2003 BMW 325I Powertrain (other) Problems

DRIVING ON 12/12/2019 ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ABOUT 65MPH, GOING STRAIGHT, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN REAR WHEELS (THIS IS RWD - 2003 BMW 325I) LOCKED UP COMPLETELY - THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD AT ABOUT 45 DEGREES SIDEWAYS BEFORE IT STRAIGHTENED OUT WHEN THE SPEED DROPPED. THANKFULLY I DID NOT HIT ANYBODY, AND NO ONE HIT ME ALTHOUGH THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF TRAFFIC ON THIS MULTI LANE INTERSTATE. I GOT AAA TOW IT HOME. HE HAD TO DRAG IT ONTO THE TRUCK BED AS THE REAR WHEELS CONTINUED TO BE LOCKED UP. WHEN I REMOVED AND OPENED THE DIFFERENTIAL TAPERED ROLLER BEARING ROLLERS WERE IN THE OIL SPACE. LOOKING TO SEE WHERE THEY JAMMED THE SYSTEM UP I NOTICED MARKS ON THE CARRIER. IT APPEARS ROLLERS JAMMED UP IN BETWEEN THE CARRIER AND THE INNER WALL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL BOX - SEE PHOTOGRAPHS. THEY MAY ALSO HAVE JAMMED UP IN BETWEEN THE GEARING BUT I DID NOT NOTICE MARKS ON THE TEETH BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO SPEND TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY.

NHTSA ID

11289962

Incident

Dec 11, 2019

Mileage

146,000 mi

STALL LIMPS

NHTSA ID

11074684

Incident

Feb 24, 2018

I HAVE A 2003 325I WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKES (LIGHTLY), AS THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS I CAN HEAR A THUD/CLUNK COMING FROM THE REAR END OF MY CAR ALONG WITH A INCREASE IN THE RPM'S. I ALSO HEAR IT AS SOON AS I LET OFF MY FOOT OF THE GAS PEDAL OR ACCELERATE CAUSING MY CAR TO NOT DRIVE PROPERLY AND MY TRANSMISSION TO HIT MY SUSPENSION VERY HARD. SO, I'VE SEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND OTHER BMW FORUMS AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND THIS EXACT PROBLEM WHICH IS DANGEROUS & VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ID

10979951

Incident

Apr 20, 2017

Mileage

150,000 mi

BOUGHT 2003 BMW 325I BRAND NEW. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 4 YEARS (39,800MILIES) IT STARTED MAKING A THUMB SOUND AND STARTED LOSING TRANSMISSION POWER AND THE GEAR INDICATION LIGHT TURNS ON. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. IT WAS ALWAYS HAPPENING UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I CAN NOT USE THE CAR SPECIALLY DURING COLD WEATHER. THIS PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREET WHILE IN MOTION. MOST OF THE TIME THE CAR IS IN THE GARAGE. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT AT ONLY 39,800 MILES, THIS CAR IS GOING TO HAVE SUCH A MAJOR PROBLEM. BUT I BELIEVE THIS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. THIS CAR STILL LOOKS MINT BECAUSE OF RARE USAGE.

NHTSA ID

10850555

Incident

Nov 30, 2007

Mileage

39,800 mi

XENON LIGHTS WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER THE 50,000 MARK. SHORTLY AFTER CAR KEPT GOING INTO FAIL SAFE MODE, KEPT GETTING LOW VOLTAGE READINGS ON DIAGNOSTICS. ONE BMW DEALERS KEPT TELLING ME I NEEDED TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION. ALL THEY WOULD DO IS PLUG THE CAR INTO THE COMPUTER AND SEE THE TRANNY READING ON THE SCANNER. THE REASON THERE WAS A TRANNY READING WAS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN FAIL SAFE MODE. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE TRANNY REBUILT AND I STILL HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I WOULD CYCLE THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE CAR AND CAR WOULD DRIVE FINE. IT KEEPS GOING INTO FAIL SAFE MODE EVERYTIME I START THE CAR. ITS HARDER TO GET IT OUT OF FAIL SAFE MODE IN THE WINTER WITH COLDER STARTS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10425820

Incident

Nov 15, 2006

Mileage

49,000 mi

OWN A BMW 3251, REAR END STARTED MAKING POPPING NOISE WHEN PUT IN REVERSE AND WHEN TURNING CURVES. WHEN ON INTERSTATE REAR END LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING CAUSING MY CAR TO SKID THROUGH ALL LANES OF TRAFFIC. AFTER HAVING CAR INSPECTED THE REAR END HAD BROKE, WE REPLACED THE REAR END. ALSO HAVING TROUBLE WITH HEAD LIGHTS STAYING ON AND BLINKERS. RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT OVER HEATED AND BURNT ITEMS IN TRUNK. RADIATOR HAS BROKE AND DRIVERSIDE WINDOW REGULATOR AND CLUTCH FAN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10301803

Incident

Dec 1, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2003 BMW 325I.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION LAGGED FOLLOWED BY SURGING WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK, NEUTRAL, REVERSE THEN DRIVE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. INITIALLY THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THREE MONTHS LATER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE DEALER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE CONSUMER IN ALMOST 2 WEEKS TO PERFORM THIS SERVICE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083391

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGAGING WHEN STARTING FROM A STATIONARY POSITION. *MR THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP TO 3-4000, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD CREEP, LURCH FORWARD AND SPEED UP NORMALLY. THIS WOULD USUALLY OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE SAT OVERNIGHT. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WHEN BACKING UP. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10079861

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

2003 BOUGHT BRAND NEW. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE IN THE MORNINGS. AFTER PARKING CAR IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT, THE CAR IS PUT WENT INTO REVERSE AND BACKED OUT WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE GAS (DRIVEWAY IS SLOPED). AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE CAR LAGS ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 10 SECONDS BEFORE THERE IS ANY POWER TO DRIVE. THIS IS SPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THERE IS TRAFFIC.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058439

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

Mileage

75 mi

THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED VERY HARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND JUMPED FORWARD WHEN DECELERATING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009434

Incident

Dec 26, 2002

Mileage

11 mi