK ITS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). AFTER $1100 THEY STATE IT WOULD BE AN EASY $200 FIX OR A SUBSTANTIAL $6-8000 FIX. I WILL BE BRINGING IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR SECOND OPINION. I WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC AND COULD PULL OVER SAFELY.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 BMW 325CI THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSES: 1. POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIOINING 2. I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE 3. BRAKING TAKES EXCESSIVELY LONG WITH ENGINE OFF 4. DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,550.

SPORTS SUSPENSION IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO POP WHEN THE VEHICLE TENDS TO GO OVER A BUMP. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP, AND REPAIRS 3 TIMES.*AK

DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *TR

PASSENGER DOORS WON'T UNLOCK ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE CARS AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ISSUED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FOG LIGHTS. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, AND PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WERE NOT OPERATING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT FAILS TO COME ON. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE WINTER TIME WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLDER AND THE AIR HAS MORE HUMIDITY. THIS IS NOT A BULB ISSUE IN THAT I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

WHEN INSIDE, ALL DOORS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPEN WITH EITHER THE HANDLES, THE INTERNAL LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON, OR THE UNLOCKING MECHANISM ON THE KEY FOB. STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE AND MOVING IT A FEW YARDS STOPPED THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME AND THE BMW DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAULTY CONTROL MODULE. THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WOULD PREVENT EXITING THE CAR IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 BMW 325CI THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSES: 1. POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIOINING 2. I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE 3. BRAKING TAKES EXCESSIVELY LONG WITH ENGINE OFF 4. DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 BMW 325CI THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSES: 1. POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIOINING 2. I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE 3. BRAKING TAKES EXCESSIVELY LONG WITH ENGINE OFF 4. DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. *TR

JUNE 9, 2003 DEAR BMW, I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 BMW 325CI ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002 FROM ASSAEL BMW DEALER IN MONROVIA, CALIFORNIA. AFTER A MONTH OF OWNING IT, THE CAR STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. WHEN I WAS AT A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR/ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER, AND IT?S AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION! THIS REALLY FRIGHTENED ME BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR. A NEW CAR IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING WITH PASSENGERS, AND THIS TIME NOT ONLY DID THE SAME SPUTTERING PROBLEM OCCUR WHEN I BRAKED AT A STOP, BUT THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND I HAD TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART THE IGNITION. THE SAME INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES, WITH THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF BY ITSELF. THE SPUTTERING INCIDENT WITHOUT THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF BY ITSELF HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES FROM DECEMBER UNTIL THE DAY I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, WHICH WAS MAY 14, 2003. I DIDN?T TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICING IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT DIDN?T SEEM LIKE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. BUT THE PROBLEM GOT CONSISTENTLY WORSE, AND AFTER RECEIVING THE BMW RECALL CAMPAIGN LETTER NO. 03V-124: 3-SERIES DME IDLE CONTROL LETTER IN APRIL, 2003 (SEE ATTACHED), I DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE ASSAEL BMW DEALER FOR SERVICING. THE RECALL LETTER STATES THAT THE REPAIR RELATED TO THE RECALL WILL CONSIST OF A ?REPROGRAMMING OF THE DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT AND WILL REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. I TOOK MY CAR IN ON MAY 14, 2003. ON JUNE 13, ONE MONTH WILL HAVE PASSED SINCE MY CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE, AND AS OF NOW MY CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED! I AM VERY UPSET AND DISSATISFIED WITH ASSAEL BMW SERVICE. EVERY TIME I ASK THE THEM WHY MY CAR IS NOT FIXED YET, THEY TELL ME THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT, AND THAT IT COMES FROM GERMANY, THUS THE LONG WAIT TIME. I DON?T KNOW IF THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THE TRUTH OR NOT.