1994 BMW 325 problems

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CAR LOST POWER DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. CAR HAS 120,000 MILES AND NEW TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REQUIRED AT 55,000 IN 2000. BMW 3 SERIES TRANSMISSIONS SEEM TO BE DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF TRANSMISSIONS SUDDENLY FAILING IN 3 SERIES.

NHTSA complaint #10405370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AT 80,000 MILES. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS ENGINE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT HOLD OIL . *TC THE ENGINE HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT A NEW WATER PUMP WAS NEEDED. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10101132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TIRE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 % TREAD REMAINING ON TIRE, THE TREAD PEALED OFF THE CASING AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO UNDER FENDER AND TO RIM OF CAR WHEN TIRE BLEW AND RAN ON RIM OFF ROAD-NO PERSONAL INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #764949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPAIRED ONCE UNDER RECALL. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LIGHT COMING ON THAT SAID CHECK BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT. CONSUMER STATED THIS LIGHT CONSTANTLY CAME ON. *AK CONSUMER FEELS THE BRAKE SWITCH IS ALSO FAULTY, HOWEVER DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE IT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #891596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT FAILED. AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #889913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

ALL FOUR DOORS AND DRIVER SEAT RATTLE CONSTANTLY. AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE BMW AREA REP FINALLY ORDERED THAT TAPE BE PLACED AROUND THE DOORS. THIS TOOK 4 YEARS TO ACHIEVE AND CURED THE DOOR RATTLES FOR ONE DAY, UPON WHICH THEY RETURNED. BY THE TIME THE AREA REP RETURNED, THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD TO MOVE AWAY FOR A JOB CHANGE. THE NEXT STEP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REPLACE RUBBER DOOR SEALS. THE DEALER ALSO DAMAGED THE DRIVER SEAT, CAUSING IT TO RATTLE AND SQUEAK, THE FIRST VISIT TO REPAIR THE DOOR PROBLEM. NEITHER THE DOOR OR SEAT RATTLES HAVE BEEN FIXED TO THIS DAY.

NHTSA complaint #735419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

ALL FOUR DOORS AND DRIVER SEAT RATTLE CONSTANTLY. AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE BMW AREA REP FINALLY ORDERED THAT TAPE BE PLACED AROUND THE DOORS. THIS TOOK 4 YEARS TO ACHIEVE AND CURED THE DOOR RATTLES FOR ONE DAY, UPON WHICH THEY RETURNED. BY THE TIME THE AREA REP RETURNED, THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD TO MOVE AWAY FOR A JOB CHANGE. THE NEXT STEP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REPLACE RUBBER DOOR SEALS. THE DEALER ALSO DAMAGED THE DRIVER SEAT, CAUSING IT TO RATTLE AND SQUEAK, THE FIRST VISIT TO REPAIR THE DOOR PROBLEM. NEITHER THE DOOR OR SEAT RATTLES HAVE BEEN FIXED TO THIS DAY.

NHTSA complaint #735419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ON CERTAIN STRETCHES OF CALIFORNIA FREEWAYS HAVING A LONG DOWNGRADE WITH CAR TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH, BRAKES FADE, EMIT A SMELL, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SLOW OR STOP CAR UNLESS 2 FEET ARE USED ON THE PEDAL. THIS HAPPENED TWICE AT TWO LOCATIONS (I5 GRAPEVINE @ BAKERSFIELD HEADING NORTH, AND I580 NEAR LIVERMORE HEADING EAST).

NHTSA complaint #735420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

UNABLE TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER WITH KEY UNLESS STEERING WHEEL IS VIOLENTLY PULLED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES SINCE CAR WAS NEW BUT DID NOT/COULD NOT CORRECT IT.

NHTSA complaint #735418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

UNABLE TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER WITH KEY UNLESS STEERING WHEEL IS VIOLENTLY PULLED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES SINCE CAR WAS NEW BUT DID NOT/COULD NOT CORRECT IT.

NHTSA complaint #735418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #713133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RECALL #98V-178.000/BMW/COOLANT SYSTEM: RADIATOR CAP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THREE HOSES TO BLOW. ALSO, HEATER CONTROL VALVE FAILED AND CAUSED STEAM TO ENTER INTO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK OR LESS LATER , A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT COOLANT SYSTEM, RADIATOR CAP MALFUCTIONING WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE PROBLEM. SEEKING HELP IN THIS MATTER FROM NHTSA.

NHTSA complaint #844587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE FROM THE BASE. NO CLIPS.

NHTSA complaint #708761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE SPEEDOMETER OF THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE END, PASSING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER, 160 MPH, BUT THE CAR WAS GOING AT ONLY 40 MPH. WHILE THIS HAPPENED, THE ODOMETER OF THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING LIKE IT WAS GOING AT 160+MPH, THAT IS IN ONLY ONE MILE, THE ODOMETER READ LIKE IT HAD TRAVELLED 4-5 MILES. WHILE THIS WAS HAPENNING, THE CAR COULD NOT GO MORE THAN ABOUT 55-60 MPH. AS SOON AS THE RPM TOUCHED 3000, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF, AND WHEN IT GOT BELOW 3000RPM, IT WOULD GO BACK ON AGAIN. I STOPPED THE CAR, AND STARTED AGAIN, AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS GOING AT 50 MPH AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND DID NOT GO BACK ON AGAIN. WHILE THE CAR WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND SPEEDING UP, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY. I EXPLAINED THAT TO OPEN ROAD BMW AT 731 US HWY 1 SOUTH, EDISON NJ, 08817, TEL 732-985-8450, BUT THEY SAID BECUSE I COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RIGHT THERE, THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE MORE THAN A YEAR OR SO LATER, BUT STILL I COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM IN FRONT OF THE DEALER. FINALLY, I TOOK A VIDEOTAPE OF THE PROBLEM, AND PRESENTED IT TO THE DEALER. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ME, BUT THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I KEPT EXPLAINING TO THEM THAT THE ACTUAL MILEAGE OF THE CAR WAS MUCH LESS THAN WHAT IT SHOWED, BUT THEY WOULD NOT CHANGE THEIR MINDS. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

NHTSA complaint #707985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING A COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #534005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT 30 TO 40 MPH WHEN STEERING AND BRAKES WENT BAD. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #814726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED ENGINE SURGING, AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL GEAR, ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE ACCELERATING. *AK

NHTSA complaint #805914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED ENGINE SURGING, AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL GEAR, ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE ACCELERATING. *AK

NHTSA complaint #805914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #507613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT

TRUNK HYDRAULIC LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED 3 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #601119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

WINDSHIELD ARM STRUCK WINDSHIELD CRACKING IT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA complaint #974216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE VIBRATION.

NHTSA complaint #483785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.