2002 BMW 3 Series Complaint Log

THE SEAT BELT LATCH TRIGGERED THE AIR BAG DEFAULT AND THE AIR BAG HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE SERVICE CHECK FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH THE SYSTEM WAS CLEARED, DEFAULT/INOPERATIVE AIR BAG OCCURRED WITH THE NEXT SEAT BELT LATCH. (MODEL 325XI) *JB *SCC *JB

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 WEEKS AGO. ONE NIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY ABOUT 70 MPH THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER. ALMOST ALL THE SENSORS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. I BARELY MADE IT OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORST BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE STATED THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ASSIST ANYONE ON ROUTE 495. BMW WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO RETURN THE VEHICLE, BUT IT IS IN THE REPAIR SHOP.

MY BMW M3CI IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP. IN THE LAST 23K MILES, THE CAR HAS SEEN THE SHOP MORE THAN ANYONE'S IMAGINATION. NOW THE ENGINE REVS HIGH AT IDLE, TRANSMISSION LIGHT (SMG 2 OF M3) CAME ON, WHICH NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHY, AND MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED. THE CAR NOW VIBRATE TRHOUGH OUT THE CABIN AND AT STEERING WHEEL IT VIBRATES ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER TRIES TO DOWN PLAY IT. IT'S BEEN IN TH SHOP FOR THE LAST 14 DAYS, AND STILL NO ENDING INSIGHT

ELECTRICAL HARNESS FAILURE

THE TIRE DEVELOPED A BUBBLE ON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TREAD. THE CONSUMER HAS REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. MR SCC *NLM

TROUBLE WITH CONTI-SPORT TIRES

FINAL STAGE UNIT (AKA BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR) KEEPS FAILING AND SHORTING OUT INTERNALLY CAUSING ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS AND RELATED OBD2 WARNINGS AS WELL AS BATTERY DRAIN. I HAVE REPLACED THIS PART 5 TIMES AND 2 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS.

LOW-PROFILE TIRES (SHALLOW ASPECT RATIO) OFFER NO CUSHIONING PROTECTION WHEN ENCOUNTERING POTHOLES. WE HAVE HAD FOUR (4) BLOW-OUTS IN THE FIRST YEAR! TIRE MANUFACTURERS AND CAR MANUFACTURERS PROFIT FROM THIS POOR DESIGN! IT COST US OVER $600 FOR THE FIRST 2 TIRES IRREPARABLY DAMAGED FROM A POT-HOLE! LARGER WHEELS AND LOWER-PROFILE TIRES CAN'T BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION AND BRAKES ARE TUNED TO THE LOW-PROFILE DESIGN. MY WIFE IS READY TO TRADE IN THE CAR! DRIVERS ARE DISTRACTED LOOKING AT THE PAVEMENT FOR POT-HOLES INSTEAD OF WATCHING OTHER VEHICLES, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, ETC. HAVE THIS SAFETY HAZARD RECALLED! GET RESTITUTION FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS CONSUMER WASTE ON THIS! CAR SALESMAN NEVER MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM -- DEALERS ARE LITERALLY KEEPING A LOW PROFILE AND LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK!*AK

RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM MY BMW CONVERTIBLE 325CIC, BY THE PASSENGERSIDE. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE 3 DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED BMW DEALERSHIPS FOR FIX AND PLUS A FINAL ATTEMPED FIX AT ANOTHER AUTHORIZED BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT FROM. TOTAL OF MORE THAN 8 TIMES IN THE DEALER SHIP WITH ONE ATTEMPED FROM BMW FIELD ENGINEER AND DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE CAR BECOMES COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. MY VEHICLE, A BMW 325I, WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW ON MAY 7, 2002. *LA

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUCKLES WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY CAUSING THE CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE A SEAT BELT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 50MPH WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD INCREASED SPEED 10MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. TS

RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERE EYE INJURY AS A RESULT OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG IN A CRASH. PASSENGER SUFFERS PARTIAL BLINDNESS. UNDERGONE SEVERAL SURGERIES. PASSENGER WAS FEMALE AND SMALLER IN STATURE. *JB

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVNG, VEHICLE STALLED. CHECKED BY DEALER WHO REPLACED A THROTTLE COMPONENT. VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AND DEALER REPLACED COMPONENT FOR A 2ND TIME. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILED. NLMTHE THROTTLE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JG

THE LEFT BLINKER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING AND, AS A RESULT, REAR TAILLIGHT BULB OUTAGE APPEARED ON DASHBOARD ALL OTHER LIGHTS WERE OK. BMW DEALERSHIP MECHANIC DIAGNOSED TAIL LIGHT GROUND WIRING ISSUE: INSPECTION REVEALED THAT WIRES WERE MELTED INSIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT HOUSING AND COULD CAUSE FIRE. RECOMMENDED REPLACING BOTH TAIL LIGHT COMPONENTS BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL GROUND, CARRIER REPLACEMENTS FOR BULBS. REPLACEMENT SUPPLIES ON WORK ORDER INCLUDED SOCKETS, INSULATION HOUSING, CONNECTORS, SHRINKING HOSE. AFTER RESEARCH ON CONSUMER WEBSITES, I FOUND OUT MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. MY BMW 325I IS ONLY 9 YEARS OLD (2002) WITH ONLY 30,250 MILES ON IT. THIS KIND OF FUNDAMENTAL FLAW SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT BMW'S EXPENSE, NOT OURS. BMW NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS COMMON AND POTENTIAL DEADLY ISSUE. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THE LIFT REGULATOR AND POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON EVERY WINDOW EVERY SIX MONTHS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,192. UPDATED 1/19/2010 *CN UPDATED 01/27/11

WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE DIED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE ON 04/15/2002 BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTIES IN STARTING THE ENGINE. FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WHILE IN TRAFFIC OF 60+ MPH PLACED MYSELF AND A PASSENGER IN GREAT PERIL BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER WHEN THE ENGINE DIED WITH THE CAR IN A TRAFFIC LANE. I WANT TO KNOW IF BMW HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER NEW MODELS AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE TO PREVENT ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. THE CAR IS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD.*AK

ON THE BMW MODEL 325I YERAS 2002 AND 2003 THE HEATED OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS ARE HEATED. THEY ARE NOT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED AND THEREFORE ARE ALWAYS ON. THE PROBLEM ARISES IN THAT IF YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND UNINTENTIONALLY TOUCH ONE FO THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS, YOU BURN YOUR FINGERS. THIS WAS OBSERVED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN REARVIEW MIRRORS AFTER THE CAR WAS ON FOR SOME TIME. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE BNW DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE MIRRORS WERE ALWAYS ON, NOT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLED AND WERE ALWAYS HEATED. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE WINTER MONTHS AS THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS COLDER. HOWEVER IN THE SUMMER THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A CHILD OR UNWITTING ADULT TO BE BURNED ON THE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, CONSUMER HIT AN 80 POUND PIECE OF IRON THAT WAS LYING IN THE ROAD, WHICH RESULTED IN 2 BLOWN TIRES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND REAR, BOTH RIMS BENT, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER, CONSUMERS CONCERN IS THAT THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR AIR BAG DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACT WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMERS WIFE SUFFERED A BRUISE FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG, THERE IS ALSO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.*JB

HEATED MIRRORS ON ALWAYS. TEMPERATURE READING IN EXCESS OF 115 DEGREES F. POSES BURN RISK.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 55 MPH, TIRE EXPLODED. NOTHING LEFT BUT THE RIM. NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARD. TIRE AND CAR WERE LESS THAN A MONTH OLD.*AK

APPARENTLY MY CAR HAS A PROGRAMMING DEFECT WITH THE COMPUTER. IT ONLY RELATES TO 2002 325XI'S WITH SPORT PKG, MANUAL TRANS. AT ONE TIME I WAS TOLD THERE WERE ONLY 4 WITH MY SET UP IN THE US. ALL CARS WITH MY EXACT COMPUTER SET UP I'M TOLD ARE HAVING THIS FAILURE. THEY CLAIM TO BE WORKING ON MY PROBLEM IN GERMANY BUT I REALLY FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE IS A 1 SECOND DELAY WHEN WHEN YOU STOP ACCELERATING TO WHEN THE CARE STOPS ACCELERTATING. LOW GEARS AT HIGH RPM'S THE CAR BASICALLY GOES OUT OF CONTROL FOR A SECOND. I THINK BECAUSE SO FEW CARS HAVE MY SET UP THAT BMW IS NOT RESOLVING THIS QUICK ENOUGH. TWO E-MAILS TO THE BMW ON LINE CUSTOMER CARE SITE. MY CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE REGIONAL AFTER MARKET REP FROM BMW WHO CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM. WHERE ELSE DO I TAKE THIS TO GET MY CAR OPERATING SAFELY?*AK

HEATED MIRRORS HAS A POTENTIAL BURN RISK. MEASURED MIRROR SURFACE TEMP. IS 115 DEGREES F.*AK

SPONTANEOUS FUEL LEAK FROM QUICKCONNECT DEVICES AND FUEL HOSE CLAMPS. THE CRIMP TYPE CLAMP LOOSENS OVER TIME; LEAKED FUEL COULD SPILL ON CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

DOOR LOCKS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED WHILE IN SERVICE AT THE DEALER. WHEN THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH ALARM SYSTEM, BUT IT IS MISSING NOW. *YH

URGENT - MY 2002 325I'S FIRST SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED ON ME ON 1/25/02. THE REPLACEMENT GLASS HAS TWO SURFACE HAIRLINE CRACKS AND TWO HAIRLINE CRACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE GLASS. THIS CANNOT BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. PLEASE EXAMINE YOUR SUNROOF CAREFULLY FOR DEFECTS. NO ONE AT BMW IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.*AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 BMW 325I ON 12/4/01 EQUIPPED WITH SEVERAL OPTIONS INCLUDING A SUNROOF. I WAS DRIVING INTO WORK ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2002 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE GLASS ON MY SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SHOWERED GLASS ALL OVER MY HEAD, THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR AND APPARENTLY SOME PIECES NICKED THE PAINT ON THE TRUNK. BMW SAYS THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A ROCK THAT HIT THE GLASS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE FULL-GLASS COVERAGE, I ASKED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, LIBERTY MUTUAL, TO SEND A CLAIMS ADJUSTER. HIS FINDINGS WERE INCONCLUSIVE; COULD HAVE BEEN A ROCK, DEFECT, ICE BUILDUP, ON THE GLASS, ETC. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. A COMMON HIGHWAY STONE SHOULD NOT CAUSE SUCH A VIOLENT REACTION. BMW HAS BEEN DISSAPOINTEDLY UNRESPONSIVE AND UNCARING REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *AK

RECALL

I HAVE A 2002 330CI. I HAVE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FROM THE TIME I DROVE IT HOME I GET A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE NAVIGATION TRIES TO MUTE THE RADIO. I ALSO CANNOT ADJUST THE NAVIGATION VOLUME AT ALL. IN ADDITION WHEN I TURN THE RADIO POWER OFF THE NAVIGATION VOLUME COMES ON AT A VERY HIGH VOLUME LEVEL. I HAVE BEEN ROUND AFTER ROUND WITH THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE, ETC. BMW HAS BEEN USELESS. AFTER REPLACING NUMEROUS PARTS AND MULTIPLE WEEKS IN SERVICE BMW HAS ONLY MADE IT WORSE. THE BMW REGIONAL REP HAS NOW OFFICIALLY CALLED THIS "A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE SYSTEM." BMW HAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SO MANY PEOPLE MOST WHO HAVE PROMISED TO FOLLOW UP AND NEVER DID. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT HAVE JUST BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. THE TECHNICIANS HAVE HEARD IT AND ADMIT IT IS BAD. MY CAR HAS BEEN LOGGED IN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR OVER 35 DAYS OVER TWO YEARS TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I HAVE EVEN ASKED BMW TO 1. REMOVE THE SYSTEM AND GIVE ME CREDIT FOR IT, THEY HAVE REFUSED OR 2. UPDATE THE SYSTEM TO A NEWER VERSION THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE ISSUE, THEY HAVE REFUSED. I AM NOW TWO YEAR INTO A THREE YEAR LEASE AND NEED THIS RESOLVED ONCE AND FOR ALL. *LA

"TAKATA RECALL" I AM TOLD THAT PART IS OUT OF STOCK AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN OR IF IT WILL BE IN STOCK.

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER ADDS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL INTERMITTENTLY SLIP OUT OF SECOND GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING BETWEEN 2500 - 4500 RPM. EACH TIME IT HAS OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES NORMALLY IN SECOND GEAR UNTIL IT REACHES APPROXIMATELY 2500 RPM WHEN THE VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WITH NO INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY. *TT

THE STEERING COLUMN IS KINKED AN INCH TO THE LEFT. I DO NOT MEAN THE WHEEL IS TURNED TO ONE O'CLOCK, I MEAN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL IS 1 INCH CLOSER TO THE DASH BOARD THAN THE RIGHT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE COLUMN IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER SAID THAT A NUMBER OF COUPES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I SPOKE TO BMW THEY SAID TALK WITH THE DEALER. I HAVE ASKED FOR A LETTER TO SAY THIS IS SAFE AND BMW HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE SUCH A LETTER.*AK

SAFETY DEFECT WITH LOW PROFILE TIRES AND WHEELS. (NAR) *MR *LA *CB

INFORMATION ON SEAT BELT SYSTEM FOR A 2002 BMW 325I. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG. SHE STATES THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON WAS REPAIRED AND PROBLEM RECURRED. *KB

SAFETY RELATED DEFECT WITH BMW E46 MODELS; PETITION FOR FORMAL INVESTIGATION PURSUANT TO 49 U.S.C. 30162 AND 49 CFR PART 552 *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE E46 MODELS AS WELL AS HIS 2002 330I HAD PROBLEMS WITH TAILLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND/OR TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS.

CONSUMER IS INQUIRING ON THE STATUS OF THE MARK PETERS DEFECT PETITION DP09002. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE REAR LAMP EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILURES. HE ALSO STATED THAT A REAR LAMP WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTOR MAY OVERHEAT LEADING TO REAR LAMP BULB FAILURES.*JB

ALL XENON HEADLIGHTS SHOULD BE BANNED. THEY BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS !!*AK

MY NEW CAR CAME WITH 4 225/45 ZR 17 TIRES, BOTH THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DOOR JAM STICKER DO NOT GIVE THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE FOR THE REAR TIRES. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE BMW OWNERS LINE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE MFG. RECCOMENDATION NOR HAVE THEY BEEN WILLING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATED STICKER FOR THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY NEW CAR. I FEEL THAT HAVING THE PROPER MFG. RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND TO DATE BMW HAS NOT PROVIDED ME WITH THE INFORMATION. *AK

BMW, R1150R, 2002;GAS LEAK COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER CAN SMELL GAS, AND GAS IS ALL OVER THE GARAGE FLOOR. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAGETY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE CONSUMER REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 5 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO BODY DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS INJURED DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM

VEHICLE HAD 2 GOODYEAR TIRES, WHERE THE SIDEWALL HAD BLOWN OUT WHILE DRIVING AT A MODERATE SPEED. OLD TIRES WERE THROWN OUT, THEREFORE THE D.O.T. # FOR THE TIRES WERE UNAVAILABLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH