10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 4 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 86,167 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
I have a 2000 BMW 323I automatic. The reverse gear just stopped working. This seems to be a common complaint seen on many places by many people on the internet. Check www.noreverse.org I had gone to work and when I reached there, I had to reverse the car into the parking at this is when I found out that my reverse no longer works. NHTSA: Please ask BMW to do a recall as this is affecting hundreds of consumers who purchased BMW between 1999 and 2002. BMW knew about these issue and chose to continue selling these vehicles without correcting the known issue. This is a serious flaw and an unethical conduct by BMW na.
- Bradford, MA, USA
I have a BMW 323 ci and I was making a run to the store and I come back out and try to reverse and my car didn't move anywhere but the RPM's were going, so I lost my reverse gear.
- Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Car was in perfect condition, taken care of as needed. Always oil changes etc. Got off of work one day, car does not go into reverse. Will go forwards, not in reverse. The only way to fix it is to get a new transmission, a $6000 fix. Found a website with over 100 similar incidents.
- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
My 2000 323ci transmission no longer works in reverse. After searching the internet I realized this is a very common. My car only has 80K miles and has always been maintained. I'll be speaking to a lawyer next week after I compile as much information as possible. Will this transmission ever receive a recall?
- Groton, CT, USA
My 2000 BMW 323I had been working fine. One morning I went to back out of my driveway and it would not go into reverse. There was no warning that it was about to fail. I did some research and found that this problem is common on this year, model and make of car, due to the D-G ring in the transmission.
- Phoenix, AZ, USA
The car worked just fine, went to put it in reverse and nothing. The car has only 70K miles on it and I have found thousands of people having the same problem. It seems to be a problem with 99-01 BMW I have included some links for you to check. www.noreverse.org/complaints.html#scott this is a wide spread problem!
- Draper, UT, USA
I've owned my 2000 BMW 323I for over 5 years now (bought it used) and it's been a superb car. I maintained it perfectly with oil changes on time, and it was in pristine condition. Despite my attention to detail, a few days ago, the reverse simply stopped working. We took it to shop and they said it was internal transmission and it happened a lot with bmws between 1999 and 2001, and BMW didn't admit there was a problem. I now have to pay a lot of money to get this fixed and am very upset with BMW right now. I visited several sites where people all over the world have had the same problem as I, and BMW doesn't admit the problem. I'm writing this so that BMW can persuade me to buy another BMW in the future as I definitely will not ever buy another one after this incident. I"M very let down with BMW and it's ultimate driving machine.
- Bothell, WA, USA
I have a 2000 BMW 323I. This is my family's only source of transportation. A few days ago- it quit going in reverse. I took it to the dealership. They wanted just under $6,000 usd to replace it. The car is only work about $9,000. The tech said that this is a very common problem with this car with this transmission. After doing some research- I found out I wasn't alone. This is the number one issue among many. I normally don't complain- but I have a family of 4, a wife, 7 year old son, and a 8 month old daughter- and can not afford to basically pay what would be almost what the car is worth (I could buy another car for $6000). The car drives perfect. It just will not go into reverse. I have to push it in reverse-which I can do- however my wife with an eight month old can not. I would like the NHTSA to do something about this please. We have no money to fix this. The is an obvious problem that many have.
- Pensacola, FL, USA
Failure of the vehicle to work in reverse gear.
- Bristow, VA, USA
I parked to go inside of a BMW service center to buy a window regulator. When I came back out to leave I put my car in reverse and the car would not back up. I pushed my so called luxury car out of my parking space and drove home. I still have no reverse gear, guess I should start looking for a new transmission like the other hundreds of upset BMW customers with this problem.
- Tempe, AZ, USA
I've experience the common no reverse in my 323 BMW. The car has been running great and after a weekend away I go to drive my car and it won't reverse. It acts like it is in neutral and coasts. I have only driven my car once since then and it failed the 4 times I tried to reverse. I have contacted my local BMW repair shop and they have informed me that I need to replace the entire transmission. After some researching I have discovered that non BMW repair shops have been able to repair the reverse drum for $4,000 less. This apparently is common defect that needs to be recalled and taken care of by BMW. Or they should at least be able to repair the reverse drum and not make people purchase a new transmission so they make more money. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there paying for $5,000+ to get a new transmission when there are other options available that BMW is not making an option through their dealerships or repair shops.
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
As has been the case with many other owners, my reverse gear is essentially gone. My car will roll if I have a slight grade, but there is no power in reverse. Depressing the accelerator does nothing but rev the engine when in reverse. All forward gears in transmission work smoothly and flawlessly.
- West Jordan, UT, USA
No reverse gear. No warning.
- San Clemente, CA, USA
2000, BMW without warning showed sign of the dreaded no reverse transmission problem documented on several website. For example noreverse.org.
- Miami, FL, USA
Very well maintained 2000 BMW 323I. Suddenly out of the blue "no reverse".
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
I have a 2000 BMW 323I. On about August 29, 2007, I was trying to back out of a parking spot, but I could not. The reverse gear in my car was not working. I took it to an independent mechanic and had to replace transmission with a used unit, costing me $2595. I understand this is a very common problem for BMW 323I.
- Tucson, AZ, USA
Reverse went out on car @ 104,000 miles. Told by repair shop that the car would need a $5,000+ replacement transmission. Unacceptable. I eagerly await the pending class-action lawsuit!
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
Without warning, reverse gear stopped working, acts as if in neutral. All other gears working well. Intend to repair and save receipts and old parts.
- San Diego, CA, USA
Transmission reverse no longer operational on 2000 323I BMW sedan. Reverse acts as if in neutral. Repair required: Replace drum in transmission. Cost over $1,900.
- San Diego, CA, USA
- Port Richey, FL, USA