GVWR: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
GVW R_to: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Make: BMW
Make ID: 452
Manufacturer: BMW AG
Manufacturer Id: 966
Model: 328i
Model ID: 1709
Model Year: 1999
Motorcycle Chassis Type: Not Applicable
Motorcycle Suspension Type: Not Applicable
Other Restraint System Info: Driver and Passenger Depowered Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Plant City: MUNICH
Plant Country: GERMANY
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: 3-Series
Trailer Body Type: Not Applicable
Trailer Type: Not Applicable
Vehicle Descriptor: WBAAM533*XF
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2000
POWER TRAIN
THE REVERSE GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO IN GEAR. ALL OTHER GEARS RESPOND. CANNOT MOVE CAR IN REVERSE. PROBLEM STARTED OCTOBER 2011. AT THIS TIME THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN MOVED.
1999
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
ON A RAINY DAY, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ON MY 1999 BMW 328I FAILED UNDER STRESS. I DID NOT NOTICE A TURN ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND THEREFORE WENT INTO IT TOO FAST. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FIRST PULLED ME OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE INSIDE OF THE TURN, WHERE THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL ON THE GRAVELY SHOULDER. AT THIS POINT THE TRACTION SYSTEM MAY NOT HAVE FAILED YET. HOWEVER, I SPUN OUT LEFTWARD, AND THEN TO THE OTHER SIDE. I CROSSED ON-COMING TRAFFIC, AND GAINED CONTROL BEFORE LEAVING THE ASPHALT AND POTENTIALLY HITTING A TELEPHONE POLE. HOWEVER, ONCE I HAD THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AFTER LOSING TRACTION AND SLIDING ACROSS TRAFFIC, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CONTROL SYSTEM THREW ME INTO A SECOND SPIN THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OVER, AND I ENDED UP GOING BACKWARDS AGAINST TRAFFIC. THE SYSTEM WANTED TO GO BACKWARDS. I WORKED SO HARD THAT MY HANDS WERE BLEEDING AFTERWARDS. I KNOW THE SYSTEM HAD FAILED BECAUSE THE TRACTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON, AND WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE TRACTION SYSTEM WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON (INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED ON) FOR . SO THE CAUSE APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FAILURE, NOT A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, AND THUS REPLACING MY SYSTEM MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE DIED IF THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN THE CAUSE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN. SO THIS INCIDENT IS REAL, BUT MAY ONLY OCCUR UNDER STRESS. SO TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, BMW MUST TEST THE SYSTEM UNDER STRESS (I KNOW - I AM A RELIABILITY ENGINEER). BMW WILL NOT PAY TO INVESTIGATE OR REPAIR MY CAR BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THAT IT IS ONLY MY BELIEF THAT IT MALFUNCTIONED, EVEN THOUGH THEIR OWN ON-BOARD MONITORING SYSTEM DISPLAYED A FAILURE ONTO MY DASH BOARD (THE INDICATOR LIGHT). IT SEEMS TO BE "WORKING OK" NOW THOUGH (NO INDICATOR LIGHTS - SYSTEM TURNS BACK ON). IN SUMMARY, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILS UNDER STRESS AND THEN TRIES TO STEER THE CAR BACKWARDS. FYI, I WAS COMPLETELY SOBER RETURNING FROM AN ATHLETIC COMPETITION, THE TIRES HAD GOOD TREAD, AND WERE INFLATED PROPERLY. *TR
