BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

eglasser · October 2003

Hello all,

I was hoping one of you could help me out. Unfortunately, my Beemer is not a "Garage Princess" -- I have to park it exposed to the elements. I have a tree that I've discovered has been "misting" sap and dropping leaves onto my car's hood (2001, 325i). I haven't really noticed a problem until this season. The misting sap isn't really the problem, what HAS been a problem is the tannins that leach out from the fallen leaves (when mixed with rain water and then dry). To my dismay, I've found that this "spotting" seems to be IN my clear coat! Is there any product out there to remedy my problem or am I simply a day late and a dollar short??

Thanks in advance.
V

kbuchholz · October 2003

bmw323is-With your history of faulty regulators, BMW should offer you some type of help with replacing any future problematic regulators. My first 5 replacement regulators were under my original warranty, but the 2 recent were not covered. The dealership replaced both for the cost of only parts, about $200. The only good news about replacing the window regulators is that they now come with a 2 year warranty, rather than the old 1 year warranty.

meineauto · October 2003

Hello everyone,

I just picked up a new '04 325 coupe. It has the power seats with memory. The keys are suppose to set the personalized settings when the door is unlocked remotely. The keys don't work, so I took the car back to the dealer. After spending 3.75 hours there waiting, they told me their '04 software didn't have that piece, so they couldn't program the keys. They then said BMW didn't send them the updated '04 software. They said I needed to wait for them to get the software, which may take 1-2 months, before they can program my keys. Doesn't this sound ridiculous? They had the '04 coupes on their lots since Juy/August, how could they not have the '04 software by now??? Do you think this is typical of BMW to do...to send out the software later? Or do you think the dealer is wacked out and don't know what they're doing? Is anyone experiencing this too?

Thanks!

ksoman · October 2003

sounds like a liar to me... make some money on the side...

dcwong1 · October 2003

I think your dealer is full of it. See if your emergency brake is dragging or not and if it is, have they adjust them accordingly. Simple test is to pull up the e-brake slightly while driving and see if the noise goes away.

slrc47 · October 2003

I was lucky enough to get a new 328i with manual transmission in December of 1999. I went for the fourth year warranty which will expire in a couple of months. While debating to go with the extra year, a service person at my dealership went over wear issues that would be covered under the warranty that I might want to mention when I brought it in for final warranty service. Of course, I have misplaced this list. Can anyone recommend any concerns that I might want to bring up?

yank23ees · October 2003

With regards to your "Check Engine" light, ask the dealer to look at the Catalytic Converter.

I had problem on my a brand new Isuzu Rodeo a few years ago. The light came on everyday the 3rd day I drove it off the dealer lot.

They couldn't figure out the problem until they replaced the Converter, the light never came on again thereafter.

surplus · October 2003

I have a 2203 BMW 33ci Coupe that I puchased new about 5 months ago. Every time it rains or I have the car washed, if i open the trunk lid, the water runs into the corners of the trunk from the trunk lid. I've had it back to the dealer no less than 5 times for this problem. The last time they replace the seal around the tale light, which didn't work either. My service advisor said that he had a '98 model which did the same thing and that was the way the car was designed, so what was the big deal. The service manager pretty much told me the same thing.
I've been talking to BMW North America for almost 2 weeks now with no results. I guess my next step is to file a complaint under the lemon law. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and if so, what the outcome was.
I also have another annoying problem with this car. There are crackling noises (sounds a lot like you are running over freshly paved asphalt) coming from different areas inside the car, VERY annoying! I have also had it back to the dealer numerous times for this problem, but of course they couldn't find anything. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?

ksoman · November 2003

2203? Geez, we can't figure out the problems 200 years before they happen!

ksso

div2 · November 2003

surplus needs to go back to the dealer and have them check the plasma conduits. An early batch of 2203s were exposed to gravimetric waves. The waves generated an isolinear flux in some conduits, which in turn overloaded the impulse relays. A dealer with BMW's latest HAL 9000000 diagnostic module should be able to correct the problem in just a few minutes.

Karen_S · November 2003

Very funny, guys, but let's cut surplus some slack...none of us are immune to the occasional misspelling and/or typo. :-)

Surplus: Before going the lemon law route, have you checked the NHTSA site (http://www.nhtsa.org/) for any TSBs concerning this issue? You can also lodge a consumer complaint there.

bmv43 · November 2003

I'm having a problem similar to the one reporting by Surplus, who described a crackling interior noise in his 2003. I have a 2002 325i and I'm getting a frequent noise that's sounds like a combination of a creak and a rattle. It seems to be coming from either the dash or the driver's window. Never happens when the car first starts out, but is in full force after a couple miles. This is ridiculous in a $35,000+ car. Anyone have the same problem or found a solution?

sherriholly · November 2003

I finally convinced BMW service to take a look at the vehicle - I told them that something just isn't right. Now whenever I'm stopped at a light and accelerate into the intersection or traffic, the car feels like it's losing power - almost like if you were in a 5-spd, and trying to drive in 4th when you should really only be in 1st or 2nd.

They found a couple things -- an bad oxygen sensor, some other recall that doesn't have a "fix" yet, etc. 2 days after picking-up the car, it's all happening again.

Car is back at dealer again. I'm frustrated - never have had this type of problem with a BMW.

jim1395 · November 2003

have you tried another service department? it sounds as if they really aren't customer focused there. "no fix yet" is bull. they need to diagnose the problem. generally if you have hesitation you might start with the fuel system or the ignition system or the engine management system etc. my point is that there are steps in diagnosing a problem. telling you there isn't a fix yet is absurd. i'm only a back yard mechanic but i would guess it has something to do with the engine management system. one of the sensors may be giving a false reading. in any case i would pressure them to start replacing sensors/components till it is corrected. i had a vw with a bosch motronic system that gave me a similar problem and it turned out to be the mass air flow sensor. i'm curious how many miles are on the car. i just purchased the same car 5sp, few months back. stay on top of em, it has to be repairable, don't settle for "no fix yet" good luck

chile96 · November 2003

Have an '03 325i bought 4/03 with 4500 miles now and, while washing today, noticed a 2 inch "bubble" in side of tire(passenger rear). Girlfriend admits to scraping curb 6 wks ago but the curb rash is on different side of rim than injured part of tire. Do I have any recourse, do I need to replace tire, is it dangerous to drive for another week until tire rack can deliver new tire?

thanks
fo

livethelake · November 2003

I've had this car for about two months. I have taken it thru the car wash three times. All three times water begins to drop onto the passenger seat about 5 minutes after driving away from the car wash. I brought it to the dealer to look at it. The SA told me the car should not be taken thru a car wash as all convertibles ie: Mercedes, Lexus etc. leak. This is not my first convertible and I have never had this problem before. I called BMW, they told me to avoid high pressure (touchless) type car washes, but the car should not leak. Called my SA, he stuck with his story that the car should not go thru any type of car wash but said to bring it back in and they would check it out again. Anyone have any experience with car washes and this BMW's? Keeping a black car clean is tough enough without having to hand wash weekly.

div2 · November 2003

Yes, the curb scrape could have caused it-but a pothole is a more likely cause. I sure wouldn't drive on it any more than I had to. Even then I wouldnt exceed @50 mph.

capriracer · November 2003

Without viewing the bulge, it is hard to tell if you've got your diagnosis right - There are a lot of things that get confused when discussing bulges, some OK, some not. The fact that the bulge is not where the rash is may mean there are two distinct times where the tire contacted the curb - one hard , one a glacing blow - may be even in the same incident.

If this is truly a bulge caused by hitting a curb, it means the ply cords are broken and these ply cord reinforce the rubber to hold the air in. The bulge would indicate that only the rubber is holding back the air. So you need to get this taken care of ASAP!

Hope this helps.

chile96 · November 2003

Thanks for all the help - I forgot my '03 has a full size spare with a matching wheel so now the "bulging" tire is off the car and just waiting shipment from tirerack. However, today I noticed a smaller bulge in a different tire. I know that low profile tires (mine are 225-45-17 sport pkg) are susceptible to pothole, curb, etc damage but read that my bridgestone turanzas are notorious for having weak sidewall (per surverys from tirerack.com).

Is there a tire out there that maybe is a little more forgiving, i.e. stronger sidewalls, so I don't have to keep on buying new tires every few months?

thanks for any help
fo

guess I need to call up tirerack quick before my shipment goes out!

billymay · November 2003

livethelake ... Can't speak for the BMW 3 convertible (have a coupe), but I've had VW and Mercedes convertibles and I'd NEVER run them through a high-pressure wash. If it's a few drops, it may very well be normal. If you have a river on the passenger seat, get tough with your dealer.

(Had an MGB, which leaked furiously if there was morning dew...)

Also, black cars demand a gentle hand rinse and NO RUBBING to look nice, unless you want to pay $$$ to have it professionally buffed. I used to detail cars, and rule #2 (rule #1 is don't buy a black car, but I've violated this one a couple of times 'cause black's gorgeous) is to gently hand wash with ample water and a light spray.

If you don't want to wash your extremely nice car yourself, find a hand wash place and stay far away from those gas-station-style auto-washes.

livethelake · November 2003

Thanks billymay. Rule #3 is don't buy a convertible when you live in upstate NY. Broke that one too, it's too difficult to wash a car by hand in 10 degree weather. This is my 6th black car, I can't seem to order anything else - nothing looks as good as a shiny black car.I can understand the no high pressure washes, but a regular car wash has less pressure than driving 60mph in a bad rain storm. The car should be able to take that kind of pressure. Car's going back to the dealer tomorrow, we'll see what happens. BMW seems to be on my side.

lou72 · November 2003

I purchased a 330i this past spring and at times have had a problem with clicking or popping noises from the cabin (usually when driving over slightly rough pavement). Most of the time the noise seems to come from the driver's side door, above or behind the front window. Less frequently the noise comes from other areas such as the dash or ceiling. The weather has been cold lately and the problem has been worse (especially in the morning but then improves later in the day). I can not duplicate the noise and am very frustrated. Any advice would really be appreciated.

kennynmd · November 2003

What tires came with your car. I have the Pirelli P6 Four seasons that came with my 325ci. After buyijng the car, I looked up some reviews on those tires and alot of people seem to experience bulgin wtih those tires. Now I look at mmy tires closer than I ever did before.

chile96 · November 2003

My car came with bridgestone turanzas. I've read about alot of people having trouble with sidewall damage from bridgestones. I cancelled my order from tirerack and in 30 minutes have an appt at discount tire. Am going to get Michelin Pilot Sports A/S. They beat tirerack's price without even having to mention tirerack!

Interestingly, the guy at discount tire said that he really hadn't ever heard of one type of tire being stronger than the other - go figure.

thanks
fo

kominsky · November 2003

Tonight, while driving home, I noticed a high-frequency shake in the front-end of my car. It only happened when steering left at fairly high speeds (70+mph). I plan on taking it into the dealership tomorrow on my way to work but I fear that they will not be able to reproduce the problem because of the speeds at which it occurs (55mph limit around here). Has anyone else experienced this or something similar who can give me an idea of what the problem might be? Or anyone, based on mechanical experience, just wanna take a stab at it? I have checked tire pressures and they are fine.

ksoman · November 2003

in broad daylight inspect tires for uneven wear..

ksso

dwardensj · November 2003

I read msg #840 of 851 Convertible Top Leak by livethelake Nov 10, 2003 4pm who wrote that "BMW seems to be on my side". I'd like to know how and what BMW did because in April 2003, I bought my '98 BMW 328i Convertible from the 2nd owner [who'd bought it about a year ago in '02 as a Certified Pre Owned from Allison BMW]; he said it did not have any leaks. It was raining in April when I looked, drove and fell in love! <with the car!> Go figure
I don't have a garage but in San Jose/ San Francisco Bay Area, California weather seems to be made for convertibles and it was my dream car. I was horrified to discover one Friday morning about 2-3 weeks ago that it was leaking badly. I sat in a wet sheepskin seatcover- it had rained the night before and then while driving it in a rainstorm that same day I saw the water running down both driver and passenger door panels [too close to the HK speakers] as well as dripping from both sunvisors. This is a 2-3 yr CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE up to 100,000 miles with only 58k on odometer of which I put on the last 5,000 miles in seven months. Allison BMW in Mt. View CA just "fixed it" at a cost to me for $400 labor and $200 parts to replace one of three? window gaskets/seals- however, if it stills leaks the other two window seals cost $260 EACH plus LABOR. Any suggestions as to what I should write and to whom to voice my extreme disgust and displeasure that a five year old BMW has what is to me a pretty major defect on a convertible and sold with the assurance as a certified vehicle? I bought this car- my first BMW- after months of research/ Edmunds, CARFAX, Kelly Blue Book, Consumer Reports that BMW was THE icon to which other car manufacturers and models compared themselves. Thanks for any info and/or suggestions.

yalesom · November 2003

I have a 2002 325cic in which the full maintanence service is only for 3yrs/36,000 miles. My local dealership offered to extend this to 4yrs/50,000 miles (similar to what is offered for new vehicles) for $500. Has anyone else heard about such a deal and if so is $500 about the price?

erickpl · November 2003

If you do your Inspection II while there, but I can't remember if Insp II is 50 or 60,000.

Heck Oil changes through BMW can run 200.00... so it would depend on your mileage IMO.

-Paul

nhlarry · November 2003

Not a big deal, but I didn't realize the cigarette lighter is always "activated" even when the ignition is off. In other words, my radar detector stay's "on" unless I turn it off or unplug it. Previous autos, the power goes off when the ignition goes off. Guess I'll have to get used to that, so's not to drain the battery.
Larry

jameswbcox · November 2003

I have found tire rack beats any local supplier i have in Ct.
Jim

jameswbcox · November 2003

That battery should be good for 3 weeks at least, if you are concerned . buy a maintainer from BMW for $70, it plugs into the cigar lighter and you can leave for 6 mos or lomger

jameswbcox · November 2003

front end shake depends on year and model- tell me what it is

kominsky · November 2003

ksoman - I checked the tires as well as I could and see no signs of uneven wear or cupping.

jameswbcox - 2001 330Ci

idahodoug · November 2003

Visiting from the LandCruiser board on behalf of a buddy with a question. Does anyone here know if the '95 3 series had a different emission warranty in CA vs the other 49 states? I'm asking because it is required that emission parts in CA last 100k and they consider the timing belt part of emissions. So, in CA the timing belt changeout may be 100k on 3 series models sold there. If so, the belt is identical to the other 49 states and I'll recommend that he not change the belt right at the mileage in his 49 state 3 series.

Thanks in advance. Easiest way to determine this would be if there's an owner here with a '95 in CA to check your timing belt replacement interval in the owner's manual for me. It's the 325 but I suspect all engines will have the same belt interval.

Regards,

IdahoDoug

erickpl · November 2003

I haven't heard anything about a 100k emissions warranty in CA. I have a 97 Jeep Wrangler and I had to have it serviced with it developed cracks. Jeep's warranty is 80k and nobody has mentioned anything about 100k CA law.

If there is, I plan on going back to that dealership and getting money back. Only thing I can see that may make sense would be for cars specifically manufactured to meet CA specs, and then I'm not sure about how used cars would rate.

-Paul

erickpl · November 2003

Well, my 2002 just passed the 50,000 mile mark on Monday. Now I have a bad window regulator in the passenger front.

I called my dealer to report it and a funny noise from the steering in tight turns. I told him my mileage was 50,400 and change and he talked to the service manager. They are going to go ahead and do the work as warranty work. I told them it would have a bit more since I have to take it to Ontario, CA to pick up my parents for Thanksgiving, and he said no problem.

They didn't have to do that. But it shows that building a rapport with the service folks can pay off. I have gone to them in the past and had complaints about service, but they were all valid complaints and professionally conveyed with fact.

BMW of Bakersfield (CA) has been great to me. Just thought I'd share that with y'all.

tso2001 · November 2003

i had the same problem with a brand new car a couple of years back. the dealer balanced all 4 tires twice with their expensive hunter machine but the problem persisted. They put on 4 new tires and the shake was gone.

nhlarry · November 2003

My electronic side view mirrors do not work. I noticed the right side didn't move down when I put it in reverse, then noticed the adjustments aren't working, either. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Larry

kominsky · November 2003

My service dept squeezed my car in today (good thing, 38 miles until the warranty expired). The problem, quoted from the work invoice, was; "technician inspection found failed right front control arm center ball joint. Replaced right front control arm and control arm bushings."
They also did a 4 wheel alignment.

BTW, ksoman, they also noted some cupping of the front tires... good call. According to the service manager, the cupping was a result of the control arm problem.

Anyone have any idea what a repair like this would have cost if they wouldn't have gotten the car in before the warranty expired?

abfisch · November 2003

BMW forum:

I have taken my BMW to the shop 3 times for a water leak, where the driver's side floor gets saturated from rain water. They have blown the leaves out, cleaned the drains, and the leak still persists.

Has anyone had this problem and what is the proper algorithm to address this??? Is this coming from the seals around the window and the front window needs replacement or is it the door seals, or the vent grade for intake near the windshield wipers.

Please let me know. The car is in otherwise pristine condition, and I love it. this is just driving me nuts.

JJO

livethelake · November 2003

dwardensj:
I called the toll free number for BMW. I don't have the number or the person's name with me, it's in my office. I'll post it next week. I was instructed to bring the car back to my dealer. If I received no satisfaction, I was to call BMW back and arrange for the Field rep to inspect the car. BMW was emphatic that the car should not leak.

div2 · November 2003

Have you checked the sunroof drains? They can be unclogged by using a long piece of weedeater line. My only other guess would be the windshield gasket.

ksoman · November 2003

i sure hope bmw stick to it... i dont want my wife's car leakin in a few years, plus the only well known leakers have been the british miata predecessors

ksso

ksoman · November 2003

glad it worked out for ya. i once had the control arms on my honda replaced, years ago and it cost about 400 bux.. i'd multiply it by 2.5 to get a fair # for bmw... but i'm not too sure.

i cannot wait for the day when cheap artificial intelligence robots get employed in body shops... these labor charges are getting more and more outlandish...

ksso

dwardensj · November 2003

livethelake- Thanks for the info...
FYI the BMW dealer took my car to the car wash to check for leaks after they replaced the window seal said they did not see any water leaking in...

wil17 · November 2003

My Wife was driving her BMW today and stopped at the light. When the light turned green she started to accelerate and the car wouldn't go, as she notice the car turned off. She put the car in park, restated the car and it was ready to go. Has this happen to anyone else?

She called the dealer and they said it had something to do with the cam shaft not responding to the sensor? Does this sound familar to anyone? How much did it cost?

walter12 · November 2003

We have a 2003 325xi and the exact same thing happened to us yesterday. Ours is a manual transmission and it just turned itself off after backing out of a parking spot. This is the first time our car has done this and I was just going to let it go. But now I think I will call my dealer and see what he says. Please post any info and/or action from your dealer and I will do the same. With the holidays upon us, I don't know how fast the dealer, or I for that matter, will be able to respond, however. I have read on other sites that cam shaft sensors may be a problem with our cars. I hope this turns out to be nothing for both of us.

wil17 · November 2003

we are visiting our dealer Friday 11/28. I will try to post what happens a.s.a.p. I have heard the same with the cam sensors being a problem for the 3 series, I hope it is nothing as well. Happy Holidays.

erickpl · November 2003

I thought the control arm issue was a recall item that would have been covered regardless of whether your car was under warranty or not. If the service has not been provided previously, there would not have been a charge.

-Paul

BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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