Bmw 323ci problems
The fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series range of compact executive cars is designated under the model code E46, which was produced by the German automaker BMW from 1997 to 2006, and was the successor to the E36 3 Series which ceased production in 2000. First introduced in November 1997, the E46 was available in sedan, coupé, convertible, station wagon and hatchback body styles. The latter has been marketed as the 3 Series Compact.
The M3 performance model was introduced in June 2000 with a 2-door coupé body style, followed by the convertible counterpart in April 2001. The M3 is powered by the BMW S54 straight-six engine with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transmission.
The E46 line-up was phased out starting from late 2004, following the introduction of the E90 3 Series sedans. However, the E46 coupé and convertible body styles remained in production until August 2006.
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Bmw 323ci model years
Common Bmw 323ci problems
The BMW 323ci, produced from 2000 to 2006, is known for its performance and luxury, but it has some common issues that potential buyers should be aware of.
- Engine Problems: The M52TU engine, used in the 2000 BMW 323ci, has been reported to have several issues. One common problem is the vanos system, which can cause a rough idle, poor acceleration, and decreased fuel efficiency. The vanos system is a hydraulic system that adjusts the timing of the intake and exhaust valves to improve performance and fuel efficiency. When it fails, it can cause a significant decrease in the car's performance and fuel efficiency.
Another common engine problem is the timing chain tensioner, which can fail and cause the timing chain to jump, resulting in engine damage. This issue is more common in high-mileage cars and can be expensive to repair.
- Cooling System: The cooling system in the BMW 323ci is also prone to failure. The water pump, thermostat, and radiator are all known to fail, causing the engine to overheat and potentially causing severe damage. Regular maintenance and inspection of the cooling system can help prevent these issues, but they are still common in these cars.
- Suspension and Steering: The suspension and steering systems in the BMW 323ci are also known to have issues. The front control arms, bushings, and tie rods can wear out, causing a loose or unstable feel when driving. These issues can be expensive to repair and can affect the car's handling and safety.
- Electrical System: The electrical system in the BMW 323ci is also prone to failure. The battery, alternator, and starter motor can all fail, causing the car to not start or have electrical issues while driving. These issues can be expensive to repair and can affect the car's reliability and safety.
- Interior and Exterior: The interior and exterior of the BMW 323ci are also known to have issues. The leather seats can wear out, the plastic trim can crack, and the paint can fade or peel. These issues can be expensive to repair and can affect the car's appearance and value.
In conclusion, the BMW 323ci is a high-performance luxury car that is known for its performance and luxury, but it has some common issues that potential buyers should be aware of. Regular maintenance and inspection can help prevent these issues, but they are still common in these cars. If you are considering buying a BMW 323ci, it is essential to have it inspected by a qualified mechanic and to budget for potential repairs.
Is a BMW 323i a good car?
BMW 323i Ratings Overview
The average rating is a 3.9 out of 5 stars.
Is a BMW 323i rare?
Launched as the 325i, it offered improved reliability and performance at no extra fuel cost, and shouldered the 323i into a chrome-bumpered retirement. While it remains a rare beast, some of the most cherished E30s in existence are 323i models, and a well-maintained example can be a real retro joy.
How fast is a BMW 323Ci?
Performance
| 0 - 40 kph | 2.2 s |
|---|---|
| Est. 1/8 mile | 11.5 s @ 73.9 mph |
| 1/4 mile | 16.1 s |
| Est. 1/2 mile | 28.5 s @ 111.8 mph |
| Top speed | 225 kph (140 mph) |
How much horsepower does a 1999 BMW 323Ci have?
Used 1999 BMW 3 Series 323i - Specs & Features
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| Cylinders | Inline 6 |
| Base engine type | Gas |
| Horsepower | 170 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 181 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm |
Percentage distribution of complaints by Bmw 323ci years
We have researched Bmw problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Bmw 323ci cars and compiled the top 1 most problematic Bmw 323ci model years:
Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Bmw 323ci model years.
Distribution of the number of complaints by Bmw 323ci years
We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:
Bmw 323ci car problems categorized by type of issue
After analysing all complaints related to Bmw 323ci , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:
- Air bags problems
- Power train problems
- Structure problems
- Suspension problems
- Electrical system problems
The graph below shows statistics for all Bmw 323ci vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Distribution of the number of complaints with fire by 323ci model years
There were a total of 2 complaints that resulted in a fire. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
The NHTSA has received 31 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Bmw 323ci . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Bmw 323ci vehicles.
Latest 25 complaints
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-04
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-10
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: See attached document for complaint.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2009-04-30
- Date Complaint: 2019-04-30
- VIN: WBABM3342YJ
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: CRACKED REAR SUBFRAME
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2016-10-13
- Date Complaint: 2017-11-13
- VIN: WBABM3341YJ
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: I HAD BEEN NOTIFICATED ABOUT POSSIBLE INJURIES FOR SUDDENLY EXPLOSIN HAZARD FOR TAKATA AIR BAGS COMPONENTS, MY CONCERN ITS MY FAMILY AND MY OWN SECURITY.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2017-07-16
- Date Complaint: 2017-07-17
- VIN: WBABM3344YJ
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE INSPECTING THE TRUNK AREA, A LARGE CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRAMAN BMW LOCATED IN JUPITER, FLORIDA, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2016-09-05
- Date Complaint: 2017-05-24
- Fire: 1
- VIN: WBABR3349YE
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: SOMETIMES THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR ,WHILE DRIVING IT SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VENTS THEN SOON AFTER THE HOLE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. I LOVED MY BMW!
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-02-24
- Date Complaint: 2016-02-29
- VIN: WBABM3344YJ
- Components: SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE
- Summary: BMW SUBFRAME RECALL. TOOK MY 2000 323CI IN FOR TUNE UP. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT LH REAR SUBFRAME SEPARATED FROM UNIBODY. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2009 BUT WAS NEVER INFORMED BY BMW. WANTING TO KNOW HOW TO ACCESS RECALL FOR BMW TO FIX. VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP WHEN NOTIFIED OF ISSUE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2016-02-01
- Date Complaint: 2016-02-01
- VIN: WBABM3345YJ
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR A TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2003 BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2015-03-02
- Date Complaint: 2015-11-14
- VIN: WBABM3345YJ
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: A FAULTY GM5 SEEMS TO BE THE REASON FOR THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR NOT UNLOCKING WITH THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE REMOTE KEY CAN UNLOCK THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, BUT NOT THE DRIVER'S SIDE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-09-01
- Date Complaint: 2015-03-12
- VIN: WBABM334XYJ
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE CAMPAIGN NO. 14V-428 FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG, AS OF TODAY. NO CALLS OR UPDATE INFORMATION FROM BMW. *TR
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-09-25
- Date Complaint: 2015-02-05
- VIN: WBABR3349YE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REMEDY THE RECALL WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2015-01-12
- Date Complaint: 2015-01-18
- VIN: WBABM3348YJ
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE INVOLVED WHEN THE DRIVER RAN OVER THE CURB AT LESS THAN 25 MPH. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT AIRBAG WENT OFF AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND DOES NOT CRANK AT STARTUP. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY ESTIMATED A QUOTE OF $900 TO FIX IT NOT INCLUDING THE AIRBAGS WORK. BOTH PASSENGERS ARE OKAY. *TR
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-10-06
- Date Complaint: 2015-01-09
- VIN: WBABR3340YE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS AND REMEDY WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR MONTHS. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2015-01-05
- Date Complaint: 2015-01-05
- VIN: WBABR3348YE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-09-01
- Date Complaint: 2014-12-26
- VIN: WBABM3343YJ
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR.THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REMEDY THE RECALL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Bmw 323ci 2000
- Date Of Incident: 2014-10-14
- Date Complaint: 2014-11-06
- VIN: WBABM3347YJ
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 323CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCE A FAILURE.
Recalls Bmw 323ci
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 4 recalls for different components of the Bmw 323ci.You can explore the year of the Volkswagen Jetta you are interested in by selecting it from the list.
- Model: Bmw 323ci 2000
- Report Received Date: 2021-05-27
- Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 BMW 3 Series (323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci and 330Ci), 1999-2001 323i, 328i, 330i, 330xi, and 2000 323i, 328i stationwagon vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles are equipped with driver-side air bag inflators that were previously inspected, but not replaced under recall numbers 19V-851, 19V852, or 19V-853. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Consequence: The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a newly designed inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Model: Bmw 323ci 2000
- Report Received Date: 2020-01-15
- Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
- Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Model: Bmw 323ci 2000
- Report Received Date: 2019-11-26
- Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2000 323i and 328i and 2000 323Ci and 328Ci vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy: BMW will mail interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on January 17, 2020. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Dealers will inspect the driver air bag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. BMW mailed interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on January 17, 2020. The recall began July 27, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Model: Bmw 323ci 2000
- Report Received Date: 2019-11-26
- Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i and 330i and 2000-2001 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver air bag as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy: BMW notified owners, and Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Are you having problems with your Bmw 323ci?
