2001 BMW 325IT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

BMW CONTACTED ME IN SEPTEMBER ANNOUNCING A SAFETY RECALL OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE, INDICATING THEY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AND BMW WOULD CONTACT ME TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE FOR THE RECALL. OVER SIX MONTHS HAVE PASSED WITH NO ACTION BY BMW TO CORRECT THIS URGENT SAFETY DEFECT. THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. BMW NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. *TR

BOTH REAR SPRINGS FAILED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, AT LESS THAN 50,000 MILES WITH NO EXCESSIVE DRIVING. MY MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS ENDEMIC TO THE E46 BMW 3 SERIES. SHOULD THE REAR SUSPENSION HAVE BECOME UNLOADED ON A BUMP, ETC. A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED. IF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SPRINGS IS COMMON, IT COULD REPRESENT A DESIGN DEFECT. *JB

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I COULD FEEL THE FRONT END BECOME UNSTABLE AND VIBRATE ESPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR CHANGING FROM ASPHALT TO CONCRETE.MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THE LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND HE CALLED BMW FOR INFORMATION AND THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM. HE RECOMMENDED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND WE PUT LESS THAN 8,000 MILES/YEAR ON IT. HE SAID THIS FAILURE SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED THIS EARLY. BEFORE GOING TO THE DEALER, I CHECKED THE INTERNET (YAHOO USING THE SEARCH TERMS: BMW "CONTROL ARM" REPAIR). I FOUND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESULTS, MANY OF THEM FORUM POSTINGS FROM OTHER 3 SERIES OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AT 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES. MOST OF THE POSTS ARE ON SITES LIKE BIMMERFORUM, BIMMERFEST, E46FANATICS, ETC. MY LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER AGREES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT THINKS I SHOULD PAY THE $1350 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS (THEY TELL ME THE OTHER IS CLOSE TO FAILURE). SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SO MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM AT 35,000 MILES OR LESS I AM COMPLETING THIS COMPLAINT FORM. I FEEL BMW SHOULD RECALL THESE AUTOS AND REPAIR THE CONTROL ARMS. *JB

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I COULD FEEL THE FRONT END BECOME UNSTABLE AND VIBRATE ESPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR CHANGING FROM ASPHALT TO CONCRETE.MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THE LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND HE CALLED BMW FOR INFORMATION AND THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM. HE RECOMMENDED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND WE PUT LESS THAN 8,000 MILES/YEAR ON IT. HE SAID THIS FAILURE SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED THIS EARLY. BEFORE GOING TO THE DEALER, I CHECKED THE INTERNET (YAHOO USING THE SEARCH TERMS: BMW "CONTROL ARM" REPAIR). I FOUND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESULTS, MANY OF THEM FORUM POSTINGS FROM OTHER 3 SERIES OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AT 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES. MOST OF THE POSTS ARE ON SITES LIKE BIMMERFORUM, BIMMERFEST, E46FANATICS, ETC. MY LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER AGREES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT THINKS I SHOULD PAY THE $1350 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS (THEY TELL ME THE OTHER IS CLOSE TO FAILURE). SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SO MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM AT 35,000 MILES OR LESS I AM COMPLETING THIS COMPLAINT FORM. I FEEL BMW SHOULD RECALL THESE AUTOS AND REPAIR THE CONTROL ARMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A LEAK WAS OBSERVED IN THE GAS TANK. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER EIGHT MORE TIMES. THE DEALER AGREED TO CONTINUE REPAIRING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT RELATES TO THE GAS TANK. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS DONE. EACH TIME THE TEST INDICATED A SMALL LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING MADE NOISE. *NM