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Power Train
01/10/2004
THE GEAR SHIFT IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 1998 BMW M3 (4 DOOR), STICKS UNDER FIFTH GEAR AND OFTEN I AM ALSO UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR. THE ISSUE WITH THIS IS WELL KNOWN BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THE DANGER HERE IS THAT WHEN I WANT TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR I CANNOT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH TO 3RD BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT NATURALLY WANTS TO GO INTO FIFTH. THIS CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN GOING INTO A TURN OR NEEDING TO DOWNSHIFT TO CONTROL ENGINE SPEED RATHER THAN USING BRAKES WHEN CONDITIONS MAY BE TOO SLICK TO SAFELY APPLY THE BRAKES. *LA
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Engine And Engine Cooling, power Train, exterior Lighting
10/23/2000
VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE DEALERS WITH BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REMAIN UNRESLOVED. DEALERS CANNOT LOCATE FAULT AND CONTINUES TO REPLACE BULBS OR BEND CONNECTORS ON SOCKETS. ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, OIL PAN GASKETS ALL FAILING WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. INLET LEAKAGE ON FUEL VALVE FAILING FOR SECOND TIME. MAJOR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM FOR SECOND TIME. DESPITE REPEATED REPORTS OF ROUGH SHIFTING, WITH PROBLEMS ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING GEARS, NO ANSWER OTHER THAN EVERYTHING IS FINE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN COMPARED WITH OTHER M3 VEHICLES AND DRIVERS ALL HAVE STATED AND EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. STEREO, TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILING. FRONT BUMBPER ASSEMBLY CONSISTENTLY LOSING PARTS. NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED WITH VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT VARIOUS DEALERS OVER 8 TIMES IN PAST YEAR WITH SIGNIFICANT OUT OF POCKET FOR RENTAL CAR EXPENSES.
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Air Bags
06/29/2001
THE DEALER FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN TO RESET THE CODE AND SAY, "OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." APPARENTLY ITS A SENSOR IN THE SEAT, AND LOTS OF BMW'S ARE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS. SAFETY SYSTEM FAULTS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.*AK
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Vehicle Speed Control
07/05/2000
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELLERATE. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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Structure, electrical System
08/01/1999
HORN STOPPED WORKING ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMED PROBLEM. BUT, AFTER 3 MONTHS HORN WOULD GO OUT AGAIN. LAST TIME DEALER REPLACED THE CONTACT POINTS. ALSO, HALF OF THE SPOILER CAME OFF, BOLTS HAD FALLEN APART WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING SPOILER TO FALL OFF IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING.*AK
