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BMW sold me a lemon?

3K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  CBA 
#1 ·
So the engine blew on my new 325Ci. Less than half a year old.

The BMW dealership, and BMW Canada is telling me it's not
overed under warranty. I told them I mis-shifted from 4th to
3rd (what an idiot I am), but I wasn't even going fast enough to
over-rev the damn car. I asked for proof of wrong-doing, and
they told me they don't store that kinda stuff in the ECU for my
325 -- only M series vehicles.

Looks like my pistons are chipped, and some valves bent.

Can anyone give me advice? Why else would this happen to my
engine aside from over-rev? They're saying that's the only way.
I'm convinced I was sold a lemon.

The dealership isn't helping, and neither is BMW of Canada.

Is my only option to sue?
 
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#2 ·
i'm sorry to hear about your car, but mis-shifting was your mistake and bmw isnt accountable for that. confessing that you over-revved the engined mightve lost you any case you had, so its gonna be a hard battle if you still try to pursue it. and, depending on state, the lemon law is based on multiple re-occuring problems over a period of time, so a blown engine would not qualify the car as a lemon.

to the best of your knowledge how fast were you going when you downshifted to third? i dont see how you could bend your valves and chip your pistons without exceeding 7k rpm. i hope it all works out, you still may get some cooperation with bmw but you may not get a free engine out of it.
 
#3 ·
All I told BMW is that I miss-shifted.
THey came up with this "over-rev" theory. Missing a gear doesn't
necessarily mean over-rev!

I calculated the operating conditions of the car, and I should be able
to get to 140km/hour in 3rd without any problems, and I was no-where
NEAR that speed when it happened. I have 3 other people in the
car who can attest to it!
 
#6 ·
Just saw this over on www.e46fanatics.com in the "faqs" section, near the bottom:

Q: Ugh!!! My E46 engine suddenly lost all its power while I was cruising down the street.
A: A few reported that while driving as usual, the DSC and engine light would appear and the engine would not rev on demand. BMW had released Tech Service Bulletin addressing this problem on E46 and E39 in February, 99. The solution to it is to replace the throttle body which BMW refers to as an MDK.

Q: What other bizarre problems have been reported?
A: In one person's Y2K car, they were driving along and the DSC light came on, then the car immediately lost power.

Don't know if this is still a problem, but posted it just in case.

When you say the engine blew, can you tell a little more about what exactly happened? Was there a loud bang and the engine quit, for example? Or did it simply quit running?
 
#8 ·
Originally posted by fly325@Oct 24 2003, 10:29 PM
So the engine blew on my new 325Ci. Less than half a year old.

The BMW dealership, and BMW Canada is telling me it's not
overed under warranty. I told them I mis-shifted from 4th to
3rd (what an idiot I am), but I wasn't even going fast enough to
over-rev the damn car. I asked for proof of wrong-doing, and
they told me they don't store that kinda stuff in the ECU for my
325 -- only M series vehicles.

Looks like my pistons are chipped, and some valves bent.

Can anyone give me advice? Why else would this happen to my
engine aside from over-rev? They're saying that's the only way.
I'm convinced I was sold a lemon.

The dealership isn't helping, and neither is BMW of Canada.

Is my only option to sue?
Wow... I can't believe it... I'm really sorry to hear that.
... and like Mr.M3 said, to be a lemon the same problem has to occur over period of time, which is occuring same problem (3x) and within 1 year. Also, I don't know if you're aware but even if you over-rev. (to redline RPM) the engine will automatically shut-off... I know this, because I've done it before w/ my past bimmer. Hope that helps....
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by e46330i+Nov 21 2003, 05:07 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (e46330i @ Nov 21 2003, 05:07 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-fly325@Oct 24 2003, 10:29 PM
So the engine blew on my new 325Ci. Less than half a year old.

The BMW dealership, and BMW Canada is telling me it's not
overed under warranty. I told them I mis-shifted from 4th to
3rd (what an idiot I am), but I wasn't even going fast enough to
over-rev the damn car. I asked for proof of wrong-doing, and
they told me they don't store that kinda stuff in the ECU for my
325 -- only M series vehicles.

Looks like my pistons are chipped, and some valves bent.

Can anyone give me advice? Why else would this happen to my
engine aside from over-rev? They're saying that's the only way.
I'm convinced I was sold a lemon.

The dealership isn't helping, and neither is BMW of Canada.

Is my only option to sue?
Wow... I can't believe it... I'm really sorry to hear that.
... and like Mr.M3 said, to be a lemon the same problem has to occur over period of time, which is occuring same problem (3x) and within 1 year. Also, I don't know if you're aware but even if you over-rev. (to redline RPM) the engine will automatically shut-off... I know this, because I've done it before w/ my past bimmer. Hope that helps.... [/b][/quote]
You bounced off the rev limiter. Unfortunately, the rev limiter does not protect the engine in cases of a missed downshift , a.k.a. "the money shift."
 
#10 ·
Originally posted by ARCHER+Nov 21 2003, 06:45 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ARCHER @ Nov 21 2003, 06:45 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by e46330i@Nov 21 2003, 05:07 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-fly325
@Oct 24 2003, 10:29 PM
So the engine blew on my new 325Ci.  Less than half a year old.

The BMW dealership, and BMW Canada is telling me it's not
overed under warranty.  I told them I mis-shifted from 4th to
3rd (what an idiot I am), but I wasn't even going fast enough to
over-rev the damn car.  I asked for proof of wrong-doing, and
they told me they don't store that kinda stuff in the ECU for my
325 -- only M series vehicles.

Looks like my pistons are chipped, and some valves bent.

Can anyone give me advice?  Why else would this happen to my
engine aside from over-rev?  They're saying that's the only way.
I'm convinced I was sold a lemon.

The dealership isn't helping, and neither is BMW of Canada.

Is my only option to sue?

Wow... I can't believe it... I'm really sorry to hear that.
... and like Mr.M3 said, to be a lemon the same problem has to occur over period of time, which is occuring same problem (3x) and within 1 year. Also, I don't know if you're aware but even if you over-rev. (to redline RPM) the engine will automatically shut-off... I know this, because I've done it before w/ my past bimmer. Hope that helps....
You bounced off the rev limiter. Unfortunately, the rev limiter does not protect the engine in cases of a missed downshift , a.k.a. "the money shift." [/b][/quote]
I didn't know that.... thanks for the info., Archer....
 
#11 ·
take some advice from a former dealer mechanic..

go to the service manager put your best bad mood face out clear your throat and yell like a mofo till you turn blue.. they will goodwill it youll see. its worked for millions of people. and csi is very important to bmw.
 
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