2000 BMW 323I suspension problems

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2000 BMW 323I. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, an abnormal rattling noise would emit from the rear end of the vehicle without warning. Upon inspection, the contact discovered part of the rear driver’s side subframe had detached from the undercarriage of the vehicle. The contact called the dealer about the failure and they offered no assistance. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 205,721

NHTSA complaint #11446358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

REAR SUBFRAME BODY HAS SEPARATED FROM SUBFRAME MOUNTING SUPPORT. THE CHASSIS IS NO LONGER PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THE TIED DOWN BOLTS HAVE SHEARED OFF. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10957896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

I WAS UNAWARE OF THE PREVIOUS DEFECT NOTICES ABOUT THE FRAME / BODY HAVING A WEAK SPOT AND WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN MY REAR SHOCK AND THE PART THAT HOLDS THE SHOCK IN PLACE WENT THROUGH THE METAL FRAME RIPPING THE METAL AWAY AND ALLOWING THE SHOCK TO PUNCTURE THROUGH THE FRAME JUST BELOW THE TRUNK AREA AND THE CAR WAS THEN INOPERABLE. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE FOR REPAIR OF 6500 AND WAS INFORMED OF THE 2005/2006 LAWSUIT WHERE BMW WAS SUED FOR THIS DEFECT AND REPAIRED SOME CARS FOR A YEAR AFTER THE LAWSUIT ENDED BUT THIS WAS PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I CONTACTED BMW OF NO AMERICA HEADQUARTERS, THEY ASKED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALER AND HAVE THEM DO A DIAGNOSIS WHICH I IMMEDIATELY DID AND THAT COST WAS OVER $10K OF WHICH BMW OFFERED TO PAY ONLY 20%. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER BMW MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED IT FOR $3000 AND BMW WILL NOT PAY ANY PART OF THE BILL BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DONE AT A DEALERSHIP, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW BMW CAN GET AWAY WITH A DEFECT LIKE THIS AND SO MANY CARS AFFECTED BY IT AND NOT HAVE TO REPAIR IT AT THEIR COST? IT IS THEIR DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10633359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

AFTER HAVING THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED AND A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT COMPLETED AT A BMW SERVICE DEALERSHIP IN TYLER, TX, APPARENTLY THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN) FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC), BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THIS SENSOR FAILED, ALL THREE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CEASED TO WORK. ACCORDING TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO RE-CALIBRATE THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AFTER AN ALIGNMENT IS COMPLETED. ADDITIONALLY, PER THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE REPLACING STEERING ANGLE SENSORS IN A VARIETY OF BMW AUTOMOBILES AT "3 TO 4 PER WEEK". ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS BETWEEN $500 - $1000.

NHTSA complaint #10444910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

HEARD LOUD NOISES COMING FROM REAR END OF VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION BY REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE SUBFRAME MOUNT HAD PULLED AWAY FROM THE BODY, A LARGE TEAR IS PRESENT IN THE BODY PANEL ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT. REPAIR FACILITY INDICATED THE RISK IS THAT THE CAR MAY NOT RESPOND AS EXPECTED IN AN EMERGENCY OR EVASIVE ACTION. FORM WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO COMPLETE VIN, LAST CHARACTER IS A 2.

NHTSA complaint #10406385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:REAR

MY 2000 BMW 323I HAS SUB FRAME FRACTURES AS DEFINED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST BMW. IN THE SETTLEMENT, BMW HAS AGREED TO INSPECT AND REPAIR ALL EFFECTED VEHICLES. THE DEALER TOLD ME MY CAR WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND OFFERED ME A CASH SETTLEMENT WELL BELOW AVG TRADE-IN VALUE. I WANT MY CAR FIXED.

NHTSA complaint #10278652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

A YEAR AGO, MY GAS GAUGE SENSOR WENT OUT. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT. TODAY, MY 2000 BMW 323I HAS 111,000 MILES ON IT AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE IN ANY GEAR WITHOUT A GRINDING SOUND. I ALMOST GOT KILLED BY A CAR BEHIND ME BECAUSE I COULD SUDDENLY NOT ACCELERATE AT A STOP LIGHT AND I HAD TO GET OUT TO PUSH THE VEHICLE TO SAFETY. WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE CAR WOULD DRIVE, BUT ONLY WHEN IT WAS WARM. NOW IT IS COMPLETELY INOP. THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED! IT WOULD COST ME OVER $4000 TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION AND I STILL OVER $6000 ON THE CAR. DESPITE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 2000 BMW 323I TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BMW REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. I CURRENTLY HAVE NO OPERABLE VEHICLE AND I STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN MY AUTO LOAN PAYMENTS AND FIND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK. I HAVE SPENT OVER $3500 IN ADDITIONAL REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE ON BRAKES, NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER SENSORS, TRAILING ARM, BALL BEARINGS, ETC.

NHTSA complaint #10263920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:REAR

ON MY 2000 BMW 323I WITH ABOUT 100K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAS SEPARATED AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT IS WELDED TO THE UNI-BODY. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE SUSPENSION SHOULD NEVER SEPARATE FROM THE BODY BECAUSE OF FORCES FROM THE TRANS/DIFF. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I PERSONALLY HAVE A LIST OF OVER 150 NAMES WITH DOCUMENTED SUBFRAME CRACKING/FAILURE OF THE E46 BODY YEARS 1999-2000. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE HAVE SUBFRAME DAMAGE AT THE SAME REAR DRIVERS SIDE DIFF MOUNT, IN OTHER WORDS, OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE FAILURE POINTS, THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE IS NEARLY ALWAYS THE FAILURE POINT !! I URGE THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY SOMEBODY GETS HURT OR DIES!

NHTSA complaint #10179185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:FRONT

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #10101405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:REAR

CONSUMER STATES THE REAR SUSPENSION CRADLE IS BREAKING AWAY FROM THE FRAME. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ADVISED AND SENT OUT 2 DIFFERENT INVESTIGATORS TO CHECK VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #8018022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.