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BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • slrc47slrc47 Member Posts: 2
    i went for the extended warranty, i have a 2000 328i. it was just under $500. the driver window mechanism went out. the cost on the print out was about the same as i spent on the extended warranty.

    now i am at the end of extended warranty and will be taking it in for final warranty check over. i will be keeping my fingers crossed that the car will give me many more years of trouble free miles.
  • golfnut7golfnut7 Member Posts: 34
    My wife's 2001 325i just passed 36,000 miles and we haven't been offered the extended warranty. I took her car in this morning for a tire rotation and balance (not to the BMW dealership) and they told me it was past due for a break job. I am going to call the dealer to see if they offer the extended warranty so I can get this covered. A few questions - how much longer will they extend it and how much should I pay? Also, I am assuming this is the full maintenance warranty we got when we purchased the car.
  • phauolphauol Member Posts: 24
    My BMW was just 6 mth/9000 miles old but the coolant is already lower than the "low level" when I inspect the coolant stick. Since BMW recommend coolant change of every 3 (4?) yr, should I just top up with water or I must use, let's say, 100 ml of coolant to top it up. I know my question may sound trivial, I wouldn't ask the same question for my old mazda either, many thanks.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    phaul - I would bring the car to the dealer and let them look at it. I added coolant to my car once to bring it up to level. I added the coolant without diluting from water and I used generic spec green stuff.
  • mgj3mgj3 Member Posts: 1
    I lost power and could only move at idle speed last spring in my 2002 BMW 330ci. The car was towed and the electronic throttle replaced.The car ran fine for 8 months. The the same thing occured last week. BMW again responded quickly and towed the car in. Now they are replacing the wiring harness to the throttle. Has anyone had this problem and if so did the harness replacement permanently cure the problem?
  • motenor1motenor1 Member Posts: 35
    where can i find a list of reputable bmw independent mechanics here in northern california?
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    I don't think it would hurt to top it up with a bit of distilled water once or twice, but if you want to add coolant I would strongly advise you to use BMW's proprietary coolant. If you start contaminating the factory coolant with OTC domestic rotgut you will decrease the corrosion protection the BMW coolant provides.
  • stacyandbrianstacyandbrian Member Posts: 8
    Just picked up a 2004 325xi (silver grey, black leather, prem pkg, auto, heated seats) and noticed right away that when the car is at idle, there seems to be a really annoying "rattle" coming from inside the dash or engine block. Once I push the gas it goes away. The closer I listen, the more I think it's not something loose in the dash, but something going on with the engine. It almost sounds like it's coming from the speakers. Does anyone else have this problem or have any idea what it could be??? I traded in a 2000 323i that I had for four years and never had this problem or anything like it. I also have a loud rattle coming from the back panel by the speakers, that doesn't bother me as much because I know it can be located and fixed (anyone else have a rattle from that area?). 30 miles on the car and these two things are driving me crazy, esp the sound coming from the front.... HELP!!!
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Hopefully the rattles in the engine block will be found and fix. Does it sound like it's the water pump? Is it when the engine is hot or cold. These engines are quiet as you know and they really purr.
  • evantoddevantodd Member Posts: 11
    My friend puts mid-grade gas in his 325. Is this still good or is premium gas Necessary?
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Read the manual! BMW recommends premium although they say an occasional fill of lesser octane gas won't hurt!
  • memphis10memphis10 Member Posts: 161
    BMW requires a minimum octane rating of 91 for the 325 engine. In the U.S. Mid grade is 89 and high is 92 or 93.
  • livethelakelivethelake Member Posts: 5
    dwardesnj: here's the info: 800-831-1117 X7662 Isaac. Hope this helps
  • stacyandbrianstacyandbrian Member Posts: 8
    I think I figured out the problem on the 325xi. The "rattle" sound is happening at idle, but stops when i press the gas pedel. I only have to lightly feather tap the pedel to stop this. I think the car's idle is set too low. Right now it idles at about 600-650 rpm, when I tap the gas to put the idle between 700-800, the sound goes away. At 600-650 idle, the car seems to be having a tough time and the engine shakes. Does anyone know what the proper idle should be for a 2004 325xi with automatic?

    The rattle that comes from the truck, directly behind the driver's side back seat is absolutely driving me nuts. I literally want to sit in the trunk while my wife drives the car since I cannot figure out what it is from the back seat.

    Anyone have a idea on this one????
  • diesel10diesel10 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a new titanium silver 2004' 325xi.
    I noticed that when I start the car in the morning and press on the gas to reverse out of my driveway, the car wont move, or it moves very slowly.
    Anyone else have this problem?

    I talked to a bmw service rep and he said that they were just alerted on this problem and that it is due to air pressure leaking out of the transmision overnight. He said that bmw is replacing the trans for xi's but there is a waiting list.

    this really blows. I have like 700 miles on this car and i have to get a new tranny?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    My xi has had no such problems. :) 2002 325xi

    -Paul
  • dasharp2dasharp2 Member Posts: 4
    I have a '99 323i sedan, 55K miles. Have recently noticed a vibration that seems to be coming from the front wheels. Noticeable when you slow down and approach a stop, but also on acceleration and at low speed; diminishes at highway speed. Sounds like you can hear the wheels turning. The sound has a pitch & rhythm to it that seems to be associated with each spin of the wheels, i.e., its frequency seems to rise and fall with the speed of the car. It's subtle & not noticeable unless the car is otherwise quiet inside (i.e. no radio on). Any thoughts?
  • timaphylintimaphylin Member Posts: 16
    Hi, I have a problem regards the paint on my blue 325. #1) My sales person once mentioned that do not use WAX prodcut to apply on my 325, is that true?
    #2) My car has a little scratch made by my neighbor's car door who parked next to me, and some how my wife use the rubbing compounds applied on the scratch area. (I think she thought that was car wax product)...Anyway, after she removed the rubbing compound, the affected area become less gross and no shine. Although the affected area is small 1' x 2', I still want to fix it...so....what kind of product can be help? Thank you.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    First off, put a contract hit out on your selfish/lazy/brain-dead/barely sentient neighbor-or at least squirt some Super Glue in his door locks and follow it with a paper clip ;)
    Your salesperson's comments about wax are totally incorrect. Think about it: why in the heck would BMW sell waxes if you aren't supposed to use them on a BMW? Try carcareonline.com to find some helpful advice as well as excellent products. Finally, dope-slap your wife and explain to her that any product used on your BMW's paint must be labeled "Clear Coat Safe". Meguiars products are good and are usually easy to find. They have a scratch removal product which should solve your problem.
    Finally, I think you may need to teach your family to respect and care for your Bimmer as much as YOU do. I've tried to do that with my family. For example, if you ask my nine year old "What will happen if you scratch Dad's Club Sport?" His reply is always succinct and to the point:
    "I will die."
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    You wrote... "For example, if you ask my nine year old "What will happen if you scratch Dad's Club Sport?" His reply is always succinct and to the point: "I will die."

    Too good. Laws of physics here - for every action there is an equal reaction. :)

    -Paul
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    div jr. actually did scratch my wife's car while dragging his bike out of the garage-after I had asked him to wait for a few minutes until I could get the bike. I was actually able to touch up the scratch to the point that it was barely noticeable. And as for my son? Well, I didn't kill him-but after he lost Computer, GameBoy, GameCube, and TV access for two weeks, he sure WISHED he was dead...;)
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Great thing about the toys today... they mean a lot to the kids and it hurts when they lose em. :)

    My son did the same thing to my wife Grand Cherokee and he sure caught it for that one. But he added a dent to it as well. So we did the dentless repair thing and all was okay. But he KNOWS now that when he is in the garage, the cars have a forcefield around them that he'd better not cross unless he's getting in one.

    -Paul
  • ksomanksoman Member Posts: 683
    is not the standard premium through the entire US. it can vary anywhere between 91 and 94.
    most western states never taste anything higher than 91, and considering the amazing cost of gas in most western states, they could probably not afford anything over 91 anyways ;) just kidding...
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    if we get a second mortgage. :) Try filling up an Excursion with Premium. I don't have one, but I saw a guy filling it up. The look on his face was priceless... head down, shaking back and forth.

    -Paul
  • bentleyfam25bentleyfam25 Member Posts: 67
    Got too close to my 325xi last night with the snowblower. The handle caught under the passenger mirror and snapped the black plastic mounting. If I get the new part, is this an easy fix, or does the door have to come apart?

    Thanks in advance for the advice---
  • orangecountyorangecounty Member Posts: 3
    As a past owner of a 2001 325i, I had my fair share of rattles, and had some success in fixing them myself and/or fixes from the dealer. Here's some ideas:

    1. Rattle from Driver's Door - I had problems with popping sounds from the driver's door. In my case, it was the window rocking in the window regulator mechanism in the door. BMW has a TSB for this issue; however, sometimes one fix isn't enough. The 2001 3-series models were notorious for this issue affecting about 1/3 of the cars.

    2. Rattle from the Dash - After being annoyed by an apparent rattle from the upper dash, I found out the rattle was actually coming from the panel dash cover under the steering wheel. If you look between the bottom of the steering wheel housing and the lower dashboard panel, you will see two metal clips holding the lower dashboard panel in place. The rattle in my old car was created by the panel vibrating in the clips. I simpily inserted a screwdriver into the clips, popped off the front section of the panel (which left it loose, but not off because the rear portion of the panel is held in place by screws), inserted two thin felt pieces into the clip bought at Home Depot, and pushed the panel back into place. The slack in the clip was eliminated; and therefore, eliminated the rattle.

    3. Squeak from the rear seat area over a wide range of speeds and road conditions - This squeak actually came from the rear door latch mechanisms. I just sprayed silicone spray in all the door latch mechanisms, opened and closed the doors a few times to work it in, and the squeaks were gone.

    I hope some of these ideas help.
  • nabeelw2nabeelw2 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 1995 325i with 110K miles. I just picked it up from a dealer a few weeks ago. I found an invoice in the glove box reporting that the trany was serviced a couple of months ago for hard clunk sound and late shifting. Low and behold it is starting to happen again every so often. The car is still under warrenty but I was wondering if this is common in this model and is it one of those problems that simply wont go away.
  • nabeelw2nabeelw2 Member Posts: 7
    Weird thing happend the other day. I started my 1996 110K 325i in cold temp and for a few seconds white smoke was coming from under the passenger side of the dashboard. I didnt notice any distinct ordor. Then it stoped. Never seen this before and hasnt happened since. Any ideas?
  • hag2002hag2002 Member Posts: 1
    mgj3 Dec 1, 2003 2:44pm

    In response to your question, yes, changing the wrng will fix the problem. I had the same problem and the following items were changed. Throttle housing as, wrng harness, contact fluid and cable strap. Good luck.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    I've had white steam come out the dash vents of my 1995 318ti when I've had the A/C on and the relative humidity was high. Perhaps the conditions were right for a similar reaction in your car.
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I agree with div2... In my '87 Accord, I used to be able to create all kinds of cool weather using the windshield defroster set on high and opening the fresh-air dash vents when it was VERY cold outside. Many people laughed at me when I told them I could make it snow in the car. Most laughed even harder when I showed them.

    Did you smell smoke or is it possible it was 'fog'?
  • nabeelw2nabeelw2 Member Posts: 7
    Nope, like I said, no oders were detected.
  • bentleyfam25bentleyfam25 Member Posts: 67
    For those of you who get a mirror snapped off on your 3 series, BMW will charge you up to $500 for the fix. It isn't covered on maintenance. Some dealers will only try to sell you the complete mirror asssembly for $350, then charge to have the shell painted and install it for $150.

    You can keep the cost down to $280 and fix it yourself in about two hours in your driveway. Buy the mirror assembly without the painted shell or mirror. Go to bmwtips, where there is a tutorial on upgrading the stock mirror. You'll need a torx bit set, T30 and T25, and the usual stock tools. There are four screws and two plastic plugs that need to be removed (2003 door). The door panel pops off with the use of a plastic-bladed screwdriver or plastic puttyknife. The mirror shell and mirror can be transferred to the new assembly.

    Places to be extra careful: the mirror face is very fragile, as is the wooden trim on the door. Place to be thoughtful: make sure you get all the speaker wires connected when you put the door panel back on. Place to avoid: don't mess around with the airbag on the door (you don't need to touch it, anyway).

    If you're patient and competent, you'll get it done quickly and save some bucks on a repair the BMW rips you off for. Good luck.
  • rhmassrhmass Member Posts: 263
    I am considering replacing the battery in our '94 325i. While the battery still starts up the car without problem, I thought it might be prudent to replace the battery after over 9 years' use, particularly in New England winter. My problem is that when I called NTB and Sears, they don't carry the battery for our model. There is a ventilation tube attached to the BMW battery and I don't see any battery so designed. Did any of you have your BMW battery with the ventilation tube replaced? Will a battery with the proper rating without the ventilation tube be safe to install? I would try to avoid going to the dealer and pay over $200 for the replacement. I appreciate any advice/suggestion you can give me.
  • bentleyfam25bentleyfam25 Member Posts: 67
    FYI, I was advised by a service rep that BMW is analyzing a changeout of certain 325 XI auto transmissions due to "hard shifting" problems, but the details are yet to be worked out. Keep it in mind if you feel a problem coming on. Don't know if it applies to 330's, or non-XI's.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    Interstate makes a battery with vent tubes:

    http://www.ibsa.com/estore/view_product_detail.asp?part_number=MT- P-91&mscssid=R5N4UJCRBUP18N2170656RVFXETU9CH7&js=1
    You may have to ask for the vent tube kit, but they should give it to you for free. DO NOT fit a battery without one, as the vented gas is explosive. FWIW, the BMW battery in my 10/95 build ti is still going strong; I just top it up with distilled water every six months or so. Ditto for the battery in my wife's 6/96 build 528i. As I understand it, the BMW replacement batteries are made by Douglas and lack the longevity of the OEM unit.
  • rhmassrhmass Member Posts: 263
    Once again I got the useful information from you. I'll check it out with the interstate battery. So far the car starts up without any problem. I am very amazed with the durability of the BMW parts. The muffler on this '94 is still in good shape. The '98 318ti my son drives has had only required maintenance and our '02 325xiT has had only been to the dealer for oil change after almost two years, that's all. That's why I was always puzzled to read about how "unreliable" BMWs are in comparison with the Japanese cars. Our ownership of four BMWs has not supported such assumption. The Japanese car cos do a great job in their PR, I have to say.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    "That's why I was always puzzled to read about how "unreliable" BMWs are in comparison with the Japanese cars."

    I second that. Friends and associates who have these cars, overall say they are very reliable. But as people like to point out in JD Powers and CR surveys, numbers don't lie.
  • mayerofrfmayerofrf Member Posts: 33
    Does anyone remember these?? There's a computer in the dash that reads time, temp, MPG, timer and so on. Is there a bulb behind the LCD that's easy to get to?? The computer still works, but you can only see it in the daylight. Any ideas??
  • stacyandbrianstacyandbrian Member Posts: 8
    There is a very high pitched whine coming from the engine. You hear it at idle and while driving, does anyone else have this sound with their 325xi???
  • jimisilljimisill Member Posts: 2
    I fell in love with a silver gray 330i with perf. package and reluctantly sold my 2000 Passat GLX. So after 400 miles with by far the most expensive car I have ever purchased, I have had to have a rear shock mount that clunked every time a left turn was made replaced, the rear deck lid re painted due to a scratch prior to delivery (the new car smell has been replaced by paint booth smell) and now it appears that the auto transmission will need to be replaced. I saw diesel's post from 12/5 regarding the transmissions inability to operate properly when cold....mine is doing the same thing. The car looks and drives like a dream but this is really troubling.
  • acc_bmw_owneracc_bmw_owner Member Posts: 2
    stacyandbrian, my 2 months old 2003 325i which only has 1600 miles is doing exact same thing. Every morning (when the engine is cold), I hear this "high frequency pitch" which is audible randomly for a couple minutes and it eventually goes away! Does anybody know about this issue?
  • nhlarrynhlarry Member Posts: 13
    The rattle on my 2004 325xi sounds like it's coming from the trunk on the driver's side. Driving me nuts. Any takers?
  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    Just a wild guess--have you verified that all of the tools in the toolkit are secured? My wife's 528 had one wrench that would get dislodged occasionally over a pothole or a speed bump and would rattle until it was re-secured.

    Probably not it, but figured I'd give it a shot.
  • perunestperunest Member Posts: 42
    I have a 2002 Z3 3.0i, which has the same engine as your 330Ci. Last Spring, on my way to a BMW Concours D'Elegance event I experienced the same problem. The engine suddenly lost power and it would only idle. There was not enough power to engage the clutch and move the car. My car had 5,000 miles on it and it was taken in to the dealership on a flatbed via BMW roadservice. The dealership told me there was a service bulletin that told them to replace the wiring harness. I now have 20,000 miles on the car and the problem has not returned. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
  • kennynmdkennynmd Member Posts: 424
    I have an 03 325ci that I bought in August. Since day one, I have had a whistling noise from my passenger window. I;m planning to bring it to the dealer in a couple weeks. I was just wondereingif anyone has ahd this problem and if so, what has the dealers done to fix it. Thanks
  • nhlarrynhlarry Member Posts: 13
    Thanks. I'll check on the tools loosening. I've also come to fine a scratch mark from my wiper blades, almost a half circle. I am not sure they can buff this out. I put the blades on one morning when it was iced up, hoping the de icer would melt it. Instead it scratched.
    Thanks again,
    Larry
  • jnelsonufljnelsonufl Member Posts: 2
    Wanted to see if anyone else had this problem. I just bought a used 2001 330ci and I am having some problems starting the car. Everytime I try to start the car the instrument panel and the headlights flash on and off and the car makes a clicking sound (it may just be the headlights turning on and off) and it sounds like something is turning on under the hood - maybe the fuel pump... This happens for about 10 or 15 seconds then when I try again, the car would start up fine.

    Anyone know what the problem may be?

    Thanks for your help.
  • jnelsonufljnelsonufl Member Posts: 2
    Took my car to the dealer here in Tampa, Fl. The problem was the battery was too weak to fully start the car. It had just enough juice to make the lights flicker on and off. I felt like an idiot after they told me that...but it was covered under warranty. They fixed the problem in less than two hours along with a couple other minor things i asked them to do.

    FYI: For anyone in Tampa Bay ara, you should have your BMW service done at Reeves in Tampa. Best service I have ever had period.
  • 3catmom3catmom Member Posts: 13
    Hi - I'm driving a 2003 330i sedan with the standard Goodyear Eagle 17" 205/50R17 tires. Had a MAJOR tire malfunction today while driving on the expressway. The inside wall of my rear passenger-side tire looks as though someone took a knife and carved around about an inch from the rim from 1 o'clock to 11 o'clock. The car only has 7400 miles on it so I know it can't be general wear and tear. Has anyone else had any similar experiences with these tires?
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