2001 BMW 330I Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE D-G CLUTCH DRUM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.... UPDATED 03/08/13 *BF UPDATED 03/27/2013 *JS UPDATED 04/18/13*LJ

Mileage: 70,000

NO WARNING LIGHT. PUT IN REVERSE AND I HEARD A POP NOISE. I THOUGHT MY STUFF WAS MOVING IN TRUNK. PUT IN GEAR AND DROVE. WHEN I CAME TO FULL STOP AND TRY TO REVERSE. IT DOESN'T WORK. MORE LIKE REVERSE WAS IN NEUTRAL. ALL OTHER GEAR IS FINE EXCEPT REVERSE. I HAVE A BMW 330I SEDAN, 2001 3L. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. I BEEN DRIVING ON AND OFF WITH THIS CAR FOR 4 YEARS SINCE GAS IS EXPENSIVE. NOW IT COMPLETELY DIED. THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I HEARD SEPTONIC TRANSMISSION ARE MADE BY GM. *TR

Mileage: 153,400

THE METAL STRAP THAT SUPPORTS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK JUST BROKE OFF. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND HEARD A POP SOUND AND THEN METAL GRINDING AND JUMPING AROUND (LIKE A NEEDLE ON A SCRATCHED RECORD/ A CD) THE BRACKET TO WHICH THE FORWARD END OF THIS STRAP MOUNTED TO THE UNDERBODY BROKE FREE LEAVING A GASH LIKE TEAR ON THE UNDERBODY. I AM HAVING THE CAR SERVICED FOR REPAIRS, BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE PARTS DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE ANY FIXABLE SOLUTION FOR THE MISHAP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD DO WAS TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE A FABRICATED PIECE MADE. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS INCIDENT AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER BMW OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME INCIDENT. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF REVERSE. THE DRIVE GEAR SEEMS TO BE FINE; HOWEVER, THE REVERSE IS NOT OPERATING. I AM NOW LOOKING INTO HAVING IT SERVICED FOR THAT ISSUE AS WELL. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DID TELL ME THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN CAMPAIGN ON THE TRANSMISSION (THOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY FOR PROGRAMMING ISSUES). I HAD ALSO FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHER BMW OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AS WELL. I KNOW THAT THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF TRANSMISSION (THE GM AND THE ZF TRANSMISSION). THERE WAS A MENTION THAT IT COULD BE A FAULTY SOLENOID OR THE REVERSE DRUM HAS BROKEN/ SHREDDED. NONE THE LESS YOU CAN PLACE INTO "REVERSE" AND GIVE IT GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS NO MOVEMENT UNLESS YOU PLACE INTO "DRIVE." MY CAR DOES HAVE THE STEPTRONIC FEATURE.

Mileage: 169,500

2001 330I BMW. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH REVERSE IN TRANSMISSION. *TGW

MY 2001 BMW 330I STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE LAST WEDNESDAY. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AS I WAS VERY SUPRISED TO SEE DOZENS OF WEBSITES DEDICATED TO THIS NO REVERSE ISSUE. HOW COME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS COMMON FAILURE? *KB

Mileage: 89,200

MY 2001 BMW 330I STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE LAST WEDNESDAY. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AS I WAS VERY SUPRISED TO SEE DOZENS OF WEBSITES DEDICATED TO THIS NO REVERSE ISSUE. HOW COME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS COMMON FAILURE? *KB

Mileage: 89,200

REVERSE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING. ALL OTHER FORWARD GEARS WORK FINE - (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). BASED ON A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 3 SERIES BMW'S. *TR

Mileage: 156,000

I OWN AN AUTOMATIC 2001 BMW 330I. I HAVE HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND ON MARCH 28, 2010, I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE (2 MINUTES LATER - WITHOUT STOPPING THE ENGINE) THE CAR DID NOT MOVE BACKWARDS. I PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE CAR, WAIT AND PUT IT BACK INTO REVERSE AND PRESSED ON THE GAS. THE VEHICLE REV'S UP BUT DOES NOT MOVE AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS THE 2001 330I POWER TRAIN IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH NO PRIOR WARNINGS EVEN WITH ALL MAINTENANCE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 126,500

NOTHING LED TO THE PROBLEM BUT MY BMW REVERSE STOPPED WORKING. LAST FALL THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED PER RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE. NO REVERSE HAS STOPPED WORKING. *TR

Mileage: 123,456

NOTHING HAPPENED LEADING UP TO MY TRANSMISSION WON'T GO INTO REVERSE. IT JUST FAILED AND WON'T ENGAGE. FOUND OUT THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY ON BMW TRANSMISSION. *LN

Mileage: 99,500

CAR'S TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR. ELECTRICAL DETECTS REVERSE GEAR, REVERSE LIGHTS, BACKUP SENSORS AND MIRRORS FUNCTIONAL, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT REVERSE, ACTS AS IF CAR IS IN NEUTRAL. NOTICED ONLINE IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. COST OF REPAIRS: OVER $5,000. PRICE PAID FOR VEHICLE IN PERFECT CONDITION: $9,000. MILEAGE, 105K. *TR

Mileage: 105,000

ON MONDAY MAY 3RD, 2010, I STARTED MY 2001 BMW 330I AND SELECTED THE REVERSE GEAR ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE CAR DID NOT MOVE IN THE REVERSE GEAR, IT DRIVES FORWARD WITH NO PROBLEMS. I HAVE READ SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS AND POSTINGS ON THE WEB. IS THERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED AGAINST BMW AS IT SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY AND SUBSTANDARD SPECIFICATIONS WERE USED IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CAR TO BE INSPECTED AND REPAIRED ON MONDAY MAY 17TH , 2010 I AM SURE THE COST AND EXTENT WILL BE EVIDENT AT THAT TIME. AS I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE REVERSE IS FAILURE OF THE D CLUTCH DRUM , BECAUSE THE SNAP RING COMES OFF OF THE DRUM , AFTER THAT WHAT HAPPENS IS DIFFERENT ON EACH TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A POOR INFERIOR DESIGN, AND BMW IS AWARE OF IT. THEY HAVE REDESIGNED THE CLUTCH DRUM ,TO MOVE THE SNAP RING AWAY FROM THE DRUM'S EDGE AND CONSTRUCTED THE DRUM OF STRONGER MATERIAL AND AN INCREASED OF THE DRUMS THICKNESS. THE REDESIGNED AND IMPROVED MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE FROM BMW AND THE REPAIR COST MAY EXCEED THE CURRENT VALUE OF SOME OF THE BMW MODELS AFFECTED. IT'S THE COST IN TIME AND DOLLARS TO ME OF A POOR AND KNOWING INFERIOR DESIGN AND MATERIAL APPLICATION, A WILLFUL DECISION ON BMW'S PART AS WAS THE DESIGN AND MATERIAL SPECIFICATION FOR THEIR COIL SUSPENSION SPRINGS. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

BMW 330I TRANSMISSIONS REVERSE WENT OUT CHECKING INTERNET SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WAS COMING HOME PUT AUTO IN REVERSE TO PARK IN DRIVE NO REVERSE OUT OF THE BLUE NEED YOUR HELP! *TR

Mileage: 145,000

WHILE BACKING UP, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF REVERSE AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. REVERSE COULD NO LONGER BE ENGAGED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED AND EXAMINED. THE REVERSE CLUTCH DRUM HAD SHEARED AND PHYSICALLY FAILED. COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD REQUIRED. *TR

Mileage: 158,700

2001 330I BMW ,81000 MILES NO WARNING LOST REVERSE, WHILE ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE TRYING TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE,ALMOST HIT THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME, HAD TO HAVE 3 VALET GUYS PUSH ME INTO THE PARKING SPACE. *TR THEN THE NEXT DAY MY HUSBAND TOOK IT OUT AT FIRST IT WENT INTO REVERSE SO HE DROVE IT PARKED TRIED TO BACK UP THE CAR NO REVERSE, SOMEONE PUSHED THE CAR BACK FOR HIM IT HIT ANOTHER CAR AND DAMAGED THE HEADLIGHT AND DENTED IT.

Mileage: 86,530

I HAVE A BMW 2001 3330I. THE CAR HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ONE YEAR, PURCHASED USED WITH 106,000 MILES. I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE REVERSE GEAR DISENGAGED. THE REVERSE GEAR HAS NOT WORKED SINCE, APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. THE OTHER GEARS WORK FINE. THE CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 119,800

2001 BMW 330I NO REVERSE. *TR

2001 BMW 330I, 88,500 MILES. REVERSE FAILED COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR HAS THE ZF5HP19 TRANSMISSION WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE THE COMMON PROBLEM OF THE D-G CLUTCH DRUM FAILING. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WITH NO SYMPTOMS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE REVERSE DRUM AT A COST OF $2116.34. I HAVE A COPY OF THE SERVICE ORDER AND HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE FAILED PART. *TR

Mileage: 88,569

I JUST BOUGHT MY 2001 330I BMW TWO MONTHS AGO WITH 103,000 MILES ON IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY WANT $2000 TO PUT A NEW ONE IN. I THEN LOOKED AROUND HERE AND SAW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO I HAD TO CHANGE TWO OF THE WINDOW REGULATORS. - ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW. IS BMW DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? WHY DOES BMW MAKE THE PUBLIC PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY MADE? *TR

Mileage: 104,500

DESIGN FLAW IN TRANSMISSION, SPECIFICALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER, ON 2000-2002 E46. REQUIRING REBUILDING AND OR REPLACING TORQUE CONVERTER. BMW IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS AND IS WIDESPREAD. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

CONSUMER HAS SUSTAINED SEVEN BENT RIMS IN 15750 MILES WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. *JG VEHICLE EXPERIENCES DRIVESHAFT VIBRATION. *SLC

WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN FIRST GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS IT WILL OVERHEAT AND COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN FIRST GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL OVERHEAT AND SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK