RoadVitals

1998 BMW M Roadster

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest Feb 26, 2011
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 19 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 BMW M Roadster, most frequently naming the body & structure, powertrain (other) and airbags categories. 7 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 19
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Feb 26, 2011

I DID A QUICK SEARCH OF THE NHTSA DATABASE AND HAVE FOUND APPROX. 60 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SAFETY ISSUE. I'M QUITE SURPRISED THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT SANCTIONED BMW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AFTER BEING INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND BEING ADVISED TO CHECK FOR IT, I FOUND THAT THE SPOT WELDS HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT TO THE SUB-FRAME HAD TORN LOOSE, AND THE SUB-FRAME AND MOUNT WERE BOTH BEGINNING TO TEAR. HAD I NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM IN TIME, THE DIFFERENTIAL WOULD HAVE SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE CAR (AS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS).

NHTSA ID
10385548
Incident
Feb 1, 2011
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 24, 2009

RATTLING NOISE FROM BACK OF VEHICLE. LOCAL SHOP REPLACED WORN EXHAUST BRACKET; DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. SHOP LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AT CAR AND SAW CRACKS IN DIFFERENTIAL BRACKET AND CRACKS IN REAR SUBFRAME. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL FRAME SHOP AND THEY ALSO SAW POPPED TACK WELDS. QUOTED $1800 TO FIX. ADVISED CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. I SAW THE CRACKS AND I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THEM. CAR CREAKS, GROANS, AND RATTLES A LOT WHEN BEING DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10296871
Incident
Dec 23, 2009
Mileage
135,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 10, 2008

MY 1998 BMW M ROADSTER, WITH UNDER 71,000 MILES, IS SHOWING SIGNS OF REAR SUBFRAME FAILURE. I AM AWARE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MANY OF THEM THAT WERE DRIVEN HARD ON TRACKS, BUT THIS CAR HAS BEEN USED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO/FROM WORK AND BETWEEN CHATTANOOGA AND ATLANTA. AFTER RECENTLY HEARING SOME MORE RATTLING FROM THE REAR, I'VE LIFTED THE TRUNK MAT AND FOUND THE TELL-TALE SIGN: POPPING SPOT-WELDS. I'M NOT SURE HOW SEVERE IT IS AT THIS POINT, AND AS A STUDENT, I CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP OR OTHER SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECKED YET, BUT IT WILL BECOME A SEVERE PROBLEM, AND I HAVE HEARD THAT BMW IS UNLIKELY TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. I WOULD LIKE ANY ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10233822
Incident
Jul 10, 2008
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 8, 2008

MY BMW M ROADSTER HAS SUSTAINED A MASSIVE CHASSIS AND SUBFRAME FAILURE MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND INOPERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10217438
Incident
Jan 28, 2008
Mileage
114,640 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 6, 2007

2 MONTHS AGO MY EXHAUST SYSTEM DROPPED ON MY CAR, AND WAS RUBBING ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. I TOOK IT INTO A SHOP, AND THE EXHAUST BRACKET WAS MODIFIED TO CLEAR THE DIFFERENTIAL. I WENT IN TO HAVE MY BELTS REPLACED YESTERDAY, AND FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE REAR SUBFRAME OF MY CAR HAD TORN AWAY FROM THE BODY. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10211084
Incident
Dec 5, 2007
Mileage
128,780 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 4, 2007

I HAVE A 1998 BMW M ROADSTER. THE SUBFRAME IS STARTING TO RUPTURE (TEAR) AND WELDS IN THE TRUNK ARE BREAKING. IF THIS CONTINUES THE RESULT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS JUST DIAGNOSED SO NO REPAIR ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. *NM

NHTSA ID
10181515
Incident
Feb 3, 2007
Body & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 27, 2006

I READ ABOUT THE REAR SUBFRAME TEARING OFF OF BMW Z3S AND M ROADSTERS AND DECIDED TO HAVE A LOOK AT MINE. FOUND THE WELDS HOLDING THE SUBFRAME ON WERE FAILING BADLY AND THE BRACKET HOLD MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS SPLITTING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM I GUESS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177032
Incident
Dec 25, 2006
Body & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 15, 2006

1) DRIVING, SUB-FRAME WELD SEPARATION (SEAM AND SPOT WELDS) AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT CRACK. 3) ONE FAILED ATTEMPT AT RE-WELD BY BODY SHOP. *JB

NHTSA ID
10165581
Incident
Aug 1, 2004
Mileage
75,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B340714

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material-

000799

INFORMATION ON REVISED SCHEMATICS DEVELOPED FOR 1998 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 9/97. *TT

120299

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH ON COLD START. *TT

651698

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

PROCEDURES ON INSTALLING I-BUS WIRE FOR THE CD CHANGER. *TT

620798

INSTALLATION OF VOLTMETER. *YC

61 11 98

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

INFORMATION ON INSTALLING CABLE STRAPS ON BATTERY CABLE. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW M Roadster by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2008100—
2007000—
2006000—
2002500—
2001400—
2000190033.9
1999180027.8
1998Viewing190035.5

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.