1997 BMW Z3 Airbags Problems

The contact owned a 1997 BMW Z3 Roadster. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was a multi-car rear-end accident involving two other vehicles after she fell asleep at the wheel and rear-ended the vehicle in front of her. The contact stated that no other passengers were in her vehicle; however, only the driver's side air bag had failed to deploy. The contact required hospitalization and was in a coma. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and later auctioned. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in an air bag recall. The approximate failure mileage was 199,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11513678

Incident

Feb 14, 2017

Mileage

199,000 mi

UPON STARTING THE CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TWO TIME IT COST APPROXIMATELY $350 TO REPAIR. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN A THIRD TIME IS INDICATIVE OF A DESIGN FAULT.

NHTSA ID

10404652

Incident

May 26, 2011

Mileage

56,423 mi

PASSENGER GOT INTO FRONT SEAT AND ADJUSTED IT DOWN AND BACK WITH THE POWER SEAT CONTROLS. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE. I CHECKED FOR BROKEN OR DAMAGED WIRING BUT FOUND NOTHING OBVIOUS. BMW IS RECALLING MANY OF THEIR NEW CARS, BUT IT SEEMS THEIR OLD ONES EXHIBIT THE SAME FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238068

Incident

Apr 1, 2008

Mileage

69,500 mi

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON I-95 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRACTION CONTROL FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE FAILED TO WORK. THE CONSUMER HIT A GUARD RAIL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10101604

Incident

Nov 22, 2004

MY 1997 BMW Z3 HAS THE SRS LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON, I GET IT FIXED AND IT GOES ON AGAIN. I'VE DONE THIS LIKE 3 TIMES, NOW MY MECHANIC IS SAYING IT'S LIKE 800 TO FIX. REDICULOUS! IT'A DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, I'M NOT SUE THE SYSTEM WILL WORK NOW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087000

Incident

Aug 30, 2002

Mileage

32,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, UNKNOWN REASON.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062042

Incident

Oct 19, 2003

Mileage

34,000 mi

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR'S AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. I HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND I PAID BMW TO FIX IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS SOMETHING WITH THE SEATBELT. THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10061983

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISON. ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ID

8022446

Incident

Oct 23, 2002

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATEED ON THE DASHBOARD, THE AIRBAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *AK. CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER AND HARNESS WAS CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, THE HOOD SENSOR FOR THE ALARM WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A FAULTY THERMOSTAT THAT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR, THE GLOVE BOX WAS REPLACED AND THE SEAT CAME OUT OF PLACE WHEN STOPPING. *YD

NHTSA ID

8003673

Incident

Jan 22, 2002

AIRBAG LIGHT IN DASBOARD REMAINS ILLUMINATED. SEATBELTS APPEAR TO WORK, BUT I HAVE HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY 2 DIFFERENT SERVICE SHOPS (DAVE WALTER BMW AND AUTOBAHN - BOTH IN AKRON, OH) AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY SEATBELT LOCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

748982

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME IN NOVEMBER 1999. DEALERSHIP ANALYZED THE FAULT ON THEIR COMPUTER AND SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT RECEPTICLE. THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IN JUNE OF 2001, AIRBAG LITE CAME ON AGAIN. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A SHORT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT RECEPTACLE. REPLACEMENT COST IS $266.00. I SAID THEY REPLACED THE SAME PART A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THE SAID THE WARRANTY ON PARTS IS ONE YEAR. I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND REQUESTED HELP WITH THE REPAIR. THEY SAID THE PARTS WARRANTY IS ONE YEAR. I SAID IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS BEEN REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE PART THEY MANUFACTURE. WITHOUT THE SENSOR IN THE SEATBELT RECEPTACLE FUNCTIONING, THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THEY REPLIED, PARTS WARRANTY IS ONE YEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

748070

Incident

Jun 29, 2001

AIR BAG LIGHT ON. BROUGHT TO BMW CHARGED $80 TO DIAGNOSE, SAW INTERNET OTHER OWNERS SAME PROBLEM / THEN FOUNDOUT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLITEN

NHTSA ID

736637

Incident

Feb 2, 2000

REQUESTING AN ON/OFF AIR BAG SWITCH

NHTSA ID

9000795

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL FRONTAL DAMAGE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO ARM, WRIST AND LOWER BACK. NLM

NHTSA ID

550196

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

AFTER VEHICLE WAS VACUUMED IT WOULD NOT START; THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE AND THE DRIVER TURNED THE KEY AGAIN TO START IT, AND A PUFF OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DRIVER QUICKLY TRIED TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION,THEN THE LIGHTS DIMMED. THE KEY BECAME IMMOVABLE IN THE START POSITION, AND SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR FROM ALL THE VENTS. STUNNED, THE DRIVER OPENED THE DOOR TO RUN FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND KNOCKED THE DRIVER UNCONSCIOUS. THE DRIVER WAS PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE AND REVIVED IN TIME TO GET THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL DISCONNECTED. EMS ATTENDED TO THE DRIVER'S INJURIES.

NHTSA ID

780655

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIRBAG IN A VEHICLE COLLISION, ONLY PASSENGERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED, FRONT END DAMAGE WAS ON PASSENGERS SIDE, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO WARRANT BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT.

NHTSA ID

523595

Incident

Aug 5, 1997