NHTSA Complaint #10199532 — 2000 BMW 540IA

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES ON MY BMW 540I, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER SAYS IT HAS INTERNAL SLIPPAGE/DAMAGE AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACUTED ONE. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW - SEE HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/BMW_TRANS.HTML FOR TESTIMONY OF LOTS OF OTHER BMW OWNERS WHO LOST REVERSE. IT SURPRISES ME THAT BMW DOESN'T WARRANTY THEIR TRANSMISSIONS/DRIVETRAIN AS LONG AS THE "LOWER QUALITY" AMERICAN AND ASIAN VEHICLE MAKERS DO. BUT IF THE TRANNY ROUTINELY QUITS AROUND THE 60-80K MILE MARK, I GUESS IT'S A SMART BUSINESS DECISION FOR BMW! *TR