NHTSA Complaint #10222393 — 2000 BMW 328I

NO REVERSE IN MY BMW!!!! I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF A 2000 BMW 328I. WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, THE PREVIOUS OWNER SUPPLIED ME WITH ALL BMW DEALER MAINTENANCE/SERVICE RECORDS. AS THE 2ND OWNER, I NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR REPAIRS. ONLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. MY CAR LOOKS AND RAN IMMACULATELY UNTIL, OUT OF THE BLUE, MY CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO REVERSE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A DEPARTMENT STORE. AFTER SHOPPING, I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE...MY CAR WOULD MOVE INTO DRIVE JUST FINE BUT NO REVERSE. THERE WEREN'T ANY NOISES OR ANY WARNINGS THAT I HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PEAKE BMW OF KENNER, LA WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $5,854.90. BEFORE PUTTING MY CAR IN THE REPAIR SHOP, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE BMW 3 SERIES YEARS 1999-2001. I ALSO LEARNED THAT DESPITE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS, BMW REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS AND WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. I'M TRULY APPALLED AT BMW'S LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE FAULTY GM 5L40E TRANSMISSION AS IT HAS FAILED IN OTHER MAKES OF CARS AS WELL LIKE CADILLAC. RIGHT NOW, I'M TRYING TO DECIDE IF I SHOULD ALLOW THE BMW DEALER TO REPAIR MY CAR OR TRY TO FIND AN AUTHORIZED BMW REPAIR SHOP THAT'LL HOPEFULLY SAVE ME A LITTLE MONEY. *TR