2007 BMW 335I transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

NORMAL USE OF DS SPORT MODE INVOLVED MOVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER TO THE LEFT. THIS PUTS TENSION ON THE WIRES THAT SUPPORT THIS FUNCTION, CRIMPING THE WIRES AND FREQUENTLY LEADING TO FAILURE. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WITH THE WAY THE WIRING HARNESS IS ROUTED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER. THIS IS DOCUMENTED AS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE IN NUMEROUS DIY VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND INTERNET FORUMS. FAILURE OF DS SPORT MODE MEANS THAT CAR CAN NO LONGER BE USED IN THIS MODE. HOWEVER, IT CAN BE DRIVEN IN NORMAL MODE. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT, THROUGH NORMAL USE, RESULTS IN A FAILURE THAT MAY REQUIRE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. MY LOCAL SHOP QUOTED ME $1,500 TO REPLACE THE SHIFTER.

NHTSA complaint #11353958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK. CAR WON'T GO IN REVERSE, ALSO CAR HAD NO POWER TO ACCELERATE IN DRIVE MODE. THIS WAS CAUSED BECAUSE THE VALVE BODY SEALING SLEEVE THAT IS MADE OF PLASTIC BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #11047283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES SINCE PURCHASED. THIS ALL CAME TO A HEAD WHEN DRIVING HOME, UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, IT SUDDENLY WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST 1ST GEAR. I PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF TO A SIDE STREET AND ATTEMPT TO IDLE HOME, AS I WAS ABOUT 1 MILE FROM HOME. AFTER APPROXIMATELY .5 MILE, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY LOST FIRST GEAR, THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE BANG UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER. AFTER BEING IN A SERVICE CENTER FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, I AM NOW INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE IS LOCKED DOWN AND THAT THE CAR WILL REQUIRE A NEW ENGINE TO BE WORKING AGAIN. THIS CAR HAD BEEN AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE AND HAS TURNED ME QUITE CALLOUSED TOWARDS BMWS QUALITY STANDARDS.

NHTSA complaint #10955474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE AND FUEL PUMP. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO ACCELERATE WHEN DRIVING ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WILL SHAKE, JOLT AND THE ENGINE WILL START TO MAKE A WEIRD NOISE. THERE IS OIL LEAKING CONSTANTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY COMING ON EVEN AFTER JUST BEING REPAIRED. THE CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE AND HAS SHUT DOWN ON ME NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING. I'VE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES AND YET IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAINST. THE CAR WILL OVERHEAT AT TIMES AND AND JUST SHUT DOWN. I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY CITY STREET WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN, I COULDN'T STEER OR BRAKE IT JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET. IT WAS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER AS WELL AS THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY WERE DRIVING AT FAST SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #10883486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

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

NHTSA complaint #10683713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MY VEHICLE IS 2007 BMW 335I. ON 7/3/11, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT "ENGINE MALFUNCTION- REDUCED POWER" WAS ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE SPEED TO ABRUPTLY REDUCE SPEED TO AROUND 20-30MPH. I HAD TO ACTIVATE HAZARD LIGHTS AND LIMP OFF INTERSTATE WHILE CAR WAS BUCKING, COUGHING, AND SPUTTERING. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE SUDDEN SLOW DOWN MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED ON A BUSIER INTERSTATE. I CALLED THE TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A BMW CENTER WHERE THEY CLAIMED THEY REMOVED SOME SAND FROM THE THROTTLE BODY. BMW WANTED TO BLAME THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, BUT REALIZED IT WAS REPLACED 3 WEEKS EARLIER DUE TO A RECALL, ALONG WITH AN "UPDATING" OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE AND REPLACING SOME INJECTORS. I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE UNTIL AFTER THESE RECALL "FIXES." THE CARE NOW LOSES POWER AND HAS TURBO ACCELERATION LAG. THESE SAME DANGEROUS ENGINE ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED ANOTHER 5 SINCE THE "FIX", ONLY A MONTH AGO. THIS IS A KNOWN BMW DEFECT! THIS VERY SAME ISSUE APPEARED QUITE OFTEN TO A NUMBER OF 335I OR OTHER BMW MODELS USING THE SAME ENGINE, IN PARTICULAR TO THE 07 AND 08 MODELS. MANY CAR OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE HAPPEN AFTER THEIR FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED ONCE OR EVEN TWICE. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS ISSUE AND IT POSES AS A TREMENDOUS DANGER FOR BMW DRIVERS WITH THIS SPECIFIC ENGINE SINCE YOU CANNOT BE CERTAIN WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL RE-OCCUR. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED RECENTLY IN CALIFORNIA REGARDING THESE SAME ISSUES. WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT HOLDS BMW RESPONSIBLE?

NHTSA complaint #10411695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

CAR STALLING AND NO POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS MAKING A U TURN, CARS WAS COMING AT ME AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND I COULDN'T GET POWER TO ACCELERATE. TRIED PULLING OVER SAFELY. CAR WAS OOZING POWER AND CANT RESTART NORMALLY.

NHTSA complaint #10356325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

FIRST TIME ABOUT FOUR MONTH AGO WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND LOST ABOUT 50% POWER. NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO BMW DEALER AND THE CIL WAS GONE. THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. TODAY WHEN I DROVE ON HIGHT WAY AT ABOUT 65 M/H, CIL ON AGAIN AND THE CAR LOSS POWER, I THINK THERE IS A SAFTY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10323689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

FACSIMILE FROM SENATOR BOB CORKER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2007 335I TRANSMISSION BMW. *NJ IN DEC 2007, PART OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE PART KNOWN AS THE FRICTION PAD. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AND SMOKE WISPING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER STATED HE INHALED THAT MATERIAL IN ITS SMOKE FORM, NOT ITS DUST FORM. HE WAS ALSO TOLD, THE SLAVE MASTER CYLINDER'S FLUID ALSO PRODUCED ADDITIONAL SMOKE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COMPLAINED OF AN OVERPOWERING INTENSE BURNING RUBBER SMELL AS THE FIRST EXPOSURE. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO TOLD, THE SEEPING FLUID WAS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10270328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE AND MOVING TO REVERSE INTO A PARKING SPACE THERE IS A "CLUNK" LIKE HEAVY LUGGAGE THAT FALLS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR / OR THAT YOU HAVE BANGED INTO AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE ROAD. (NOTICEABLY GETTING WORSE). TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION. 1) THEY DECIDED IT WAS THE REAR DIFF AND REPLACED IT. TOOK IT ON A TEST DRIVE AND FOUND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED - SO THEY PUT THE ORIGINAL DIFF BACK IN THE CAR. THEN THEY DECIDED AFTER REF TO THE CHIEF TECHNICIAN AND CHECKING IN GERMANY - IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO DANGER, SO THEY ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT DRIVE SHAFT 2) THEY INSTALLED THE NEW DRIVE SHAFT THREE WEEKS LATER. THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THEY DECIDED IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION AND SAID THEY TEST DROVE CARS OF SIMILAR AGE/ MILEAGE AND SAID THE NOISE WAS ACCEPTABLE. I DISAGREED. 3) MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NATIONAL TECHNICIAN TO ASSESS (OCT 15, 2008) - HE SAID THE SAME OUTCOME. NORMAL CONDITION, ACCEPTABLE NOISE LEVEL FOR AGE / MILEAGE OF THE CAR. I DISAGREED. 4)I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY SAID AFTER GETTING A REPORT AND FEEDBACK FROM THE DEALER (OCT 20, 2008) THAT A FURTHER OPINION IN ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT CHANGE THE STATUS OF THE ANALYSIS FROM BMW AS THE NATIONAL TECHNICIAN HAD ASSESSED THE FINAL OUTCOME. THE NOISE IS NOTICEABLY GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. I HAVE THE CAR > 12M BUT < 18M AND THE MILLEAGE IS 17,500 TODAY.

NHTSA complaint #10249366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335I. WHEN THE CLUTCH HEATS UP THE MATERIAL BURNS INSIDE THE CLUTCH PLATE, EMITS SMOKE AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS. THE CLUTCH DISC WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE SAME SMELL AND TOXIC FUMES HAVE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HAVE PERMANENT LUNG PROBLEMS. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED AT 3,100 MILES AND RECURRED IN JULY 2008. THE CONTACTS IMMEDIATE CONCERN WAS WITH THE FUMES THAT ARE INHALED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,100. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/07/08.

NHTSA complaint #10237711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.