1999 BMW 323I

MY 1999 323I CAUGHT FIRE IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH ONCE PARKED.THERE WAS A LOUD "SNAP", FOLLOWED BY LARGE FLAMES COMING FROM AROUND THE HOOD AND FRONT WHEEL WELLS. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN 5-7 MINUTES (FORTUNATELY THEY ARE BOTH LOCATED LESS THAN 1 MILE AWAY). ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, MY CAR'S FRONT 1/2 WAS MELTED INTO MY PARKING SPACE. IT WAS A COMPLETE LOSS AND I AM EXPECTING THAT MY AUTO INSURANCE WILL PAY VERY LITTLE; REGARDLESS THAT THE CAR WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 323I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE AREA AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 229,000.

AFTER 6 MONTHS OF SQUEAKING & RATTLING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE, I WAS DRIVING ON CA ROUTE 10 WHEN I NOTICED THE SOUNDS WERE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT, AS THE CAR'S HANDLING BEGAN TO FEEL LOOSE. I REDUCED SPEED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP, FEARING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND UPON ARRIVING HOME HAD MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY BEVERLY HILLS BMW, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE'S SUBFRAME WAS DAMAGED TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CAR WAS "NOT ROAD WORTHY" ([XXX]) AND I WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED OUT OF THE SHOP. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT [XXX], WHO INFORMED ME THAT BMW HAD A PROGRAM (THAT I BELIEVE IS PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT), IN WHICH THEY RECOGNIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE EARLY E46 BMW MODELS' SUB-FRAMES AND OFFERED TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED & IN SOME CASES WOULD PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. BMW CHOSE TO DENY ME REPAIR, CITING THAT THEY HAD MAILED ME A LETTER ABOUT THE PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY (THAT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED) & THAT THE PROGRAM HAD NOW ENDED. AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT PARTY, I CONTACTED[XXX]TO SEE IF BMW WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR SOME OF MY COSTS OF REPAIR AND CAR RENTAL, SEEING AS HOW THEY WERE A FRACTION OF THE QUOTE FROM BMW. SHE TOLD ME TO FORWARD MY INVOICES ($2207.70 IN TOTAL) TO HER EMAIL, WHICH I DID. DESPITE 3 FOLLOW-UP EMAILS, 3 VOICE MAILS, AND ONE CERTIFIED LETTER, I HAVE RECEIVED NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM BMW. THE MECHANICAL / STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF A VEHICLE'S FRAME, OR SUB-FRAME, SHOULD NEVER BE COMPROMISED BY REGULAR USE. HAVING A DEFECTIVE SUB-FRAME IN A CAR MANUFACTURED IN THE LAST 80 YEARS IS WHOLLY UNACCEPTABLE AND CONSTITUTES A NEED FOR INVESTIGATION CONCERNING A POTENTIAL RECALL, RATHER THAN SOME MANUFACTURER-CONTROLLED PROGRAM WITH TIME LIMITS THAT AFFECT THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 323I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS HE NOTICED A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE SUB-FRAME WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD INSTALL A FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE SUB FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 8/29/11 *CN UPDATED 10/03/11

REAR SUB-FRAME HAS CRACKED. OUR 1999 323I MODEL HAS 103,000 MILES AND APPARENTLY IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CALLED BMW USA N.A. TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR CHECK THE CAR ON 3/21/07 AND WAS TOLD TO GET THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID WE HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, AND TO DATE, DESPITE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1999-2005 323I MODELS. THE CAR HAS BEEN MODIFIED BY THICKENING THE METAL ON NEWER MODELS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR