NHTSA Complaint #10185012 — 2000 BMW 328I

IN MAY '06 I PURCHASED MY (E46) 2000 BMW 328I. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I NOTICED A SUBTLE SQUEAK COMING FROM THE REAR END. THINKING IT WAS NOTHING SERIOUS, I IGNORED IT FOR A WHILE AS MY LIFE WAS VERY BUSY AT THAT TIME. AFTER CONSULTING SOME VEHICLE-SAVVY FRIENDS AND A VISIT TO MOTORSPORTS OF LEXINGTON (THE PLACE TO GO IF YOU LIVE NEAR LEXINGTON, KY); THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SQUEAK AS IT WAS WINTER AND JUST MY LUCK, THE SQUEAK WAS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT THAT DAY. I WAS ASKED TO BRING IT BACK DURING WARMER WEATHER. SO TODAY (70 DEGREES AND SUNNY) I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP. TO MY UTTER DISMAY I WAS SHOWN THAT THE REAR DRIVER-SIDE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS. THEY TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH E46'S. TOTAL REPAIR COSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN $600-$1000. OUT OF CURIOSITY I VISITED THE DEALER (DON JACOBS BMW) TO SEE IF MY POWERTRAIN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED SUCH DAMAGE. TO NO SURPRISE IT DOES NOT. HOWEVER, THE SHOCKING PART WAS THAT THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR OTHER BMW OWNERS WHO MIGHT HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM, I FOUND MANY WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, AS WELL AS SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SUBFLOOR AND NOT JUST ON THE E46. THIS HAVING RESULTED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN 2005, FROM WHAT I'VE READ, MANY PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR. *JB