Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 BMW 323i owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 BMW 323i. The contact stated that the transmission would not shift into reverse. On one occasion, the failure occurred and caused a fender bender with another vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The contact spoke with an unknown BMW dealer and an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the reverse drum failed due to defective metal. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced because the parts were no longer available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 180,000.
My BMW 323i no longer goes into reverse. I read online this is a common problem with certain bmws and I'm wondering why BMW hasn't issued a recall since this is a safety issue as well as an identified common problem. The website I found other complaints on is: http://www.noreverse.org/complaints.html the problem presently is constant - the car just has no reverse function any longer. I have not had it looked at by a shop as they want $550 to take the transmission out to evaluate (and that cost goes toward expense of repair but if the repair is unaffordable - it is too risky to have them do the evaluation and spend $550 for nothing). So now I'm in a position where I can't easily sell the car either since I can't exactly determine easily what is wrong. …
In the middle of a 3-point turn, vehicle was shifted into reverse. Vehicle shuddered and the reverse gear failed. Given that my car would no longer operate in reverse, I was trapped in the middle of oncoming traffic. Of course, I was involved in a collision because I was unable to move my car from the roadway. This is a common and widespread issue regarding reverse gear failure. BMW is aware of the problem. This transmission is produced by GM, and is installed in Cadillac cars as well (for which a recall was issued). No recall has been issued by BMW.
Got in car first thing in the morning put it in reverse and nothing happened. It was like it was in neutral. Then car rolled backwards as it was on a slight incline applied breaks and put car in drive and all the forward gears worked fine, tried reverse again and same thing happened didn't move no matter how much throttle was applied. There was no indication/warning that there was a problem,before this the transmission worked great no problems at all.this is a very serious problem as it happens without warning it could seriously injure or kill someone.
I was parked facing downhill in my 2000 BMW 323ci when I selected reverse to back out of my parking spot. The reverse gear did not engage and the car rolled forward unexpectedly striking the car in front of me. Fortunately, damage was inconsequential (a few scratches/scuffs), but had there been a person in front of me, that person would have been seriously injured. The reverse gear has failed completely and without any warning. My BMW dealer says the car needs a new transmission at 60K miles!
Tl contact owns a 2000 BMW 323i. While driving 2 MPH, the vehicle would not move when shifted into reverse only moving forward. The mechanic stated that the transmission failed. As of October 5, 2007, the dealer and mechanic had not repaired the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 58,900. Updated 12/12/2007 the consumer stated car lurched forward into another vehicle. The consumer stated the amount of repairs would be $5,000. Updated 12/12/07
Last week oct 1 park my car at work, after work I tried to back up the car and no reverse. Forward gears all work. Had to ask two of the coworks to push the car out of the stall. Since that incident I lost the reverse gear on three occasions on a total of 6 short driving trips. One time of the three occasions I hit another car when I shifted to reverse but it didn't engage and rolled down the hill hitting the car that's 20 feet behind me.
The vehicle has a hard time reversing, I can command it to reverse but sometimes nothing happens like it is in neutral, the car is a 2000 and only has 96K miles. This past month I have spoken with BMW about the issue. I let them know I feel it poses a safety risk but they said they cannot help me. Even though it is clearly a mfg. Defect. Just hoping to have an advocate to help me. The car is stationary on a street.
Like the hundreds of others on the consumer affairs website, my 2000 BMW 323i with 84K miles failed to go into reverse. I was at a store and proceeded to back out of the parking space when the car would not go into reverse. There were no warnings - ever. The car was running smoothly. I had the car towed to BMW of arlington and was told that the transmission was shot and the cost will be $5,000 for a remanufactured transmission. I decided to check the web and was astounded that there were hundreds of BMW 2000 323i owners with the exact same problem. I contacted BMW of America via email and was given the same response as the other owners of "normal wear and tear." many owners had less than 50,000 and BMW is not owning up to the problem. …
As reported by many, many, other BMW 323i car owners, I too, have lost the ability to go in reverse. Just like the complaints from people all over the internet say, the car just sits there when you put it in reverse, as if it's in neutral. You can rev the engine, but you go nowhere. And like the others mentioned, I've called BMW, but customer relations says they're not aware of any problem, and won't assume any responsibility since the car is out of warranty. It only had 69,600 miles on it when the problem occurred. A local dealership said it would cost thousands to fix it, and would be happy to make those repairs after I bring it in, and pay them $100 for the diagnosis. I've called 3 different auto repair shops and each one is very, very, familiar with the problem. …
Transmission complaints in other 323i years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2000 BMW 323i?
NHTSA has 235 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2000 BMW 323i, 59% of the model year's 401 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (193 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 BMW 323i transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2000 BMW 323i, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 BMW 323i transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.