2000 BMW 3 Series

I WAS PREPARING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE ACTED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN "NEUTRAL" AND DID NOT MAKE ANY NOISE OR MOTION. THE REVERSE NEVER SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF TROUBLE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ON A LIMITED BASIS OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE CAR WHILE ACCELERATING BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 25 MPH AND 30 MPH DRIVING FORWARD. IT WAS SUBTLE AND ACTUALLY BEGAN TO GO AWAY. I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY UNUSUAL STRESS, NOISE, OR DIFFICULTIES WHILE GOING INTO REVERSE PRIOR TO FINDING IT COMPLETELY GONE TODAY. I FEEL EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THIS OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DID NOT INVOLVE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I FEAR THAT IT COULD HAVE PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN GREAT BODILY HARM, HAD I NOT BEEN SO LUCKY. I FEAR FOR WHAT THIS MAY COST TO REPAIR OR EVEN EVALUATE, SINCE MANY ONLINE HAVE EXPRESSED A SIMILAR SITUATION RESULTING IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF REPAIRS. *JB

THE LEFT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT TORN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE UNIBODY/FRAME MOUNTING LOCATION. THE REAR BODY METAL FATIGUE WAS CAUSED FROM LOADING AND UNLOADING OF THE DRIVE TRAIN DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY BMW. A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT REQUIRED BMW TO FIX THE PROBLEM FROM 2009 TO 2010, BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR THE METAL FATIGUE SHOWED UP AFTER THE 2010 DEADLINE FOR REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE REAR AXLE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A VEHICLE RECALL AND ALL BMW E46 3 SERIES SHOULD HAVE THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINTS REPAIRED AND REINFORCED BY BMW AT NO COST. *TR

GREAT CAR UNTIL PARKED AT GROCERY STORE AND CAR WOULD NOT BACK UP WHEN PUT IN REVERSE. ONLY 75000 MILES. BMW DEALER WANTED $6000 TO REPLACE WITH FACTORY REBUILT TRANSMISSION. CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN REPAIR. OFFERED TO CONTACT DEALER AND ASK FOR 10% REDUCTION. NEVER HEARD BACK. LAST BMW FOR ME. VERY FREQUENT FAILURE PER THE INTERNET AND THIS SITE. *TR

ON FEBRUARY 6, 2012 EXITING THE FREEWAY AN ABOUT A MILE OR SO AFTER, I HEARD THIS BIG CLUNK THAT CAME FROM THE REAR, STOPPED AND PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT THAT WAS. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE REAR AXEL WAS HANGING AND SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY FOR INSPECTION AND CALLED BMWNA TO FILE THE CLAIM. THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND OFFERED 50% OF THE COST. MY CAR HAS 160K MILES AND IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BESIDES THIS FAULTY ENGINEERED BY BMW AND THEY WILL NOT PAY. LUCKILY I AM STILL ALIVE. HOW ABOUT IF I WAS STILL ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING AND THIS THING HAPPENED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT? THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS! SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I AM STILL DEALING WITH BMWNA TO COVER FOR THE REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT THIS INCIDENT CREATED. IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND NOW THEY DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

THE CAR TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. THE ISSUE HAPPENS SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING, AND ACTS EXACTLY AS IF YOU WERE IN NEUTRAL GEAR. THERE IS A DEDICATED SITE CALLED HTTP://WWW.NOREVERSE.ORG THAT DOCUMENTS THOUSANDS OF CASES FROM BMW OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NORTH AMERICA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ITS TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES 1999-2003 HAVE THIS ISSUE, BUT FAILS TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE ON THIS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. IN NOVEMBER, I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY NORMALLY TO DRIVE TO WORK. WHEN I ARRIVE AT WORK AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE INTO THE SPACE, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACT THIS WAY. ALL OTHER GEARS WORK NORMAL (MEANING IT DRIVES FINE FORWARD), IT IS JUST THAT YOU CANNOT ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR

THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED GOING INTO REVERSE. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO GET OUR OF THE PARKING SPOT AND WENT STRAIGHT HOME. THE NEXT MORNING, THE REVERSE GEAR DECIDED TO WORK SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT FOR TEST DRIVE AGAIN AND IT FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE AGAIN. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BMW OWNERS THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REVERSE GEAR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FROM BMW TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR