1999 BMW 323I Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 33about this part
- Share
- 24%of 136 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 108,350miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 33 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1999 BMW 323I, 24% of the 136 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 108,350 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I own a 1999 323I Bmw. The car will not go into reverse. 1.) the car's transmission worked fine. Then without warning or indication after parking the transmission would not go into reverse. 2.)the transmission will not go into reverse. This problem comes and goes. The car cannot reverse. 3.) no corrective action has been taken yet, I am just not driving it - too dangerous.”
NHTSA complaint #10318758, filed 2010-03, 210,000 miles“I have been driving my 1999 Bmw 323I for the past year with few problems. Today I got up to go on a road trip, and my car will not go into reverse. It has been serviced regularly, but there was indication of a transmission problem existing. According to the dealership, it will cost about $3,000.00 to correct the failure. A quick web search revealed that this is a fairly common occurrence.”
NHTSA complaint #10199888, filed 2007-08, 141,016 miles“Transmission locked to limp home mode. Can be reset by turn off and on the ignition, but it wont solve the problem and will occur again. If you run at 75/80 MPH, and the limp mode is on.. The gear will be shift down suddenly and it will dangerously impact the speed of the car behind me. Luckily the car behind me have enough time to reduce the speed before it hits me.”
NHTSA complaint #10091348, filed 2004-09, 81,000 miles“1999 Bmw 323I (e46) I didn't know my german car came with a crappy transmission made by GM in france. It failed after 89,000 miles and required a total replacement because parts are unavailable. This costs $4500. This is unacceptable and I'm sure others have the same problem because I've been reading about them on various Bmw message boards. This should be considered a known defect and Bmw is responsible for fixing this. They haven't taken any action to rectify this.”
NHTSA complaint #10154555, filed 2006-04, 89,000 miles“I bought a 1999 Bmw 323I in january of 2000. It was a certified Bmw. I haven't had much trouble with it. I have done typical maintenance, brakes, oil changes, new plugs, wires, etc. Last year I noticed while driving at speeds more than 65 miles per hour that the rpms would move from 2500 to 3000, and a light showed up on the dash. I got to work and check my manual and it is telling me the light is a service transmission light. If you see this light, pull over, put it in park, pull the emergency brake, wait and restart the engine to reset trans. …”
NHTSA complaint #10274851, filed 2009-06, 138,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 235 | 59% |
| 1999 | 33 | 24% |
Other parts of the 1999 BMW 323I
45 complaintsBody and structure
14 complaintsElectrical system
10 complaintsSuspension
9 complaintsTires
9 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
8 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaintsSeats
4 complaintsEngine cooling
3 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsSeat belts
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 BMW 323I
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