2007 BMW 3 Series Powertrain & Transmission Problems

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.

WHEN I START A TRIP MY CAR MAKES AN STRONG NOISE ON THE BACK. I'M PRETTY SURE IT COMES FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AXLE-FINAL DRIVE ASSY. MY CAR HAS 123206 MILLES. I USUALLY MAKE ANY MAINTENANCE ON TIME. I'M REALLY WORRY ABOUT THIS STRONG NOISE, CAUSE THIS CAR IS DRIVING EVERYDAY BY MY WIFE WITH OUR BABY INSIDE.

TRANSFER CASE NOISES

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.

THERE ARE TWO OUTSTANDING (FOR WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED WRITTEN NOTICES) DEFECTS ON THE CAR. I GOT THESE IN NOVEMBER OF 2017. I HAVE CALLED BMW SEVERAL TIMES TO GET A STATUS AND THEY HAVE, ON EACH OCCASION, TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT YET ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. IT IS NOW 10 MONTHS LATER. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS LONGER THAN ONE SHOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR ITEMS THAT DEMAND WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF DEFECTS. SO, I AM WRITING TO ASK YOU TO ASSIST IN GETTING THESE RECALL ITEMS ADDRESSED. THANK YOU.

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.

VALVE COVER OIL LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT CAUSES FIRE. IT WAS TURNED OFF AND STATIONARY. ASKED BMW TO CHANGE IN 80K BUT THEY SAID JUST SWEATING OIL. SAFETY HAZARD IGNORED. COMMON AMOUNG BMW 3 SERIES ENGINE

TRANSMISSION SHIFT BADLY - LUNGES FORWARD - TENDES TO STALL -TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS GOES IN TO 5 OR 6 GEAR STEP ON GAS PADDLE TAKES TO LONG TO SHIFT DOWN AND JUMPS FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW AND GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES ON.

I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 8 MONTHS & THE TRANSMISSION IS GONE I NEED SOMEONE TO ASSIT ME WITH THIS PROBLEM I DON'T HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIX MY CAR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED

THE DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPED IN HALF AT THE JOINT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE VIBRATION IN THE MOMENTS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. I WAS ON A CITY STREET AFTER JUST GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY.

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.

ONE EVENING IN DECEMBER 2014, MY CAR (2007 BMW 328XI) SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANGING NOISE AND VIBRATING VIOLENTLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DRIVESHAFT (PROPELLOR SHAFT) HAD BROKEN. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSFER CASE FAILED - DAMAGE FROM THE DRIVESHAFT THAT HAD BEEN UNDETECTED AT THE TIME OF THE DRIVESHAFT RUPTURE. IN JANUARY 2015 I CONTACTED BMW AS I HAD HEARD OF OTHER DRIVERS OF SIMILAR 3 SERIES BMWS HAVING DRIVESHAFT AND TRANSFER CASE PROBLEMS, BUT BMW DENIED THERE WAS AN ISSUE. BUT IN AUGUST 2015, BMW ANNOUNCED A "COMPONENT SPECIFIC LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION" FOR THE DRIVESHAFT FOR THE BMW X5 - FOR 10 YEARS AND 120,000 MILES. NO SUCH PROGRAM HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE 328XI. GIVEN THAT THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVESHAFT AND TRANSFER CASE OF MY 328XI WAS VERY PREMATURE AND THAT IT WAS IDENTICAL TO THE REPEATED DRIVESHAFT FAILURES THAT LED TO THE ACTION ANNOUNCED FOR THE X5, I BELIEVE THAT THE SAME ISSUE EXISTS FOR THE 328XI AND MERITS AN INVESTIGATION AND ACTION BY NHTSA.

2007 BMW 328 XI WITH 67K MILES ON IT, FIRST THE CAR WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE THEN A FEW DAY LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. THE ENGINE STAYED ON BUT I WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY POWER. HAD THE CAR TOWED OVER 150 MILES BACK TO MY HOUSE ONLY TO FIND THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAVE CALLED BMW AND AM WAITNG ON A CALL BACK TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL COVER. I HAVE READ A TON OF COMPALINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THERE WAS ALSO A LAW SUIT FILED BACK IN 2008 AGAINST BMW FOR 2000-2006 MODELS HAVING BAD TRANSMISSION. IF BMW DOESNT RESOLVE THIS ISSUE IN A TIMELY MANNER, I WILL ALSO TAKE THEM TO COURT!! *TR

I WAS PARKED, PLACED MY CAR IN REVERSE AND IMMEDIATELY ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED (4X4 MALFUNCTION, ABS BRAKE FAILURE, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION) THEN MY CAR LOST POWER. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE SET POSITIONING MOTOR FAILING ON THESE VEHICLES. THE BMW DEALER PART # IS 27 10 7 546 671. THERE IS AN INTERNAL GEAR, WITH IN THE SET POSITIONING MOTOR, MADE OUT OF PLASTIC THAT WEARS PREMATURELY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH BMW'S AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. MY VEHICLE BECOME DISABLED WITH OUT WARNING, LEAVING ME STRANDED WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

WHEN I START MY CAR IT WANTS TO TURN OFF. BMW ISSUED A RECALL I TOOK IT IN TO FIX IT BUT PROBLEM STILL HAPPENING. THEN MY CAR HAS 63000 MILES AND IT KICKS A LOT IN FIRST GEAR. FOR LOW MILES THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. *TR

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

MY 2007 328XI TRANSFER CASE ON THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON SUNDAY 6/16/2013. THIS CAUSED AN IMMEDIATELY LOSS OF ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND ABS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WITH SOME SIMPLE RESEARCH ONLINE IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONGST SIMILAR MODELS AND YEAR GROUPS. THE X3 AND X5 ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THE ISSUE. A WHOLE AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY AND DEVELOPED ON REPLACING THE GEARS WITH NEWER, HIGH HEAT AND STRESS GEARS SO THIS ISSUE DOESN'T HAPPEN AND THERE ARE RETAILERS WHO MARKET TO PEOPLE WITH THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE THEM. THE FACT THAT A SECONDARY MARKET HAS APPEARED AND IT HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SERIOUS ISSUE IS CONFUSING. THE INTERIOR OF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS THE GEARS ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC WHICH DEGRADE OVERTIME AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO FAIL TO ENGAGE OR TO DISENGAGE AND CAUSING SEVERE BRAKE AND HANDLING ISSUES. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN CONTROL BUT OTHERS MAY NOT BE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A RAINSTORM WHEN THE 4X4, BRAKES WARNING CAME ON. THE HANDLING IMMEDIATELY WAS AFFECTED. I DIDN'T FEEL THE TRACTION I WAS USED TO AND BRAKING BECAME DANGEROUS. I WANTED TO PULL OVER BUT THE BRAKES MADE THE CAR STOP TOO ABRUPTLY, CAUSING ME TO SKID ON THE WET ROAD. HAD THE HIGHWAY BEEN BUSIER I'M SURE I WOULD'VE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR GEAR. IT'S PLASTIC AND THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSES IT TO FAIL. I WAS TOLD THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON....SO MUCH THAT THE REPLACEMENTS ARE MADE OF A DIFFERENT COMPOSITE AND MORE HEAT RESISTANT. MY QUESTION IS WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A GEAR THAT IS RECOGNIZED AS FAULTY. IF THE REPLACEMENTS ARE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL THEN OBVIOUSLY BMW RECOGNIZES THAT TOO. THIS IS BECOMING WAY TO COMMON FOR BMW NOT TO REACT. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DEPARTING A TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON BASE HERE IN GERMANY. SHE ACCELERATED TO 35 MPH AND EXPERIENCED STALLED ACCELERATION AS SHE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE MAIN ROAD. MY WIFE WAS STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE CAR APPEARED NOT TO BE RUNNING. SHE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS IT ROLLED TO A STOP. SHE WAS STUCK IN THE RIGHT HAND TURN LANE ON A TWO LANE ROAD AND WAITED FOR SECURITY FORCES PATROLMAN THAT STOPPED AND HELPED PUSH THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC. *TR

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? *TR