BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

buckeyepower · April 2005

Did the problem go away after they replaced the 'forward-gear drum'?

I have a 2004 BMW and I have to wait about 5 seconds when the car is cold. The car is hardly move forward when I pushed gas pedal eventhough the rpm is at 2-3k.

Thanks for any input.

danacontey · May 2005

Sadly, my car's reverse gear no longer work, as well. I also have a 2000 323i serie which the warranty recently expired at 50Kand now, it is barely 62K.

Yesterday morning, it reversed fine. After a stop or two, it wouldn't reverse and my husband had a 4 year old and a 2 year old in the back seat. I find this so disturbing because when I was pregnant, my husband and I did our research and decided to buy a BMW based on its reputation - credibility, reliability and longevity. For the same reason, my husband bought a 2001 325i serie a few months after mine. His experience is a whole different story to talk about!

So, today, my husband took my car to the dealership in Mt. View, CA and their estimate is about $5200. This is ABSURD! How can a reputable brand's transmission fail at 62K mile???? Not to mention, I service my car every 15K miles and the most recent one was a level 2 service which was performed a few months ago.

This is so expected and unacceptable. HOW CAN A BMW AT 50K - 62K miles have transmission problem??? IS THIS BMW's PROBLEM???

If anyone else encounter the same problem, PLEASE, REPLY so we can have BMW look into it and make it their problem.

pjo1966 · May 2005

I had complained a while back about how harsh my 2005 325i is when it automatically downshifts while in sport mode. I took it to the dealers and they couldn't reproduce the problem. I know there is a warranty fix for this. I need to take the car back because it's idling roughly. Can anyone tell me exactly what the warranty fix is called so I can request it?

Thanks.

walters4 · May 2005

Ran the car thru a new high pressure auto car wash , as under carriage was being cleaned the car began to cut-out and run rough. I found that the #3 cyl is not getting fire . The coil is good and had no problem until this incident. Thanks for any HELP any one can give me!!!!!

iz4detail · May 2005

I am also contemplating about changing my brake pads due to excessive dust on my '04 330 Ci. Some of the posters here are recommending Axxis pads. Importrp.com carries two types of Axxis pads....one is ceramic and the other is metal master. Which one is recommended? Also, will these pads require additional pressure on the pedal to stop and/ or create additional stress on the braking system since they are not OEM??

Has anyone tried the cross drilled rotors at Bavarian.com?? These rotors would look "awesome" on my car with additional braking benefits.
Thanks

kyfdx · May 2005

shipo, "BMW 3-Series Owners: Problems & Solutions" #1757, 14 Apr 2005 6:32 pm!keywords=allin%3Amsgtext%20limit%3A.eea1744%20axxis

Check this message...

dl7265 · May 2005

the kevlar sound cool ..But the deluxe specifically say they reduce dust and rotor wear, and squeal although Ive never experienced that on a BMW yet.

DL

amt7565 · May 2005

Sorry to hear your plight. $5200 to fix the transmission is excessive! And what guarantee it will not happen again. Look outside of the dealership for repairs. German cars have known to have reliability issues.

Good luck!
AMT-

amz · May 2005

Search this message board, and you will see that at least 6-8 people had the same problem. I talked to BMW, and they didn't want to admit that anything wrong with their transmissions. At best you could get discount on your repair (it happened to me).

div2 · May 2005

Stay away from drilled rotors; they will not increase the efficiency of your braking system and they can crack or shatter if not properly manufactured.

fmbman · May 2005

I bought a 325CIC about 3 weeks ago and just love the car (my first!). I do have one somewhat annoying problem. The windshield is wavy. If I look at an object and move my head back and forth the object changes shape and size. It's not much, but it does happen and it is in the entire windshield not just the edges. I remember a friend of mine who's wife bought a BMW around 10 years ago and he complained about the same thing. Is this something all BMW's have in common or is this just a very strange coincidence.

noles1 · May 2005

Looking for a quick fix if it's out there. Whenever it rains my 2000 328i leaks. The location of the leak is in the interior of the car, right below where the door and frame meet where the plastic molding is on both the driver and passenger sides. I can't recreate the problem by pouring water on the car in specific areas and following the path of the water to determine the source. Help.

car_rm · May 2005

I had the same issue with my 2003 325 at 1700 miles. My dealer had diagnosed the problem in several others around the same time. They did have a fix for it but I had to wait a month after the initial visit as the repair required an approved tranny specialist who was making the rounds to other dealerships for the same problem. After the fix, the problem went away.

Good luck

fasternet · May 2005

I bought a '92 325I. After spending lots of money on trying to fix the top, the previous owner finally had the electrics disconnected. Is this a problem area for the electric soft-top? Is there someone out there who can help me with this?
Thanks

qoolio · May 2005

Hello all,

I was wondering if someone could help me out. I have a '97 850 ci and it has never given me any problems until today. Today, I turned the key in the ignition, the electrical came on in the inside but the engine did not catch. After reviewing some general info, I think it could either be the started solenoid or possibly the neutral safety switch? Every time I turned the key, there is electical power but there is no sign of the engine turning over. Do you think this could be a more major problem then some minor electrical?

Thanks,
Corey

eman6628 · May 2005

That sure sounded like starter problem. Do you hear a clicking sound when you turn the key? If you can locate where the starter is in the car, sometimes if you tap it with a hammer around the case, it will work again, but starter usually have a life span of around 5 to 8 years. It is time for a either new or rebuild starter.

div2 · May 2005

Now is NOT the time to start "flailing"-that is, throwing parts at the problem. Take it one step at a time. Are the battery terminals and ground connections clean? Can the car be jump started? If so, load test the battery-and check the alternator output as well. It's possible that you may have a bad starter, but I sure as heck wouldn't replace it without eliminating other possibilities first. Just for the record, in 22 years of BMW ownership ranging from an E3 to an E39 I have NEVER, EVER, had a starter fail. My two current BMWs are nine and ten years old, with mileages of 119K and 96K respectively. Both still have their original battery, starter, and alternator. Check the simple stuff first...

jwylie · May 2005

Anybody else have the driver side curtain and door deploy for no apparent reason?

gordonwd · May 2005

Whoa! Seems like you should really see a dealer ASAP about that one. Having the airbags go off for no good reason is definitely a serious safety issue. Besides scaring the heck out of you, you could easily lose control of the car momentarily. Did this actually happen to you?

cybergypsy · May 2005

I have had 4 Bmw's last year and I never will buy again 2 times the tranny went out at just over warranty 50k, here are the link to a few of mine http://homepage.mac.com/sybergypsy/PhotoAlbum2.html

I have tryed to sue also, gets no where, buy a Acura TSX and stay happy...much nicer hen the BMW and does not ever break down....... :lemon:

shipo · May 2005

Ya know, I'm thinking that something in your post is a bit of a fish tale. For starters, since when did BMW make E36 Coupes in 2002?

As for the TSX, it's a machine, it will break.

Best Regards,
Shipo

armand · May 2005

Has anyone any experience at getting XM radio into a 325? (I have an'05 XiT.) What is suggested and how well does it work?

div2 · May 2005

It's funny how so many people like to post about their bad experiences on the BMW boards-and then plug some other brand. If I had trouble with a car I'd just sell the bloody thing and move on down the road; posting complaints after I'd ditched the car would be a waste of time.
That 2002 E36 is cool though-Munich sure didn't build many of them...

shipo · May 2005

"That 2002 E36 is cool though-Munich sure didn't build many of them..."

Yeah, I wonder what his/her dealership said when he/she tried to bring it in for warranty service in 2005, claiming that it was a 2002 vintage car. Kinda makes me want to be a fly on the wall. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dl7265 · May 2005

Hmm , id sell those 36 cars and move outta that apartment.

bogumil · May 2005

div2 · May 2005

LOL!!! I think I'm going to go tour the parking lot of an upscale mall and snap thirty or so pictures of nice cars. Then I'll start my own web page describing my "collection".

shipo · May 2005

Better still, his/her profile claims a 2004 Acura TSX as its "Vehicle #1", and a 2005 Lotus Elise as "Vehicle #2". Hmmm, ain't neither one of them made its picture list. Any bets that its only car is the 2004 Scion XA. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · May 2005

The Elise is on the "Last Roll" page. Looks like it's at the same apartment complex as well...

bogumil · May 2005

Hi everybody,
I'm looking to buy a 325Ci, 2004 or 2005 model. It will be my first BMW. I have already a bad experience with another German car, VW Golf 4...
When I see so many people here complaining about the car reliability I must tell you that Im not that enthusiastic anymore.
Can you give me some hints about 325Ci?
Thx a lot.

gordonwd · May 2005

Yeah, and hard to see how someone could have the wherewithal to buy that many cars while apparently being functionally illiterate

.

shipo · May 2005

"When I see so many people here complaining about the car reliability I must tell you that Im not that enthusiastic anymore."

Hmmm, there are now something over 1800 posts here in the "BMW 3-Series Owners: Problems & Solutions" discussion, many of which are basically useless banter, and spread out over a period of time greater than 4 years. Contrast that to some other "Problem" topics:

VW Jetta: 3600+ (nearly 6 years)
Mazda MPV: 4000+ (just over 5 years)
Toyota Sienna: 3200+ (nearly 5 years)
Honda Odyssey: 4600+ (two months longer than this topic, 4.5 years)
Honda Accord: 10500+ (Plus another 3300 or so for QC issues) (nearly 5 years)
Subaru (Crew & Legacy combined): exactly 10000 (as of this moment) (3.5 years)

All in all, most folks have found the E46 to be a highly reliable ride. Not that my personal experience is a relevant sampling, but for my last two BMWs combined (E46 328i & E39 530i), I had two unscheduled maintenance items. What were they? I had to have two taillight bulbs replaced. For those, I decided to splurge, spend the dollar and do it myself.

If you want a 325Ci, then get it. If something breaks, then get it fixed. In the end, while there are probably a number of cars on the road that are even more reliable than your basic E46 (which I consider to be a highly reliable ride), none of them are as face splitting/grin producing as the BMW. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · May 2005

Here's a post I recently made in the 3er sedan topic addressing the same issue:

I have a 96K mile 1995 E36 as well as a 120K mile E39. Maintenance/repair costs-including tires-average $30/month for the 3er and $80/month for the 5er. The E36 has only required one set of front pads, new drive belts/idler pulleys and a timing chain tensioner-FWIW, none of the parts failed-they were replaced as a precaution. The E39 has eaten several sets of pads and rotors as well as a water pump. The few other problems have been super easy DIY nickel and dime items such as the trunk lock actuator and windshield washer pump. Would a totally bland FWD appliance such as an Accord or Camry prove cheaper to run? Maybe-but the pleasure of driving a couple real world-class sport sedans more than compensates for their increased cost of operation. Oh yeah, and the BMWs are safer as well; if I had to drive some vanilla FWD grocery-getter every day I'd soon die-of boredom...

potemkin · May 2005

About ten years ago I bought a 1995 318ti. I still have it, and the only problem I ever had (besides the usual wear-and-tear: bulbs, batteries, tires, etc.) was when the ignition switch went out. One breakdown in ten years sounds pretty reliable to me.

Of course, I expect I'll be disappointed if my 2005 325i doesn't live up to the lofty standards set by my 318.

Question: Now that I've got 120k mi. on it, should I replace the clutch assembly soon? The third pedal's getting sort of heavy.

div2 · May 2005

My E36 is a 1995 318ti Club Sport. Must have been a good year...

As for your clutch wear, BMW provides a way to check the clutch lining thickness on the car by using a special tool(naturally):
http://www.etoolcart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4554
As long as you aren't having any problems shifting and the clutch isn't slipping I'd leave it alone.

ponytrekker · May 2005

It's a Honda. No it won't.

shipo · May 2005

LOL! Nice joke. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

paule · May 2005

Come on guys. It's on the internet so it MUST be true!

div2 · May 2005

Yes, I've got to get me a TSX; based on R&T road tests it runs the quarter a whole 0.4 seconds quicker than a stock ti Sport(a Conforti chip would cure that) and gets 0.3 more mpg. OTOH, the ti whups the TSX in braking(229 vs. 237 80-0) and on the skid pad(.83g vs. .78g). Funny thing-the ti went on sale over 10 years ago. In any case, it's good to know Honda used the intervening decade to design a Civic spin-off that is almost as good as an E36/5... :P

dl7265 · May 2005

How does it go ? a fool and his money ? I don't think my "dream garage" or dream parking lot in this case,LOL would include those vehicles.

DL

bmwphd · May 2005

Hi noles1,

Check the rubber plugs at the bottom of the doors; they might be worn out, missing, etc.

Iulian

devenj · May 2005

:lemon: Hi all! I'm new here and my name is Deven. I have a 96' 328 w/just under 113k. I've done nothing but sink $$ into my P.O.C car. I've had just about everything replaced and it's still messed up.
My latest 'pain' is my heater/ac coming on only when it wants to. Even if I turn it down to 60, it will jump to 90 w/fan full blast at feet and I can't turn it off. Lots of fun in the warm weather. It is so hot it burns my feet. When it came back on yesterday, I put it back on 60 and hit the AC button to make sure it was working.......well, now I can't get the AC off and the floor is still blowing out at 90. My warning lights come on all the time....'check coolant'.....already done that...'brakelight fail'....replaced it and it still comes on. My steering wheel shimmy's bad when I brake and it vibrates badly. I'm so fed up with this car, my 2nd BMW and my LAST!! Any suggestions? ps:I don't trust the dealer for repairs because something different always goes wrong after I'm there. :sick:

div2 · May 2005

Buy some four-wheeled FWD novacain such as an Accord or Camry and revel in it's anvil-like reliability-but do try to stay awake while driving...
Now, off you go!

potemkin · May 2005

Yesterday, Friday the 13th, my little brother scraped the driver side door of my red '95 318ti up against a bollard. The shop told him they'd need to paint the whole side of the car.

I'm thinking this would be a good time to go ahead and get the whole thing painted.

What's a good after-market color for a 318ti. I'm thinking of British racing green.

Also, I'm thinking of replacing the factory wheels (15" steel rims - oh boy!). Will it comfortably take 17" rims? Or should I stop at 16"?

Also, how hard is it to replace the emblem on the hood?

div2 · May 2005

Unless you are willing to strip out the entire interior and engine compartment I would not repaint your ti in a different color. Nothing looks worse than a freshly repainted Bimmer with the underhood sheetmetal wearing a different shade of paint.
I'd go with 16" wheels; a ti shod with 225/50-16s has more than enough grip. You also should remember that 17" wheels are more susceptible to pothole damage due to the reduced sidewall height. 16" wheels/tires are also less expensive and have reduced mass compared to a equivalent 17" wheel/tire combination.
Here's a good article on hood emblem removal:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E30-Roundel/E30-Roundel.htm

simple2 · May 2005

I had 1995 - 325 coupe.
Had a lot of fun with ignition coils! It would idle fine, but start to play up under the acceleration. The coils fail very strange. Apperantly output(discharge) voltage dpors...
I purchase 2 good seconhand coils and were swoping them arount untill found the faulty one.
Australia

potemkin · May 2005

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I hadn't considered the mis-match with the colors. I guess I'll keep it red. I was thinking 17" wheels were a little extreme. Any preference when it comes to summer tires?

And thanks for the roundel link. Now do you have one for replacing the gear shift boot?

jimbres · May 2005

When I turned the key in the ignition of my '01 330i earlier today, the headlights flashed on & off repeatedly & I heard a loud clicking noise from somewhere just forward of the passenger compartment, but the engine did not turn over. Didn't see any unusual warning lights. Seems to be plenty of juice in the battery; power windows & seats work OK, but radio / CD player puts out no sound.

Because of illness in the family, I've been out of town a great deal & haven't driven the car at all since early March, although I did start it about 2 weeks ago. Car has been problem-free until now.

I'll call the dealer tomorrow, of course--the car is still under warranty--but I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's encountered this. TIA for any thoughts on this.

div2 · May 2005

The Michelin PS2 is the hot tire on a lot of the M3 boards. Me, I like the performance value ratio of the Kumho Ecsta MX and Ecsta 712, though they do tend to get noisy as they wear. I went with the 205/55-ZR16 size based on the advice of several friends who run in the CCA Club Racing program. The smaller 205/55 tires have as much grip as the ti can use and they have less rolling resistance compared to the 225/60 size donuts.

potemkin · May 2005

Div2, thanks. Since I'm a value shopper, I'll give the Kumho's a look.

Been hanging out at tirerack.com and they seem to have a lot of wheels for my car. Any brands (or styles) I need to avoid? Also, I noticed some of the wheels are advertised as "lightweight" -- is there a noticeable difference? Or is it just a marketing ploy? Weight wise, how does this compare to the factory steel wheel/hubcap set up I have now?

Thanks in advance.

BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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