2000 BMW Z3 Roadster Owner Complaints

I HEARD A CREAKING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR, I PUT IT ON JACKS TO CHECK IT OUT. TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLOOR PAN MAINLY AROUND THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT. THE CAR IS CLAIMED TO BE UNDRIVABLE BY BMW, BUT YET THEY WILL NOT TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MATTER. I SEE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF I DID NOT CHECK IT AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CRACKS AND TEARS IN THE BODY METAL THAT EXIST COULD HAVE CONTINUED EVEN FURTHER AND LED TO AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. I WAS ESTIMATED AT A WHOPPING 5200 DOLLARS WHICH BMW SAID THEY WOULD ONLY PAY 3000 OF. I BELIEVE IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, SO IT SHOULD BE PAID IN FULLY BY THE COMPANY, BUT THEY WILL NOT STAND UP THE THEIR FAULT. I HAVE AT THIS TIME NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN ITS CURRENT STATE, I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT WHO DOESNT HAVE THE LARGEST INCOME AROUND SO PICKING 2000 OR MORE DOLLARS OUT OF NOWHERE IS QUITE IMPOSSIBLE. AND I STILL HAVE TO GO TO WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME I AM HOME, AND SO WITHOUT A LOANER FROM BMW OR THEM TAKING FULL BLAME AND PAYING IN FULL I AM FORCED TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR, FOR HOWEVER LONG. I HOPE THIS SITUATION CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF AS THERE ARE CASES OF SIMILAR SUBFRAME PROBLEMS POPPING UP ALL OVER FORUMS ONLINE. ENTHUSIASTS OF THE Z3 WILL RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE IF THEY TEDIOUSLY AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THEIR CARS, HOWEVER THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO JUST BUYS THEIR CAR AND DRIVES IT AROUND HAS ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA OF THE PROBLEM AT HAND AND THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE THAT IT MAY LEAD UP TO IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

11383583

Incident

Dec 15, 2020

Mileage

127,000 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD. THE KEY WASN'T EVEN IN THE IGNITION.

NHTSA ID

11288210

Incident

Nov 20, 2019

Mileage

91,000 mi

REAR SUBFRAME / TRUNK FLOOR / DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10970992

Incident

Apr 3, 2017

Mileage

233,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. AND ALSO LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I RARELY HAVE PASSENGERS SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME NOTICED THAT IT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. IT HAPPENS WHILE STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

10836261

Incident

Feb 13, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3 ROADSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS, BRUISING, AND HAIR LOSS AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,754.

NHTSA ID

10544980

Incident

Sep 18, 2013

Mileage

82,754 mi

I PURCHASED CAR 6-4-12 AFTER DRIVING THE CAR I NOTICED A SQUEAK AND A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM TRUNK, AFTER REMOVING TRUNK LINING THE SPOT WELDS [4] WERE BROKE LOOSE IN TRUNK FLOOR FROM CROSS MEMBER WHERE REAR END IS SUPPORTED.. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE CAR WAS BOUGHT HOPING THE DEALER HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON CAR I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD REPAIR CAR AT MY EXPENSE I ASKED IF THAT WAS AN ENGINEERED REPAIR OR JUST A TEMPORARY REPAIR THERE RESPONSE WAS ITS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD EVER HAPPENED.. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FOUND IT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME WELDS HAD COME LOOSE IN THE SUB FRAME AND IF NOT REPAIRED WOULD CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE CONTROL ISSUES. THIS CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE NO RUST ISSUES AT ALL WAS ALWAYS GARAGED NEVER DRIVEN IN WINTER I BELIEVE THE SUBFRAME AND REAR AXLE MOUNTING IS UNDER DESIGNED FOR THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10468504

Incident

Jun 4, 2012

Mileage

49,546 mi

TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 101 IN AGOURA HILLS, CA A SMALL ROCK APPEARING IN MY LANE MADE A CLANKING SOUND WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE AT WHICH TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10463048

Incident

Sep 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3 ROADSTER. WHILE DRIVING 2-3 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT LINKAGE ARM FROM THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE STEERING RACK SEVERED. HE FELT THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO THE LINKAGE RUBBING AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE. AS OF MAY 5, 2008, THE MECHANIC HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 22,000. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ THE BRAKE LINE FROM THE ABS MODULE WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE STEERING TUBE, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING TUBE TO SPPLIT IN TWO. UPDATED 05/20/08

NHTSA ID

10226732

Incident

May 5, 2008

Mileage

22,000 mi

REAR SUBFRAME DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT WAS CRACKED ON 2000 BMW Z3 2.5! *AK

NHTSA ID

10185969

Incident

Apr 11, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHILE ON A TRIP I NOTICED AN ODD KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE LEFT REAR OF VEHICLE DURING ACCELLERATION WHILE IN 1ST GEAR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE CAR'S SUB FRAME IN THE AREA SUPPORTING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT FRACTURED AND BREAKING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE THAT HAD POPPED OUT OF ITS RETENTION CLIP, DUE TO THE PHYSICAL MOVEMENT OF THE SUPPORTING MATERIAL AROUND IT. IF THIS HAD NOT HAPPENED, I WOULD NOT HAVE NOTICED THE FAILURE UNTIL THE MOUNT HAD BROKEN AWAY ENTIRELY. SINCE THIS MOUNTS THE REAR AXLE OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THIS TO FAIL AT HIGH SPEED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH A HIGH POTENTIAL OF ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY. I AM HAVING THIS REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ANY FURTHER. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE COMMON TO THE "M" VERSION AND MANY OF THE STRAIGHT 6 CYLINDER VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE. MY VERSION IS A 2.8 LITER STANDARD ROADSTER. IT IS LIKELY A STRESS FAILURE DUE TO THE HIGHER TORQUE OF THESE ENGINES. TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE THE DAMAGED MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE REWELDED AND REINFORCED WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105645

Incident

Dec 27, 2004

Mileage

61,900 mi

THE SUB FRAME IS SEPARATING. ALL THE SPOT WELDS ALONG THE EDGES OF THE SUBFRAME ARE COMING APART. THERE IS A CRACK IN THE SUBFRAME DUE TO FLEXING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090578

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

57,000 mi

THE SRS AIR BAG WARNING KEEPS COMING ON. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT THE BMW PLANT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE FACTORY INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM, REPORTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT IT WAS JUST A MALFUNCTION. HE RESET THE SRS AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT. THE NEXT DAY IT CAME ON AGAIN. THE DEALER CAN REST IT AGAIN, BUT IT JUST KEEPS HAPPENING. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG MAY NOT OPERATE DURING AN ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062030

Incident

Aug 23, 2003

Mileage

49,000 mi

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MANUFACTURER DESIGN OF CONVERTIBLE TOP WINDOW. PUTTING THE TOP DOWN CAUSES DEEP SCRATCHES AND IMPAIRS SIGHT OF WINDOW WHEN THE TOP IS UP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10045702

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

40,000 mi

REAR DIFFERENTIAL SHEET METAL MOUNTING BRACKET TORE LOOSE FROM FLOOR PAN, FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME AT 70000 MILES, SECOND TIME AT 90000 MILES. THIN SHEET METAL BRACKETS AND CROSS MEMBER DO NOT APPEAR ADEQUATE. ALSO WELDED SEAMS COMING APART ON FLOOR OF TRUNK ABOVE DIFFERENTIAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10016959

Incident

Apr 25, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BUCKING, RUNNING ROUGH, STABILITY/CONTROL. *SCC

NHTSA ID

763483

Incident

May 4, 2000

BMW HAS FAILED TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT DEFECTS ON THIS CAR. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE FROZEN AND CANNOT BE USED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ON THE Z3 ROADSTER, BUT ARE TRYING TO BRUSH US OFF. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE SURE WE CAN USE THE SEAT BELTS WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. IN ADDITION, THE ENTIRE SEAT SYSTEM IN THIS CAR IS LOUSEY, AND REQUIRED US TO HAVE THE DRIVER SEAT BACK BRACKET REPALCED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS.

NHTSA ID

761217

Incident

Apr 23, 2002

CAR HAD 11 MILES WHEN PRUCHASED, AT 14 MILES THE DSC FAILED, IT TOOK THE DEALER 30 DAYS TO FIX, THE TOP RIPPED APART, THE DEALER REAPLACED THE SOFT TOP BUT DAMAGED THE HEADLINER AND THE DASH BOARD. THE SOFT TOP NO LONGER CLOSES PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

738347

Incident

Dec 15, 1999