11 of the 709 complaints about the 2006 BMW 325I are about the transmission — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 66,000 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET LEAKED ON TO ALTERNATOR CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO OVER HEAT AND MELT INTERNAL COMPONENTS WHICH CAUSING LACK OF POWER AND MULTIPLE FALSE CHECK ENGINE CODES TO COME ON AND SMOKE CLOUDED MY VIEW WHILE DRIVING SO VERY COMMON PROBLEM IS THE HEATER CORE LEAKING TOO
NHTSA complaint #11407804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN I PUSH THE BRAKE FOR A COMPLETE STOP, IT WILL STOP BUT MILISECONDS AFTER THAT I WILL GET JUMPY. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR SOMEONE THAT IS NOT USED TO THE VEHICLE, IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS ABOUT TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. IT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR WHEN I AM GOING TO PARK MY VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11151995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BUSHINGS ON THE FRONT AXLE WERE DAMAGED AND THE CONTROL ARMS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT COULD ASK FOR A DISCOUNT AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,598. UPDATED 08/22/17*LJ
NHTSA complaint #10991070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #10572619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CAR ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES. THE ALUMINUM BOLTS FOR THE VALVE COVER AND THE HEAD BOLTS SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, CHECK ENGINE SIGN LIGHTS, OIL SIGN LIGHTS, ONCE I GAVE IT GAS. OIL IS LEAKING FROM CAR. CAR IS TOWED AND MECHANIC SHOWS ME DAMAGE. BROKEN ALUMINUM BOLTS FELL INSIDE OF ENGINE. BOLT IS WEDGED BETWEEN TIMING CHAIN AND GEAR. THE ENGINE IS DESTROYED. KNOWN DEFECT FOR 2006 MODELS, BUT BMW NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT COVER DAMAGE. HAVE CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA THREE TIMES NOW. BMW SWITCHED BOLT TYPE IN FOLLOWING YEARS. OTHERS REPORTING SAME PROBLEM. SAFETY HAZARD. WHAT IF I WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR STOPPED? CAR WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. BMW NEEDS TO ADMIT TO THEIR MISTAKE AND COVER THE DAMAGES. A RECALL SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE FOR THE BOLTS. JUST RIDICULOUS THAT A COMPANY KNOWN FOR QUALITY WILL DO THIS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. I HOPE THE DOT TAKES IT UPON THEMSELVES TO HOLD BMW ACCOUNTABLE. OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [XXX]. LOOKING FOR A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10503258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL THROUGH THE HEAD GASKET. IN ADDITION, THE SUN ROOF CLOTH DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEPTRONIC TRANSMISSION GEARS WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN DS OR MANUAL, ONLY DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
NHTSA complaint #10456078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
HEADS OF HEAD BOLTS BROKE OFF. NORMAL SLOW, SHORT COMMUTE DRIVING. EXHAUST SMOKING.
NHTSA complaint #10430346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
HEADS OF HEAD BOLTS BROKE OFF. OIL LEAKING & EXHAUST SMOKING. NORMAL DRIVING WITH NO AUTO MODIFICATIONS AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10430344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION PAN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A TICKING SOUND AND JERKED WHEN IT WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PAN AND FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE PAN WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND HAD A TENDENCY TO BECOME WARPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM ABOVE THE PAN FROM THE ENGINE AS WELL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.
NHTSA complaint #10373351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH IN TRAFFIC ON FRIDAY, OCT. 31, 2008, AT 5 P.M., IN HOUSTON,WHEN MY 2006 BMW 325I BEGAN SMOKING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND BURST INTO FLAMES BY THE TIME I GOT IT PARKED. I FIRST NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THEN SMOKE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN FILLING THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY THE TIME THE HFD ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAD NO RECENT SERVICE OR PROBLEMS. IT HAD NO PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE AC JUST BEGAN BLOWING WARM AIR, AND SMOKE STARTED POURING INTO THE COMPARTMENT FROM ABOVE AND BELOW THE DASHBOARD - NOT FROM THE AC. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL IT BURST INTO FLAMES. IT HAD TO BE A MECHANICAL DEFECT OR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OF SOME KIND.
NHTSA complaint #10247577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2006 BMW 330 XI WITH A MANUAL GEAR SHIFT. THE DESIGN OF THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS IS SUCH THAT ONE CAN ACCIDENTALLY STEP ON BOTH THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THE ARM OF THE BREAK PEDAL WHILE DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH, THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO STOP SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. IT HAS OCCURRED TO ME WHEN CROSSING INTERSECTIONS AND MOST RECENTLY, WHILE MY WIFE WAS MERGING INTO EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC, THIS IS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE CAR WAS REVIEWED BY THE DEALER AND I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM BMW, THEY INSIST THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED AND THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO, WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE CLUTCH WITH THE MIDDLE OF YOUR FOOT, THE END OF YOUR TOE CAN SLIDE BETWEEN THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ARMS, THIS INTERFERES WITH THE ACTION OF THE BREAK PEDAL. MY WIFE AN I ARE EXPERIENCED STICK SHIFT DRIVERS, WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL STICK SHIFT CARS FOR 40 YEARS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENS TO US; WE HAVE HAD FOUR CLOSE CALLS IN A MONTH.
NHTSA complaint #10155639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.