12 of the 196 complaints about the 2001 BMW 325I are about the transmission — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 129,400 miles.
12
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN SHIFTED TO REVERSE ENGINE RPMS WENT WIDEOPEN CAUSING IT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL FROM OUR DRIVEWAY INTO MOBILEHOME ACROSS FROM ME THEN INTO A VAN AND SHOVED IT INTO ANOTHER MOBILEHOME
NHTSA complaint #11316989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 325I. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,866.
NHTSA complaint #10724432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I AM HORRIFIED. I HAVE 135K MILES ON MY 2001 BMW 325I AND IT WILL NO LONGER REVERSE. I TOOK IT INTO THE TRANSMISSION GUY AND HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $4K TO REPAIR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, WITH BARELY ANY PROBLEM. HE ALSO SENT ME TO A WEBSITE WHERE APPARENTLY MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS A WELL KNOWN FAILURE ESP WITH THE 2001 MODEL 3-SERIES. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR RECALL SHOULD BE BROUGHT AGAINST BMW.
NHTSA complaint #10663670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MY CAR WAS FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY FINE THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT. I WENT INTO A RESTAURANT AND WHEN I CAME OUT AND GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING LOT MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP BUT NO MOVEMENT. I PUSHED IT OUT AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR WORKS FINE BUT THERE IS NO REVERSE. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE QUOTE I WAS GIVEN IS $6000! MY CAR HIGH BOOKS AT $5400. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THESE CARS AND BMW REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM. NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX NOR DO I WANT TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR THAN IT WILL EVER BE WORTH. I NEED HELP!
NHTSA complaint #10533390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
2001 BMW 325I. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT *TGW
NHTSA complaint #10440711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2001 325 I TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - WILL NOT REVERSE , AFTER LOOKING INTO IT IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL AND YEAR . I AM ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND NOW CANNOT LOOK FOR WORK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILLED AGAINST BMW IN NJ , AND WAS WON ! I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY BMW FIX BECAUSE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT BMW IS WELL KNOWN ABOUT AND DID NOTHING TO FIX IT ! PLEASE HELP!
NHTSA complaint #10324614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE: DRIVE WILL NOT OPERATE IN REVERSE. CAN RESULT IN CARS STALLED IN INTERSECTION, BLOCKING TRAFFIC, WITHOUT CAPABILITY TO AVOID COLLISION BY BACKING UP.
NHTSA complaint #10285270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2001 325I BMW WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10259471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2001 BMW 325I LOST REVERSE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY THIS PAST NOVEMBER. THE CAR HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT AND IS IN PERFECT CONDITION. BMW NORTHWEST WANTED TO $5,200 ORIGINALLY TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT I WAS ABLE TO TALK THEM DOWN TO 4,000. EITHER WAY THIS WAS A BMW PROBLEM NOT A CONSUMER PROBLEM AND BMW SHOULD HAVE PAID TO HAVE THIS FIXED. VERY FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR MY DUMB INVESTMENT OF A BMW 325I.
NHTSA complaint #10236744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE SLIPPED INTO STEPTRONIC GEAR WHEN BEING SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, FORCING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY.
NHTSA complaint #764661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FIVE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #562384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING, AC PRODUCED HOT AIR AND WITHIN A MINUTE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CLIMBED INTO THE RED ZONE. STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, AND PER BMWS ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH 325I W/ MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AFTER MY PURCHASE TO THE VEHICLE IN JUNE, I HAVE HEARD THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED EVEN BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED! CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK AWAITING PARTS. ACCORDING TO DEALER, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS RECENTLY AND THE PARTS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY.
NHTSA complaint #748976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.