2.2
hardly worth mentioning- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 70,835 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.
Engine vapor separator, hoses, dipstick, and vanos line replacement. This part separates the water vapor from the oil to remove condensation so it doesn't circulate inside the engine. The car was unsafe to drive with a faulty vapor separator and can cause engine vapor lock if it fails. The repair was about $1,400.
- Des Plaines, IL, USA
The oil filter housing gasket fails on BMW cars. It is a mesh gasket between the engine and the block where the oil enters/exits the filter. The repair is about $600 and fails frequently on these cars. It causes oil to leak onto the block and gives a strong burning oil smell. Oil can accumulate on top of the engine depending on the severity of the leak. Oil blows and covers the oil filter housing and the inside of the hood with a spray of sticky oil.
- Des Plaines, IL, USA
The cooling fan broke loose spontaneously and flew through the air cutting through the hood of the car and ripping through the entire engine compartment. Moments prior the hood had been open with people standing around looking at the hoses. Had the fan broke loose at this time, I would have seriously injured or killed people.
- Phoenix , AZ, USA
While travelling on route 50 in Maryland at 55mph engine cut out completely. I lost power steering and brakes. Fortunately, I was able to pull over to side of road, turn off vehicle and restart it. I brought it to the dealership where I purchased it. They cannot diagnose it without at least $1100 worth of work (they think its a transmission problem). After $1100 they state it would be an easy $200 fix or a substantial $6-8000 fix. I will be bringing it to another mechanic for second opinion. I was fortunate I was not in traffic and could pull over safely.
- Washington, DC, USA
While driving my 2003 BMW 325ci the engine will shut off. This causes: 1. power steering stops functioining 2. I am unable to accelerate 3. braking takes excessively long with engine off 4. dashboard lights up.
- Topsfield, MA, USA
Our 2003 BMW 325I has had repeated stalling events occurring at increasing frequency. While idling at stop lights or at highway speed warning lights on the dashboard (eml, hazard and brake) light and the engine loses power, and RPM's drop. After the first occurrence, the BMW was taken to advantage midtown BMW in houston, tx for diagnosis/repair. BMW replaced the throttle controller which they said was defective. 1-2 months later the problem began occurring again with increasing frequency. The car stalled at a traffic light with the same warning lights/symptoms. The car was returned to advantage BMW and left for several days. Initially the service staff at advantage BMW told us that the computer had failed and needed to be replaced and was under warranty. However, after discussions with the BMW corporate office, advantage BMW did not replace the computer instead stating the that the problem may be due to low voltage in the system. I asked them what would cause this since I did not want to drive the car when it intermittently could stall. Advantage kept the car a few more days and then returned it to us with the explanation that the low voltage was due to insufficient charge on the battery. I was advised to purchase a float charger. Since then the car has been kept fully charged via a ctek float charger. However last weekend the engine stalled repeatedly while my family and I were driving on interstate 10 at freeway speeds. This forced me to pull to the shoulder of the highway and drive with reduced power. After stopping the car and restarting, the engine reset and functioned again for a while. Since this time the problem has repeated itself 5 times in 1 week. I feel that BMW returning the car to me in the condition where intermittent stalling is occurring is unsafe - I stated this to advantage BMW when I had it in for service during the second instance of these problems. I have service scheduled again at advantage BMW for August 14, 2010.
- Houston, TX, USA
While driving 60 mph vehicle stalled. Dealership could not duplicate the problem.
- Boca Raton, FL, USA
When pulling out the dip stick after vehicle was sitting for a while consumer was unable to read the dip stick. Oil spread in various places on the dip stick. Dealer was contacted.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Bradford, MA, USA