Stop complainng about steptronic and...

[E46_Driver]

Go to the following NHTSA site:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm


Share your experience by completing the questionaire. Foolish to continue complaining without doing something proactive. I hope the administrators allow this reference to remain posted to enable us the members some path to resolving this common problem.


Thanks

 

[RuflessPhilly]

Go to the following NHTSA site:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm


Share your experience by completing the questionaire. Foolish to continue complaining without doing something proactive. I hope the administrators allow this reference to remain posted to enable us the members some path to resolving this common problem.


Thanks

Excellent call

"I'm Rich Biotch" - Dave Chappelle

 

[TIXXdriver]

Great idea. I have been frustrated by the same runaround by my service advisor and the ever helpful BMWNA. TIme to turn the heat up a bit. Interesting to see that Audi4t had success, Good Luck to us all!

 

[E46_Driver]

Thanks

Thanks guys. I hope this way we can not only help ourselves but also the new guys just realizing the problem and save them from jumping through the hoops we had to.

 

[E46_Driver]

Curious about your status

Excellent call

RuflessPhilly:

Have you taken delivery?

 

[RuflessPhilly]

Re: Curious about your status

RuflessPhilly:

Have you taken delivery?

My ship, the TRANCED docks tomorrow. The car is listed with a priorty one, meaning it's sold. It should be processed quickly if it wasn't damaged in transit. I should take delivery by Friday.

 

[E46_Driver]

reposted

Originally posted by LarryE
Don't understand your logic. What do you think is going to happen that isn't already happening by posting complaints? So what ... 20,000 cars! What kind of business are you in? Does your business ever make mistakes? Do they take care of them? Would you like it if you were doing everything you could to take care of them, and someone filed complaints anyway? Just for the sake of filing complaints? With all due respect, gimme a break.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Your argument is specious and arguably suspect. Yet I will indulge you point by point:

BMW and BMWNA have not dealt with this multi thousand-vehicle defect in an up front transparent fashion. How many of us have received a letter speaking to this issue? Most have stated that the dealer was initially evasive and unaware.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (link http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ )
does indeed have more experience in ensuring companies abide by the recall law(s) and are charged with protecting the consumer much more than the persuasive writings of Larry_E.

You dismiss 20,000 automobiles with defective transmissions to be acceptable. How does one respond to such a silly comment? When standard and general industry accepted quality control protocols BMW and its affiliates adhere to are neglected you must logically conclude that they, BMW et al, are “rolling the dice” with their defective steptronic transmissions. Fix, repair at last choice replace transmissions that were known to be defective prior to assembly.

My business? I clean the monkey cages in the basement of the science building. Rarely hear of any mistakes. If the cages were not clean YES I would want to know so corrective action could be implemented. I would also ask if there were any other cages I might not have cleaned per spec. You see I am in business for the long haul not just for minimizing losses. I also fully understand the value of being regarded as a good citizen in business where reputation at the end of the day is all you have.

Point is you portrayed yourself as an aggrieved party at one point seeking information and describing great angst. Now you have been born again into the wonders not only accepting the excuses of BMW but now actively defending/supporting them. What’s up with that?

I did NOT and do not believe BMW/BMWNA are doing everything they can to keep us the consumer informed. Would a letter to the owners of the affected vehicles be logical Larry_E?

 

[Section_8]

20,000 cars is a crapload, isn't BMW trying to set a 'standard' of selling 150,000 cars a year? (In the states) That would be about 1 out of every 7 cars with this problem. And so far I haven't heard about it in anything but 3 series, so if it's confined to 3 series only, thats more like 1 out of 4. And that's only the steptronic, so pull out a few more for the manuals and lucky SMG folks. and you're looking at possibly 1 out of 2 or 3 of every steptronics with that failure? YES that's something to complain about and expect to be addressed by any major car manufacturer. imho

 

[E46_Driver]

20,000 cars is a crapload, isn't BMW trying to set a 'standard' of selling 150,000 cars a year? (In the states) That would be about 1 out of every 7 cars with this problem. And so far I haven't heard about it in anything but 3 series, so if it's confined to 3 series only, thats more like 1 out of 4. And that's only the steptronic, so pull out a few more for the manuals and lucky SMG folks. and you're looking at possibly 1 out of 2 or 3 of every steptronics with that failure? YES that's something to complain about and expect to be addressed by any major car manufacturer. imho

Dude ..... you are smelling what I am cooking. Your math is right on. Seems reasonable to expect our manufacturer of choice BMW (there are many others to choose from) to keep the faithful FAITHFUL! The appologists on these forums make me wonder if thier paychecks are embossed with BMWNA!

 

[donmbmw]

A recall is definetly in order. Too many defective transmissions out there. Every dealership, hell every different SA seems to have a different answer. I brought mine in on 12/29/03 and have yet to have the problem corrected. BMW needs to own up to this blunder and do the right thing. Maybe these official complaints will help them see the light.

 

[bmwrocks]

I have posted this general comment before:

I have the slipping Steptronic and I am choosing to wait to get mine fixed. Since it happens only once a day upon first forward engagement, and my street is flat and very residential, it is not a safety issue for me.

I have learned from experience that it is not a good idea to let BMW guess about a fix and whether it works or not, then let them try it to see if it works. Right now my dealer is unaware of the problem (I know, unbelievable). Not my idea of how to fix a major problem like a transmission.

I want them to fix mine one time, the right way.

I have confidence that BMW will handle this correctly over time and I am waiting for them to come to me for now. I suppose if in another couple of months I still don't hear from them I will contact them and find out their proposed plan, if any. This is a soft approach, but I have found that being irate and the like gets you nowhere in this world.

Am I way off base here?

 

[E46_Driver]

We agree on many points

I have posted this general comment before:

I have the slipping Steptronic and I am choosing to wait to get mine fixed. Since it happens only once a day upon first forward engagement, and my street is flat and very residential, it is not a safety issue for me.

I have learned from experience that it is not a good idea to let BMW guess about a fix and whether it works or not, then let them try it to see if it works. Right now my dealer is unaware of the problem (I know, unbelievable). Not my idea of how to fix a major problem like a transmission.

I want them to fix mine one time, the right way.

I have confidence that BMW will handle this correctly over time and I am waiting for them to come to me for now. I suppose if in another couple of months I still don't hear from them I will contact them and find out their proposed plan, if any. This is a soft approach, but I have found that being irate and the like gets you nowhere in this world.

Am I way off base here?

Your thinking seems to be a plausible. One true fix is better than several attempts. My concern is about what other components are being compromised or damaged as the rpms rev. These automobiles are so highly tuned when one mechanical component is not performing to its designed tolerances it impacts other parts of the car negatively. It is understood that most of the slipping is noticed while starting off on a cold morning. No one is offering any guaruntees the transmission is not also slipping at highway speed thereby causing the engine to work harder and worse operate at elevated temperatures. I am a genuine fan of BMW and am trying to do what I feel is best not only for myself but for first time buyers unfamiliar wit "the process".

Try calling BMWNA 800.831-1117 and ask if there is a known problem with the 3 series steptronic transmissions and share your results here. My point will then be crystal clear. I have been told so many different answers it has become comical. Serious responses only please.

Thanks

 

[RuflessPhilly]

I agree! It's just sad that just because a person has a diffrent method in which to solve a problem, he gets blasted for being selfish and labled a BMW hater. Like I said, if after I take delivery of this 49k+ car and there is a problem, your approach will seem tame. The temps here are still in the 20's so if there is a problem, hopefully it will surface right away. Keep doing what you think is right bro. This is not the BORG and we don't think collectively. We are all diffrent and approach things as such.

 

[kumafa124]

I 've already file a complaint at the link provided. I picked up my car in Nov and been waiting for a while for some solution to this after reading everyone's post about it. I didn't take my car in to try to get it fix till recently because I was hoping for a good solution to this. However, as the slipping got worse and BMW lack of solutions, I had no choice but finally took it in to see what the dealership can do. I understand that some people want to wait and see whats the right way to go. I wish I have the time to do that, but recently it went up to almost 4000 rpm to engage. I've taken the car in a few times and literally its wasting my 'off' days at work. Hopefully this coming appointment will be the last for this slipping problem, but I def agree its time to turn up the heat and get them on the ball.

 

[bmwrocks]

I am going to beat another dead horse:

If I leave my foot on the brake after engaging Drive, it will slip for 10 seconds max and then engage. I know it's engaged because I can feel it. I would NEVER rev my engine to 4k RPM and wait for the thing to engage. Are you insane?

If anything, I feather the gas lightly (never above 1.5k) until I feel it engaging, then accelerate normally after it engages.

Also I can put it in Drive initially without going into Reverse first, and it will engage after a 5-10 second delay, then I back out in R, put it in D, and there is no slippage at all as the fluid has filled the appropriate area due to going into D first.

Revving up to 4k RPM is going to do other damage IMO. That is like after the slipping is over, putting it in N, revving to 4k, and dumping it into D. Would you do that? If not then be a little gentler and tolerant with your baby until she is fixed properly.

 

[wood_e]

easy solution.... get a manual transmission

If this is really the case I am saddened at BMW for not owning up to this problem faster. You buys bought top of the line cars from a good company... they should help you you here and not give you the run around...

 

[E46_Driver]

Sorry, yet glad you are taking action

I 've already file a complaint at the link provided. I picked up my car in Nov and been waiting for a while for some solution to this after reading everyone's post about it. I didn't take my car in to try to get it fix till recently because I was hoping for a good solution to this. However, as the slipping got worse and BMW lack of solutions, I had no choice but finally took it in to see what the dealership can do. I understand that some people want to wait and see whats the right way to go. I wish I have the time to do that, but recently it went up to almost 4000 rpm to engage. I've taken the car in a few times and literally its wasting my 'off' days at work. Hopefully this coming appointment will be the last for this slipping problem, but I def agree its time to turn up the heat and get them on the ball.

We appreciate you sharing your comments and your proactive stance. I too have spent days with my local service department, traveled to two others in my region and hours on the phone with BMWNA. I have exhausted all reasonable avenues offered. I enjoy most of what this forum has to offer, sharing comments, thoughts and ideas. New posts from experienced and new members BUT this is not my life. To spend hour after hour day in and day out on here on the SAME TOPIC with the same NO result is plain nuts. I want this steptronic issue to be a distant memory soon for ALL of us. Not allowing drawn out for weeks and weeks in some others cases months. Congratulations on your decision not to be a lemming.

I invite all those interested in resolving this issue to visit the following cite and do what they feel is right:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

As another member said "strength in numbers"

Thanks

 

[TIXXdriver]

For me, unfortunately the manual transmission not an option (injury). This makes the safety issue more of a concern, and I appreciate all of the postings of people providing solutions not obstructions.

 

[Section_8]

I'm just agast at all the steptronic complaints.. What changed in the newer models? I don't think I've seen any complaints from owners of 02 cars or older? Anyone got one older then that doing the 'cold start, revs high till engages' steptronic problem?

Just so you guys know (In case you don't hop around other forums), this problem has a thread or three on all the BIG BMW forums (Bimmerfest, E46fanatics, bimmerforums, and here).

I 'almost' went after a steptronic instead of manual, kinda glad I didn't, my luck I'd get one with the problem.

Heres a question: Does anyone have this problem anywhere where it's not cold, or freezing all the time? (Like south cali, texas, florida, hawaii, etc?) I know we got a lotta cali folks, you guys and gals ever experience it?

 

[Kirby]

There was a redesign of the Steptronic as reported by BMW in 2003. Clearly it has "issues".