2000 BMW 328I Structureframe And Members Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHCILE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE SUSPENSION STARTED TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CRACKED. THE DEALER WAS THEN NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

BMW SERIES 3 SUBFRAME CRACKING. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT -- I HAD NO DAMAGE DURING THE TIME PERIOD ALLOWED. THE DAMAGE IS JUST BEGINNING, AND IT IS STILL A SAFETY ISSUE. BMW SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR ! THERE IS STILL LOW MILEAGE ON THE CAR -- BUT IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE REPAIR (SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS), THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

2000 BMW 328I SUBSTANTIAL SUBFRAME CRACKING AT REAR DIFFERENTIAL AREA. *KB

MY 2000 BMW 328I BRACKET WHICH CONNECTS THE BELT THAT HOLDS THE MY GAS TANK BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING AROUND A RESIDENTIAL STREET. I HEARD A NOISE AND STOP. THE BRACKET CONNECTED TO THE RIGHT INSIDE SHEET METAL WAS MISSING. THE BELT WAS DRAGGING AND MY TANK DROP A FEW INCHES. BMW WHICH NO LONGER MAKES THE PART QUOTED ME $1.800 AND SAID THEY HAVE HAD 3 SIMILAR INSTANCES. THE REPAIR REQUIRES WIELDING; REMOVAL OF GAS TANK; BACK SEAT AND RUG. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE HAS ENCOURAGE ME TO WRITE THIS LETTER. HE FEELS THIS IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURE. *TR

REAR SUB FRAME MOUNTING POINTS ARE TEARING THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND A RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT STRUCTURAL SUPPORT. *TR

COMMON FAILURE ON 2000 BMW 3 SERIES CARS: THE REAR SUBFRAME TEARS AWAY FROM UNIBODY. I JUST RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE DEALER THAT MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED BY BMW AS A DEFECT IN THE MATERIALS BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY COVERED BY BMW. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION AND WILL REQUIRE UPWARDS OF $5000 IN REPAIR. *TR

I HAD BEEN HEARING A NOISE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE CLUTCH, I TOOK THE CAR INTO A BMW-APPROVED BODY SHOP AND THEY POINTED OUT THE FLAW IN THE SUBFRAME AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND HOW THE METAL HAD TORN DUE TO STRESS. *JB

IN MAY '06 I PURCHASED MY (E46) 2000 BMW 328I. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER (I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE) 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 3/13/2007 (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...

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...

AT ABOUT 112K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAD MULTIPLE STRESS FRACTURES AND SEPARATIONS AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT WAS WELDED TO THE UNIBODY. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS AT NORMAL INTERVALS. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY 90% OF THE TIME AND THE REST IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS. IT IS A FAMILY CAR AND HAS HAD NO MODIFICATIONS PERIOD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH A BMW NA CPO WARRANTY THAT HAS SINCE EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO COVER ANY REPAIR COSTS ( ESTIMATED AT >3000 DOLLARS) BMW NA HAS IGNORED REPEATED REQUESTS FROM OWNERS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. IN FACT, BMW GERMANY HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND COVERS THE COST OF REPAIRS, THEY EVEN HAVE A METHOD OF REPAIR. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A VIBRATION WAS HEARD AND FELT WHILE DRIVING ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BUT CONTINUED TO HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 10MPH. THE NOISE WAS CONTINUOUS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THE SAME SOLUTION AS THE DEALER.

REAR SUBFRAME DAMAGE (2000 328I, 80,000 MILES). *NM

REAR SUBFRAME DAMAGE WHERE REAR SUSPENSION CONNECTS. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN MISTREATED OR RUN ON ANYTHING BUT STREET ROADS. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RACED, PRIMARILY A FAMILY VEHICLE. *NM

THE EXACT DATE UNKNOWN. IT WAS DURING HEAVY RAINS IN SAN DIEGO. INSURANCE CO. SAID I NEED A DATE. WE PUT DOWN NOV 02 2005. DURING HEAVY RAIN SAN DIEGO DEVELOPS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF POT HOLES. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN THE RAIN, THE CAR RAN INTO A LARGE POT HOLE. THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED ACCORDING TO THE MAN THAT INSTALLED NEW TIRES ON THE CAR. AT LATER WEEKS THE CAR WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISES, I THOUGHT IT WAS REAR SHOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. MY SON TOOK THE CAR TO BMW REPAIR SHOP. AFTER THE INSPECTION MY SON WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NOT SHOCK BUT THAT THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE WELDED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES BODY SHOP AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER EXAMINED THE CAR AND SAID THAT HE CONTACTED BMW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS METAL FATIGUE THAT CAUSED...

MY 2000 BMW 328I IS ALL STOCK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A HIGH-END AFTERMARKET INTAKE... IT IS ONE OF MANY E46 BMW'S TO HAVE THE DREADED "BODY FAILURE AT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINT". LET ME BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE ISSUE AT HAND: "...THE REAR MOUNTING POINTS FOR THE SUBFRAME CAN RIP OUT FROM THEIR SPOTS IN THE SHEET METAL. ...THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMITS THE TORSIONAL LOAD FROM THE ENGINE THROUGH THE SUBFRAME, THEN INTO THE CHASSIS. THIS CONSTANT LOADING AND UNLOADING WEAKENS THE SHEET METAL AND CAUSES IT TO FATIGUE AND SEPARATE FROM THE CHASSIS. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE SEEN MANY FAILURES OF THE CHASSIS ON LOW MILEAGE STREET CARS.." THAT IS A QUOTE FROM THE RESPECTED BMW SPECIALISTS AT TURNER MOTORSPORT (WWW.TURNERMOTORSPORT.COM). THAT IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I'VE HAD. BMWAG (GERMANY) RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE AND HAS ADDRESSED IT... BMWNA (NORTH AMERICA) HAS BLOWN A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF US...

A KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM REAR AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME CRACKED,AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK