Clunking and trouble shifting out of park

[hmb613]

In January, I described a problem with my BMW323, where when shifting from park to reverse after the car sat in my garage overnight in cold weather, the car wouldn't move and rose up in back. After shifting to neutral and drive, it moved forward. Then, after shifting back into reverse, the car made a cluncking sound and lurched backwards. The problem has recurred, this time not in cold weather, but still on the first start of the day. This time the parking brake was on. I released the parking brake and shifted into reverse, and the right rear of the car rose up, but the car would not budge. Then I put it into drive, and the right front of the car rose up, but still the wheels would not turn. After shifting back and forth and getting the same symptons, the right rear lifted up, made a clunking sound, and the car lurched backwards. It then worked fine in all gears. Some of you suggested that it might be a sticky parking brake. Are these new symptons consistent with that, or with anything else you can think of?

 

[Kirby]

Certainly sounds like a stuck parking brake to me.

 

[Wadula]

yep, i second that. can you locate the clunking noise?

 

[hmb613]

Thanks for replying. The 'clunk' comes from the rear wheel that lifts up in reverse just as the wheel turns fully and moves down - almost as if the wheel were going up and over a block of wood or other obstacle. HMB 613

 

[Big Daddy]

Yep that sounds just like a stuck parking brake.

 

[bmwrocks]

That clunking is probably the sudden releasing of the stuck brake (becoming unstuck).

Kinda like the sound you can make with your brakes if you just barely release them from a full stop. You guys know what I mean.

 

[geneo]

drive and pull up the parking brake while moving the rust will ware off the drums and it will be less likely to stick

 

[Kirby]

Good suggestion geneo, the owner's manual does recommend doing that on a regular basis.

 

[BMW NA Customer Relations]

I’m with BMW of North America, LLC. I’m so sorry to read you are experiencing a problem with your 323i. If you and your BMW center would like our assistance, please phone us at (800) 831-1117 or email us at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com, and mention Reference #200516400846 so that we can discuss your concerns