FaultScore report
Owners have filed 37 complaints about the 2000 BMW 328IC with NHTSA between 2002 and 2011. The largest single group is the body & structure.
37
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
62,625 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
23%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 103,000 miles
Median failure at 71,612 miles
Median failure at 60,000 miles
Median failure at 47,074 miles
Median failure at 77,221 miles
Median failure at 33,054 miles
Median failure at 144,000 miles
Median failure at 12,683 miles
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
DRIVERSIDE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT HAS TORN THROUGH THE REAR SUBFRAME DUE TO A BMW ENGINEERING FLAW.
NHTSA complaint #10407775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE REAR SUBFRAME ON THE 1999-2006 :BMW 3 SERIES CARS CAN TEAR OR RIP, CAUSING THE REAR END TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. MY 2000 328CI SHOWS EVIDENCE OF THIS FRAME CRACKING.
NHTSA complaint #10404412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328IC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD THUMP FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE FEELING SIMILAR TO BEING STRUCK FROM THE REAR. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE REAR BUSHINGS WERE FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF AN UNKNOWN RECALL TWO YEARS PRIOR FOR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LISTED UNDER ANY RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
NHTSA complaint #10379430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO REVERSE.. NOVEMBER 23,2010 WHILE TRYING PARK TO MY DRIVE WAY, MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FIND OUT THAT NO REVERSE!!! AND WHILE TRYING TO AVOID GET HIT BY ANOTHER CAR, I HIT CURB END UP WITH DAMAGED SUSPENSION AND STILL NO REVERSE ..
NHTSA complaint #10367843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2000 BMW 328CI WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I HAVE READ THAT THERE THIS IS A VERY COMMON TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH THE GM TRANSMISSION AND THAT GM RECALLED IT BUT BMW DID NOT.
NHTSA complaint #10284903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CAR WAS IN PARKING LOT. I SWITCHED THE STICK INTO REVERSE POSITION AND THE CAR GOES NOWHERE.
NHTSA complaint #10283463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 200 BMW 328CI'S TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR AND TOOK PERFECT CARE OF IT. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED BY AN AUTHORIZED BMW DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #10263912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328IC. WHEN AN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES EVEN IF THE PERSON IS PROPERLY POSITIONED. THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 FOR THE 2004-2006 BMW VEHICLES (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND IS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND A SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE WAS RESET, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #10261151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR SIX WEEKS DUE TO A CRACK IN THE OIL WATER SEPARATOR. THE PART HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF VEHICLES IN THE SHOP WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN ENGINE WAS LEAKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. UPDATED 03/25/09.
NHTSA complaint #10258365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REVERSE REFUSES TO WORK. NO WARNING, DROVE 2 HOURS, PULLED INTO DRIVE WAY AND COULDN'T GET OUT.
NHTSA complaint #10253239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FIRST THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFTER. CAR WOULDN'T START IN PARK. I HAD THAT FIXED. THEN I NOTICED WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE, IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. THEN OUT OF THE BLUE, ONLY SEVERAL DAYS OUT OF THE SHOP, THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE IN ANY GEAR. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 21,500 MILES OR SO. I WILL ASK MECHANIC TO KEEP OLD PART. I CALLED VOB OF ROCKVILLE, MD. THEY WERE THEIR USUAL DISGUSTING SELVES. THIS IS GOING TO COST ME OVER 6000 DOLLARS THAT I DON'T HAVE. THE CAR IS A 200 328CI PURCHASED NEW.
NHTSA complaint #10250675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
REAR SUBFRAME (LEFT REAR MOUNT) IS COMPLETELY TORN OUT OF THE FLOOR. CURRENTLY CAUSES A JOLTING ACTION IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND A CREAKING NOISE IN LOW SPEED DRIVING. IF LEFT UNATTENDED, COULD CAUSE MISALIGNMENT, POOR PERFORMANCE, AND THE REAR AXLE TO DROP FROM THE BODY. THIS IS NOT ONLY BAD BUT ALSO A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10207578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328IC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE SUB-FRAME TO CRACK WHERE THE TWO PARTS WERE ATTACHED. BMW STATED THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #10197051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BACK IN JUNE 2006, I TOOK MY 2000 BMW 332CI TO BMW OF SAN DIEGO IN CALIFORNIA FOR THE SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM REAR AREA OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE SO NOTHING WAS DONE AT THAT TIME. NOW I TOOK MY CAR TO A REGULAR CHECK UP AT THE SAME BMW OF SAN DIEGO, AND THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT REAR SUBFRAME IS TORN AND IT IS SAFETY HAZARD SO THEY THINK I SHOULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR AT ALL UNTIL I GET A REPAIR DONE AT LOCAL BODY SHOP. THEY THINK I SHOULD TOW THE CAR THERE. I THEN NOTICED THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 40 OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA SITE ABOUT THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING. I LEARNED THROUGH ONLINE FORUM THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECALLED BY BMW GERMANY IN GERMAN A FEW YEARS BACK. I ALSO LEARNED THAT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA HAS PAID TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ON FOR SOME CUSTOMERS EVEN IF THEY ARE ALREADY OUT OF WARRANTY JUST LIKE MYSELF. CURRENTLY I AM WAITING FOR BMW OF NORTH AMERICA REPRESENTATIVE TO VISIT THE BMW OF SAN DIEGO TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY VEHICLE. SINCE THE BMW OF SAN DIEGO RECOMMENDED THAT I DO NOT DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT GETTING THE PROBLEM FIXED, I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THEIR LOANER CAR. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALER RIGHT NOW. WHEN I CALLED THE BODY SHOP REFERRED BY THE BMW OF SAN DIEGO, I WAS INFORMED BY ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES THERE THAT PROBLEM WITH SUB FRAME GETTING TORN HAS BEEN ONLY SEEN FOR BMW 3 SERIES AND NO OTHER MANUFACTURER OR MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #10180835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
MY 2000 328CI BMW 5 SPD. THE SUBFRAME BEGAN TO TEAR IN 2004. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS BUT I'VE NOTICED VARIOUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10171945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT IN MY 2000 328CI HAS A SIGNIFICANT FATIGUE CRACK AT THE SUBFRAME MOUNT WITHIN THE REAR AXLE SUPPORT. THIS PART, BMW #41117000246, FAILS DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKS FORMING IN THE SHEET METAL AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE SPOT WELDS OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. THE CRACK WAS OBSERVED DURING A REGULAR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND MORE COMMON FAILURE THAN THE NUMBERS REPORTED TO NHTSA. ONE ENTHUSIASTS SITE HAS A LIST WITH 120 1999 AND 2000 E46 CARS WITH THIS FAILURE. THE CRACK IN MY CAR WAS OBSERVED BECAUSE I KNEW TO LOOK FOR IT. OTHERS HAVE NO IDEA THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN. THERE WAS NO PRIOR ACCIDENT OR EVENT THAT WOULD MAKE ONE SUSPECT SUCH A FAILURE. I ONLY KNEW BECAUSE A FELLOW BMW CAR CLUB MEMBER WARNED ME TO LOOK. THE CONSEQUENCES IS THAT THE REAR DRIVETRAIN AND SUSPENSION ARE SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. AFTER THE FIRST SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINT FAILS (VIRTUALLY ALWAYS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR) THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR FAILS. IF SOMEONE FAILS TO FEEL THE WOBBLY FEEL TO THE DRIVETRAIN AND SUSPENSION THE FRONT TWO MOUNTS (4 TOTAL IN THE BACK) WILL PROCEED TO RIP OUT. NEXT THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNTS FAIL. AT THIS POINT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CAR AND SUSPENSION/DRIVETRAIN IS VERY DANGEROUS. THERE ARE FIXES FOR THIS BUT THEY INVOLVE REMOVING THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE SUPPORT WHICH IS A VERY INVOLVED PROCESS AND COSTS > $4000. BMW CHANGED THIS DESIGN IN 2001, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE E46 CARS PRODUCED BEFORE THEN. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD BE ADDRESSED FOR SIGNIFICANTLY LESS MONEY IF DONE BEFORE CRACKING STARTS. BMWAG REPAIRED OR REINFORCED ALL E46 CARS PRODUCED PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 2000, BUT BMWNA REFUSES TO. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10167196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. LOCAL DEALERSHIP SPECULATES THAT IT IS DUE TO FUEL TANK AND VENTILATION SYSTEM BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10154705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
LEFT SIDE DRIVER WINDOW WILL NOT MAKE FINAL POWER UP AFTER SHUTTING DOOR IF THE WINDOW HAS BEEN PARTIALLY OPENED OR CLOSED PREVIOUSLY. THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THE WINDOW CLOSE TIGHTLY IS TO POWER DOWN THE WINDOW COMPLETELY AND THEN POWER UP COMPLETELY WITH NO STOPPING PART WAY.
NHTSA complaint #10154692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN TURNING, THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS A CREAKING SOUND DUE TO DISTORTED AND LOOSE BALL JOINTS ON BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS - REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH CONTROL ARMS.
NHTSA complaint #10154700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER IT WAS STARTED COLD, THEN SHUT OFF WITHIN 15 - 20 SECONDS. CAR OWNER CALLED BMW SERVICE MANAGER (TIM POLK, ERHART BMW) AND WAS ADVISED TO REMOVE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS, PLACE THEM ON A COOKIE SHEET IN A 325 DEGREE OVEN UNTIL THEY ARE DRIED. CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRIED PLUGS WERE RE-INSTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #10154709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CABIN HEATER BLOWER FAN IS SPORADIC (RUNS HIGH THEN LOW THEN HIGH AGAIN ON ITS OWN) DUE TO DEFECTIVE FINAL STAGE RESISTOR.
NHTSA complaint #10154694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO FAULT CODE 168 - FAULTY THERMOSTAT THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE THERMOSTAT.
NHTSA complaint #10154695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2000 BMW 328CI. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENTER 3RD GEAR AND GOES STRAIGHT INTO FIFTH. COMMON PROBLEM ON BMW'S WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. UNSAFE TO SKIP GEARS IN A NORMAL ACCELERATING SITUATION. CAR GOES STRAIGHT INTO FIFTH AND NEARLY STALLS EVERY TIME. BMW INSISTS THERE IS NO FLAW, BUT BMW FORUMS HIGHLIGHT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. A FAILED $4 PART COSTS OVER $1000 TO REPAIR AND IS A TRAFFIC HAZARD AS MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION AS THE SHIFTER CAN STICK OR BIND IN NEUTRAL OR 5TH GEAR AND MUST BE FORCED INTO THE CORRECT GEAR, PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM EXERCISING THE EXTREME CAUTION AND DEDICATION THAT DRIVING REQUIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10152916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THROUGH NORMAL DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK I STARTED TO HEAR CLUNCKING AND SQUEAKING COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE UNI-BODY OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE SEVERE NOISES.*AK I TOOK THE CAR INTO BMW TO BE COVERED BY THE CERTIFIED PRE OWNED WARRANTEE BUT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED SINCE THE BODY AND CHASSIS OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTEE. MY CAR HAS 49000 AND 1 YEAR LEFT ON THE WARRANTEE.
NHTSA complaint #10116239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
(1) NOTICED A SLIGHT NOISE FROM REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF CAR WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. (2) REAR SUBFRAME CRACKED ON REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE. NO ACCIDENT CAUSED THIS. BMW SAID IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR OR "I MUST HAVE HIT A BIG POTHOLE." THIS I BELIEVE IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. HAVING FRAME DAMAGE IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR. (3) THE ENITRE REAR SUBFRAME OF THE CAR WAS REPLACED. OVER $3500 WORTH OF REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10113934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.