1999 BMW 323I

I BELIEVE THAT CARMAX SOLD ME A LEMON. IT IS A 1999 BMW 323CI, WAS PURCHASED USED AT THE INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD STORE ON NOV 28, 2003, WITH 57,097 MILES. THE PURCHASE PRICE WAS $21,420 INCLUDING A $1,699 EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 3YRS/36000. AUTOMOBILE WARRANTY AGREEMENT NUMBER: 7106508410. *AK SINCE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, THERE HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVE AND EXPENSIVE DEFECTS, INCLUDING SAFETY ITEMS. THE CAR HAS BROKEN DOWN, FAILED TO START, REQUIRED TOWING, AND THE CONTROL PANEL FLASHES SPURIOUS WARNINGS. DESPITE THE WARRANTY, AND DESPITE MY REQUESTS TO CARMAX, CRITICAL REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN PERFORMED. SAFETY DEFECTS STILL OCCUR AND ARE NOT BEING REPAIRED BY CARMAX (I.E. CURRENT CONTROL PANEL WARNING FOR LIGHTS). MAJOR MECHANICAL ITEMS ARE NOT BEING PERFORMED UNDER WARRANTY (E.G. TRANSMISSION). THIS HAS ALL OCCURRED IN LESS THAN A YEAR, AND WITH LESS THAN 5,000 MILES OF MY DRIVING. SUMMARY OF REPAIRS SINCE PURCHASE: 12/17/0357,561MI.AIR BAG LIGHT FAULT, SEAT BELT, ELECTRICAL & CONTROL PANEL 12/23/0457,694REAR DEFROSTER, ELECTRICAL, WINDOW REPLACED, WORN BRAKES 06/04/0459,565HORN REPLACED, FUSES & ELECTRICAL 9/10/0461,230CLUTCH REPLACED, WARNING LIGHTS, CONTROL PANEL FAILURE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON (HAS NOT BEEN FIXED) THE CAR IS CURRENTLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE...REFERENCE THE CONTROL PANEL WARNING INDICATOR THAT CARMAX CANNOT ANALYZE NOR REPAIR. THE HISTORY OF SAFETY PROBLEMS INCLUDE FUSES, AIR BAG, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND HORN. SUMMARY: I WAS SOLD A "LEMON" AND HAVE AN UNSAFE AUTOMOBILE. I REQUIRE A SAFE CAR TO DRIVE, AND I WANT TO STOP PAYING FOR REPEATED DEFECTS AND BREAKDOWNS. RECOMMEMDED SOLUTION: I SUGGEST THAT EITHER: (A) THE CAR BE RETURNED FOR A FULL REFUND, INCLUDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF ALL DEFECTS, OR; (B) I BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL DEFECTS AND THAT THE TERMS OF THE 30 DAY WARRANTY BE EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 29, 2006.

TRANSMISSION LOCKED TO "LIMP HOME" MODE. CAN BE RESET BY TURN OFF AND ON THE IGNITION, BUT IT WONT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND WILL OCCUR AGAIN. IF YOU RUN AT 75/80 MPH, AND THE "LIMP" MODE IS ON.. THE GEAR WILL BE SHIFT DOWN SUDDENLY AND IT WILL DANGEROUSLY IMPACT THE SPEED OF THE CAR BEHIND ME. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REDUCE THE SPEED BEFORE IT HITS ME. *AK

CRACKED SUB-FRAME AT 104,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY POT HOLES, I DO NOT DRIVE OVER POTHOLES AND TAKE CARE OF MY VEHICLE VERY MUCH SO. I AM NOT WRECKLESS, AND I HAVE EVERY MAINTENANCE RECORD AVAILABLE AS WELL AS OTHER WARRANTIES. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH AT 75,000 MILES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND LIGHT INDICATORS TURNING ON FOR NO REASON, AIRBAG LIGHTS LIGHT UP AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR, ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, AND FINALLY A CRACKED SUB FRAME. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT COST AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT. *AK

ALL DOOR WINDOWS MAKE A RATTLEING SOUND SINCE AROUND 10,000 MILES.THEY HAVE CHANGED THE MOTORS BUT THOSE ALSO WORK FOR 2-4 MONTHS AND THE SAME SOUND COMES BACK .THE MOTORS ARE OVER PRESSURISED AND IF I LET IT DOWN VERY VERY SLIGHYLY, THE SOUND CUTS DOWN TO ALMOST 75%.THE LINING IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AS IT NEEDS CONSTANT SPECIAL GERMAN LUBRICATION,WHICH WORKS ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND THAT MAKES THE DOORS GLASS QUITE. IT"S VERY ANNOUYING.BMW HAS STILL NOT COME UP WITH A PERMANANT FIX FOR THIS. LAST WEEK I TEST DROVE 4 OF THE X3 2.5 AS WELL AS THE 3.0 AND 3 OF THE 4 ALREADY ARE MAKING THIS NOISE WITH THE CARS HAVING FROM 80 TO 200 MILES ON THEM.I HAD THEIR MECHANIC AND THE SALES PEOPLE DRIVE THESE CAR WITH ME AND THEY ALSO AKNOWLEDGE THE NOISE ALONG WITH THE MOON ROOF DEFECTIVE SOUND FOR WHICH I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE AN OPEN CAMPAINE.*AK

MY 323'S DOOR LOCKS ARE EXPERIENCING OCCASIONAL LOCKING PROBLEMS. THE KEY WILL NOT REMOTELY OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS. I CAN INSERT THE KEY INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR ONLY. PUSHING THE DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE THE CAR DOES NOTHING (BUT YOU CAN HEAR A CLICKING SOUND). THE PASSENGER DOORS WOULD OPEN ONLY BY PULLING ON THE INTERIOR LEVERS TWICE. BUT SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T WORK WHICH CAN BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. I CAN STILL OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE KEY REMOTE AND LOCK ALL THE DOORS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I'VE NOTICED THE PROBLEM HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY DURING WARMER DAYS. I'VE CHECKED BULLETINS WITH OTHER BMW OWNERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM BUT WITH NO SOLUTION. I'VE CALLED THE NA BMW SUPPORT NUMBER AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE.*AK

AT 19,100 MILES I BROUGHT IN MY 1999 BMW 323IS FOR SERVICE AND MADE A COMPLAINT THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEY CHECKED IT BUT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROBLEM UNTILL SOMETHING ELSE WOULD HAPPEN. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND AT 37,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION WENT BAD. SEVERAL MECHANICS I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT IF THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING IT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE TRANSMISSION. BMW DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBLITY AND I AM STUCK DRIVING THE CAR WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION. FUTHERMORE, MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION IS A GM TRANSMISSION THAT IS USED IN AN IZUZU. I THOUGHT I HAD BOUGHT A BMW WITH BMW PARTS. THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION AND BMW HAS YET TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.*AK

ON MAY 20, 2004, I WENT OUT TO MY 1999 323I BMW, PARKED INSIDE A GARAGE, WHERE IT IS PARKED EVERY NIGHT AND MOST DAYS, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS STUCK IN SUCH A WAY THAT NO ONE IS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF I WANT TO GET INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE IT, I HAVE TO GET INTO THE BACK SEAT OR IN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, MAKING SURE THAT THE DOOR DOES NOT SWING BACK EVEN A LITTLE; OTHERWISE, THE DOOR LOCKS. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IN AN ACCIDENT. THUS FAR, I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CORRECTED AS THE DEALERSHIP WOULD LIKE ME TO DRIVE THERE AND CANNOT TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM MYSELF OR SEND ME ANYWHERE NEARBY. THE DEALERSHIP IS 30 MILES ONE-WAY AND I DON'T HAVE THE GASOLINE OR THE TIME. ANOTHER PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THE CAR IS THAT IT WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT MY DOING ANYTHING, AND I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, USUALLY HAVING TO APPLY THE BRAKE FULL-FORCE. THIS IS INTERMITTENT, SO I HAVEN'T ALERTED THE DEALERSHIP. *AK