1997 BMW 328I Problems & Recalls

AFTER SEEING YET ANOTHER REAR END COLLISION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION I HAVE HAD IN MIND FOR A LONG TIME. I BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF SUCH ACCIDENTS, BY FLASHING THE STOP SIGNALS WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE ON AND THE CAR IS STOPPED ( REQUIRES A SPEED SENSOR, OF COURSE). MANUAL FL...

THE LOCKING DEVICE ON A 1997 BMW 328I INTERMITTENTLY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR OCCUPANTS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IF IT IS LOCKED WHILE OCCUPIED. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK, WHICH CREATES A HIGH DANGER AND SEVERITY OF RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH TO CONSUMERS AND/OR USERS OF THE VEHICLE IF AN OCCUPANT STAYS IN A VEH...

1997 BMW 328IS WITH 179K MILES. AFTER DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES (HIGHWAY OR CITY), MY STEERING WHEEL WILL BIND OR GET TIGHT IN A TURN. AFTER MUSCLING THROUGH THE TURN SO I DON'T CRASH, THE STEERING WHEEL "POPS" AND RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAS BEGAN TO HAPPEN DAILY AND I AM CONCERNED...

Mileage: 178,835

I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT MY CAR IS NOT SAFE AS THE FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNTS HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

1997 BMW 328I LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. DRIVING 40MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. SNOWING BUT STRAIGHT LEVEL CONCRETE ROAD. APPROACHING ASPHALT CURVE ENTERING SMALL MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, I TAPPED BRAKE TO DISENGAGE CRUISE. IT DIDN'T DISENGAGE SO HIT IT HARDER. CRUISE STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THREW CAR INTO A...

Mileage: 78,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 328I CONVERTIBLE. DUE TO HIS BODY STATURE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO LEAN THE SEAT BACK IN ORDER TO USE THE SEAT BELT EFFECTIVELY. HE CONSULTED THREE DEALERS FOR SEAT BELT EXTENDERS, BUT NONE HAD THEM AVAILABLE OR WERE NOT BEING SOLD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT TH...

Mileage: 159,800

PLASTIC RADIATOR BROKE AT UPPER HOSE CONNECTION, CAUSING SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT AND ENGINE STOPPING IN HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THIS LED TO A VERY DANGEROUS RESCUE BY CALTRANS TRUCK AFTER AN HOUR OF EXPOSURE TO HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 69,042

SUDDEN FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL RESULTING IN A SHAKING/VIBRATING VEHICLE. WHILE ACCELLERTING IN CITY TRAFFIC THE CAR CAN LUNGE AND JERK WHILE ACCELLERATING, RESULTING IN UNPREDICTABLE ACCELLERATION. IN CITY TRAFFIC THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE INVESTIGATED THE IGNITION COILS FOR BMW 3 SERIES CA...

Mileage: 50

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

TURNED ENGINE OFF, AND WENT INTO STORE, AND HEARD AN EXPLOSION. CONSUMER STATED DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *AK THE DEALER SAID THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED AND CAUSED A SHORT CIRCUIT IN TURN DEPLOYING THE AIR BAG. *JG

WHILE DRIVER WAS SITTING IN VEHICLE, SOMETHING UNEXPECTEDLY ACTIVATED THE ALARM SYSTEM, DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE, HORN ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. *JB

WHILE DRIVER WAS SITTING IN VEHICLE, SOMETHING UNEXPECTEDLY ACTIVATED THE ALARM SYSTEM, DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE, HORN ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. *JB

WHILE DRIVER WAS SITTING IN VEHICLE, SOMETHING UNEXPECTEDLY ACTIVATED THE ALARM SYSTEM, DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE, HORN ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. *JB

THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND RADIATOR TO BLOW. *AK THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND TRIM UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER SEAT WAS LOOSE. *ET

THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND RADIATOR TO BLOW. *AK THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND TRIM UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER SEAT WAS LOOSE. *ET

THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND RADIATOR TO BLOW. *AK THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND TRIM UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER SEAT WAS LOOSE. *ET

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HOUSING PORTION DOES NOT HOLD LATCH PLATE IN BUCKLE HOUSING MECHANISM. LATCH PLATE POPS OUT OF BUCKLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED BUCKLE. *AK CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE FAILED HOUSING. *SLC

ODI #740028. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ACTM2Y7166 TIRESIZE: 205/60R15)

IT HAPPENED AT 3:50 PM, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, JANURAY 26, 2001, FREEWAY 91 HEADING EAST, PASSED FREEYWAY 710, AT THE EXIT OF ATLANTIC. I WAS LUCKY TO PULL OVER AND MY COLLEAGUE WAS FOLLOWED ME AT THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. SHE WITNESSED EVERY THING. THE METRO (MTA) TOW TRUCK PASSED BY 15 MINUTES LATER ...

WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY TURNING OFF IGNITION. BRAKES WOULD ONLY SLOW IT DOWN, BUT NOT STOP IT. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, AND WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, WILL N...

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

TIRE FAILED ON FREEWAY ON HOT DAY. PERMETER AND 2/3 OF SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM BEADS. NO EVIDENCE OF PUNCTURE IN TIRE FRAGMENTS. TIRES HAVE UTQGS OF 400, TRACT. A, TEMP. A, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF OF ANY TIRE OF THIS MAKE HAVING EVER BEEN TESTED AT NHTSA FACILITIES. *AK

THERMOSTAT STUCK.

ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC

PLASTIC FACE PLATE ON THE BOTTOM OF DOOR FRAME GOT CAUGHT ON CONSUMER'S SHOE AND BROKE. MJS

I PARKED THIS CAR FOR 3 DAYS BEFORE I DROVE IT AT SUNDAY MORNING. AFTER I PARKED FOR AN HOUR LATER IT STARTED ON FIRE BY IT SELF. FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME IT WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH IS STARTED FROM ENGINE ROOM BETTERY TERMINAL.

2 ALUMINUM WHEELS ARE BENT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. *AK

WATER LEAKS INTO THE VEHICLE FROM ALL DOORS IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD IN DRIVE GEAR AS WELL AS REVERSE FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.