2000 BMW 3 Series Body & Structure Problems

I TOOK MY YEAR 2000, BMW 328CI IN TO REPLACE A REAR DIFFERENTIAL BUSHING. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED FRAME DAMAGE WHERE THE DRIVER-SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BUSHING ATTACHES TO THE CAR BODY/FRAME. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I CALL MY INSURANCE AGENT TO SEE IF THIS WAS COVERED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR WHO INFORMED ME OVER THE PHONE & EMAIL (INCLUDING PHOTO ATTACHMENTS) THAT THE DAMAGE COULD NOT BE CAUSED BY ANY COLLISION AND WAS NOT COVERED BY MY INSURANCE POLICY. THE AGENT STATED THAT THIS WAS A BMW ISSUE. HE ALSO SENT A LINK OF A VIDEO OF ANOTHER BMW 3 SERIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM SHOWING METAL FATIGUE HTTP://VIDEO.GOOGLE.COM/VIDEOPLAY?DOCID=8362789948066992482# . I SENT PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN BMW REPAIR. HE SAID IT WAS NOT SOMETHING SEEN EVERYDAY BUT SOMETHING BMW KNOWS ABOUT BASED ON WHAT HE HAS READ. HE ALSO STATED THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SUGGESTED I CALL THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND ASK ABOUT ANY RECALLS. I CALLED THE BMW DEALER WHO ASKED FOR MY VIN # AND THEN SAID THERE WERE "NO OPEN CAMPAIGNS AT THIS TIME". I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/25/2011. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS AROUND $5000, WHICH IS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. *TT

THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT MY SUBFRAME HAS STARTED TO FAIL. TODAY I HAD MY BMW IN FOR A NORMAL BRAKE SERVICE AT MY REPAIR FACILITY. THEY NOTICED MY SUBFRAME IS STARTING TO CRACK ALONG THE MOUNTING POINTS. THIS IS USUALLY NOT FOUND IN AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BMW ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CAR IS A NON M3, IT'S JUST A 328CI COUPE. *KB

2000 BMW 323CI REAR FLOOR PAN TEARING. ALL FOUR OF THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINTS HAVE BECOME TORN. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 323CI BMW MY PROBLEM IS THE WELD FROM THE STRAPS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK DETACHED FROM THE METAL THERE SEEM TO BE E DEFECT ON THE WELD AND THE GAS TANK DROPPED TO THE FLOOR!! PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT IT!! I DRILLED SOME HOLES AND ATTACHED A METAL PLATE THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THE BODY(METAL TO WEAK) THEN I USED BOLTS AND PRESSURE WASHERS TO REATTACH IT! *TR

WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AT BMW DEALERSHIP AND THEY THEN INFORMED ME OF THE SUBFRAME TEARING AWAY. NO WAY THE SHOULD HAPPEN SO MANY TIMES TO ANY VEHICLE. DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BY BMWNA. *TR

I DROVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO CALIFORNIA PRIOR TO PCSING OVERSEAS. HALFWAY I NOTICED A CREAKING SOUND. UPON ARRIVAL TO CALIFORNIA I TOOK IT TO A SHOP ONLY TO FIND OUT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS TEARING FROM ITS MOUNTS. INSURANCE CLAIMS IT AS A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE AND REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE TEARING OF THE SUBFRAME DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE. I TOOK IT TO A BMW DEALER WHERE THEY ARE NOW RIPPING APART THE REAREND TO ONLY SPOT WELD THE REPAIR I DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE IS A PROPER REPAIR. NOW WITH INSURANCE REFUSING TO COVER IT I'M STUCK WITH AN 8,000 DOLLAR REPAIR THAT SHOULD NOT EVEN EXIST. *TR

I OWN A 2000 BMW 323CI WITH JUST OVER 80K ON IT AND MY REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS HAVE RIPPED THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR AND THE WHOLE REAR OF THE CAR IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. AFTER SOME SEARCHING I FOUND AROUND 200 FELLOW 3 SERIES OWNERS WHO ARE IN THE SAME BOAT ALMOST ALL OF WHICH ARE 99 AND 2000 MODELS. BMWNA INSIST THIS IS NOT A DEFECT BUT DO TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING OR SUSPENION MODES NONE OF WHICH APPLY TO ME OR THE MANY OTHERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE ESTIMATED 3 TO 7 THOUSAND DOLLAR REPAIR BILL IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED MAINLY FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD ENDANGERING THEMSELVES AND EVERYONE ELSE AND THE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CLUE BECAUSE THE ONLY SYMPTOM IS S SLIGHT RATTLE ONE WHICH THE AVERAGE DRIVER WOULDN'T EVEN NOTICE. *TR

THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK. AFTER TAKING THE WHEEL OFF TO INVESTIGATE I SAW WHERE THE REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTS TO THE FRAME IT HAD PULLED THROUGH. I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS AND WILL E CONTACTING BMW ABOUT THIS SHORTLY. AN INTERNET SEARCH WILL FIND THAT THIS IS NOT A RARE OCCURRENCE AND I BELIEVE BMW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. *JB

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE CAR USED. THEN TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC FOR THOROUGH INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TUNE UP. FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS AND STRUTS ALONG WITH SPRINGS REPLACED WITH OEM PARTS. HE AND I LOCATED THE SUBFRAME ON THE REAR DRIVER WAS TORN. CAR IS MECHANICALLY SOUND AND THE ONLY ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT WHEN DRIVING, I CAN HEAR THE METAL ON METAL CLUNKING NOISE. AFRAID THAT IF IT DOES NOT GET REPAIRED, IT WILL LEAD TO MORE STRUCTURE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. I'M SCARE TO DRIVE THE CAR FEARING THAT AN ACCIDENT IS WAITING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE HELP WITH INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE DEFECT ON BMW 3 SERIES. I KNOW THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED WITH WASSERMAN, COMDEN & CASSELMAN, L.L.P REGARDING MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT THAT SEVERELY COMPROMISES THE SAFETY, DURABILITY, AND PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. WHICH ALLEGES THAT THE MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT INCLUDES A WEAK OR INSUFFICIENT FLOOR PANEL IN THE UNIBODY OF THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, CRACKING IN THE FLOOR PAN AND MISALIGNMENT, CRACKING OR THE COMPLETE OR PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE REAR SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

REAR SUBFRAME OF CAR TEARING OUT OF BODY. *NM

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR NORMALLY AND STARTED TO REALIZE A SQUEAKING NOISE. SOON THE NOISE GOT REALLY LOUD AND CONSTANT SO I JACK UP THE CAR AND REALIZED MY REAR SUBFRAME WAS DETACHING FROM THE BODY. BMW SAYS THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *NM

TORN SUBFRAME WHERE REAR END IS SECURE TO CHASSIS SUBFRAME. *NM

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MID APRIL, 2006. A MONTH AFTER MY PURCHASE I BEGAN TO NOTICE CREAKING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION, PRIMARILY IN 1ST GEAR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE REAR SUBFRAME TO BE TEARING FROM THE UNIBODY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. TOO MANY PEOPLE IGNORE TELL TALE SIGNS COMING FROM THEIR VEHICLES, IF BMW IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE REPAIR, THE LEAST THEY COULD DO IS SEND A NOTICE TO RECOMMEND AN INSPECTION TO ANY 3-SERIES OWNER. REPAIRING THIS COSTS MONEY, NOT LIFE AND LIMB. PLEASE BMW AND THE NHTSA, LETS KEEP IT THAT WAY. *NM

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS COMPLETELY TORN AWAY FROM THE SUB-FRAME CAUSED EITHER BY WEAK SHEET METAL USED OR POOR DESIGN. AS A RESULT COUNTLESS OTHER BMW E46 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME. SHOULD THIS ACTUALLY TEAR COMPLETELY OFF THE VEHICLE, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND A POSSIBLE FATALITY. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURE OF MY VEHICLE AT HTTP://JAYHOWELL.SERVEBEER.COM/IMAGES/BMW/SUBFRAME/SUBFRAMEDAMAGE.JPG. *JB

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING STRANGE NOISES FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THIS WAS THE SUBFRAME OF THE CAR TEARING AWAY FROM THE UNIBODY. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE IN THE E46 AND E36 BMW MODEL VEHICLES AND HAS SEEN IT BEFORE. WENT ONLINE TO SEVERAL RESOURCES AND CONFIRMED THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR SUBFRAME TEARING, CRACKING, OR COMPLETE TORN AWAY. *JB

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THERE ARE OVER FORTY (40) COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BMW 3-SERIES REAR SUBFRAMES? THEY ARE SCATTERED AMONG THE VARIOUS 3-SERIES MODEL NUMBERS (I.E. 3-SERIES, 323, 323CI, 328, 328CI.325, 325CI, ETC.) THIS IS ALL BASICALLY THE SAME CAR. A TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THE REAR AXLE CARRIER OF THESE MODELS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN INHERENT DEFECT. THAT IS, ONE OF THE MOUNTING POINTS IS TOO WEAK TO ABSORB THE NORMAL, EVERYDAY VIBRATION FROM THE TORQUE OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AS A RESULT, THEY MANUFACTURED A REPLACEMENT PART THAT IS NOW STRONGER AND REINFORCED. THE FACT THAT THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH ANY TYPE OF FREQUENCY ON ANY OTHER BMW CAR, EXCEPT FOR THE 3-SERIES THAT WAS INTRODUCED IN 1999, IS ENOUGH TO FORCE BMW TO ISSUE A RECALL. IN ADDITION, THE FACT THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS REINFORCED IS THE EQUIVALENT OF BMW "ADMITTING" THAT THE ORIGINAL REAR AXLE CARRIER HAD A DESIGN DEFECT. BMW HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS GLARING DEFECT IN THE CAR'S STRUCTURE DESPITE THIS DEFECTS NEVER HAVING OCCURRED IN ANY OTHER BMW -- OR ANY OTHER CAR FOR THAT MATTER HOWEVER, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BMW ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN EUROPE. PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES HERE IN THE U.S. HAVE NOT FORCED BMW TO ISSUE A RECALL. HOW CAN BMW JUSTIFY NOT HAVING A RECALL IN THE U.S. WHEN THEY'VE ISSUED A RECALL IN EUROPE FOR THE EXACT SAME THING? PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING OR IF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS MY ONLY RESORT. IN ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS LISTED BELOW, THE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT BMW PAID FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR. YET IN ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS, BMW MANAGED TO AVOID HAVING TO PAY ANYTHING, EVEN FOR CARS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. HOW IS IT THAT AMERICAN CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO ISSUE NUMEROUS RECALLS FOR MUNDANE DEFECTS, BUT BMW MANAGES TO SKATE BY WITHOUT HAVING TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT THAT THREATENS THE SAFETY OF CONSUMERS? *NM

NOTICED SQUEAKING SOUNDS FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. TOOK IT TO THE BMW DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEPRATED FROM THE BODY WHERE THE SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE ATTACHED. IF YOU LOOK UNDERNEATH THE CARE YOU SEE A LARGE CRACKED IN THE CHASSIS. THEY QUOTED 4K TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I STARTED LOOKING ON THE WEB FOR THE PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY INCIDENT OF THIS ISSUE. GOT A HOLD OF AN ENGINEER INSIDE BMW AND BASICALLY BMW KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DECIDED NOT TO FIX IT. THIS IS MORE FREQUENTLY OBSERVED IN MORE POWERFULL ENGINE. THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE IS CAUSING THE SHEETMETAL OF THE BODY TO BE STRESSED AND EVENTUALLY CRACK. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTING THE BMW FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEY ARE VERY UNCOOPERATIVE. THIS A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY SHOULD RECALL IT AND FIX IT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE BACK OF THE CAR COULD ESSENTIALLY FALL OFF AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IS BMW WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCIDENT AND DIE BEFORE THEY RECALL THIS? *NM

I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT MY SUBFRAME ON MY 2000 BMW 328CI WAS CRACKING . THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT BMW HAS NOT FIXED PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE PREVIOUS E36 MODEL HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF THIS MALFUNCTION. I WAS BROWSING WEBSITES REGARDING MY DILEMMA AND I FOUND THAT 40+ VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS SUBFRAME ISSUE. THIS IS ONE WEBSITE (MANY MORE) AND HERE IS THE LINK... HTTP://FORUM.E46FANATICS.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=195602&PAGE=21&PP=20&HIGHLIGHT=SUBFRAME THERE ARE NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF OTHER WEBSITES WHERE THIS PROBLEM WILL BE MENTIONED. ALSO, THERE IS A REPAIR KIT THAT WWW.TURNERMOTORSPORTS.COM MAKES FOR THIS CAR BECAUSE IT IS AN OCCURRING PROBLEM. HERE IS THE LINK.... HTTP://WWW.TURNERMOTORSPORT.COM/HTML/DETAIL.ASP?PRODUCT_ID=TDR4675412 BIMMER MAGAZINE ALSO HAS A SECTION INFORMING CONSUMERS ABOUT THE E46 AND THE SUBFRAME PROBLEM. IT IS IN THIS MONTHS ISSUE. BMW SHOULD RECALL THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. MY CAR HAS 60K MILES AND MY WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED. I PAID A LOCAL BODY SHOP TO TEMPORARILY FIX THIS PROBLEM UNTIL BMW COULD REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT BMW SHOULD RESOLVE. IF THIS SUBFRAME CRACKS WHILE DRIVING, AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR. MOST PEOPLE DRIVE WITH CHILDREN IN THAT BACK SEAT AND THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE INJURED. PLEASE SPEAK WITH BMW AND HAVE THEM ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS. REGARDS, THANH DINH. *JB

EXPERIENCED TEARING IN THE SHEET METAL LOCATED ABOVE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER. THE SHEET METAL HAD BEEN FATIGUED FROM CARRIERS MOVEMENT UNDER LOAD (ACCELERATION/DECELERATION). THE SERVICE MANAGER (ON BEHALF OF BMW NA) STATES THAT THE DAMAGE WAS A RESULT OF "HITTING A LARGE POTHOLE". IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NO OTHER SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED AND EVERYTHING ON THE CAR IS FACTORY ORIGINAL. NO MODIFICATIONS WHATSOEVER AND NO REPAIRS UNTIL THAT POINT. THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND THE AREA IN QUESTION HAS BEEN REINFORCED TO PREVENT FUTURE SUBFRAME FAILURES. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR MANUFACTURER TO PASS BLAME FOR A DESIGN DEFECT ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS. OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE LOST ANY FUTURE SALES FROM ME. *NM

A HORRIBLE CREAKING NOISE STARTING DEVELOPING IN THE REAR OF MY 2000 BMW 323CI (WITH 82000 MILES) WHILE DRIVING. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE WITH TIME, AND AFTER A THOROUGH SEARCH ONLINE ON THE WWW.E46FANATICS.COM FORUM WEBSITE, I FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME CHASSIS EXPERENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. FURTHER SEARCHING LEAD TO A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SUBFRAME. THIS SECTION OF THE CHASSIS FAILS UNDER PROLONGED STRESS AND A CRACK IN THE CHASSIS OF THE VEHICLE DEVELOPS, EXPOSING A BARE COMPONENT OF THE REAR SUSPENSION AND ULTIMATELY DAMAGING THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE PROBLEM IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS RECENTLY BEGINNING TO SURFACE AMONG MANY LATE MODEL BMW CARS OWNERS AS THIS PART SEEMS TO FAIL AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. NONETHELESS, THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT IS NOT ISOLATED TO A SELECT FEW VEHICLES, BUT ENOUGH TO RAISE ALARM AND SUSPICION. I WAS VERY SURPRISED AND DISSAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT MY VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT FAILURE JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK