2002 BMW 3 Series Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 3about this part
- Share
- 12%of 26 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 10,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2002 BMW 3 Series, 12% of the 26 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 10,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I purchased this vehicle 2 weeks ago. One night while driving on the beltway about 70 MPH the car started losing power. Almost all the sensors were illuminated on the dash board. I barely made it over to the emergency lane. To make matters worst Bmw roadside assistance stated they are not allowed to assist anyone on route 495. Bmw would not allow me to return the vehicle, but it is in the repair shop.”
NHTSA complaint #10070291, filed 2004-01, 9,600 miles“Bmw 325 ci: I have experienced so many problems with my 325ci Bmw, I bought the car in november, the car is not even 1 year old and I have taken to service four times already. My car is a 2002 and at this moment it has 10,660 miles. The car has a major computer problem. My ABS seems to be malfunctioning as well as my emergency brake, and to make matters worse the transmission has been reprogramed and pieces are coming off in the inside. I have taken the car to service the past three weeks for the the computer and the body. …”
NHTSA complaint #10070640, filed 2004-01, 10,000 miles“This is not as much a complaint as a request for help. Since march of 2013 I have replaced 5 throttle bodies and 3 gas pedal sensors, all oem parts. The problem that happened again today: driving at normal highway speed [55/60] the eml, traction control and brake warning lights all went on. Pulled over and turned off. Restarted, now service engine, eml, traction control and brake lights were on. Turned off, restarted, same lighting situation, very rough idle and car would not drive, as it was struggling for fuel. …”
NHTSA complaint #10586396, filed 2014-05, 200,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10051459Dec 1, 2012Bmw: dsc warning light is on. The warning lamps for dsc, abs and brake warning illuminated. There may also be a warning in the control display for chassis control system failure.
- 10040045Apr 1, 2011Bmw: a new technical support process has been created regarding transmission concerns.
- 10036980Jun 1, 2010Bmw: a new technical process is being used on many models to determine the root cause of double-clutch transmission problems.
- 10031644Sep 1, 2009Bmw: complaint that the n (neutral) symbol is being displayed in the kombi and the message transmission in n, shift to p when engine is turned off is displayed in the cc when the…
- 10032827Nov 1, 2007Bmw vehicles: dsc disabling function. Dsc off function has been implemented in m5 and m6 vehicles equipped with the optional 6 speed manual transmissions. No model years listed.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 6 | 29% |
| 2010 | 1 | 3% |
| 2009 | 2 | 4% |
| 2008 | 3 | 4% |
| 2007 | 5 | 4% |
| 2006 | 4 | 2% |
| 2004 | 2 | 3% |
| 2003 | 4 | 5% |
| 2002 | 3 | 12% |
| 2001 | 3 | 8% |
| 2000 | 35 | 40% |
Other parts of the 2002 BMW 3 Series
6 complaintsElectrical system
6 complaintsElectronic stability control
3 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaintsSuspension
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsWheels
2 complaintsEngine
1 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsEquipment
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2002 BMW 3 Series
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology