2000 BMW Z3 Airbags Problems

The contact owns a 2000 BMW Z3. The contact’s wife stated that while coming to a stop, the driver’s side front air bag inadvertently deployed with no warning light illuminated. The contact’s wife sustained a bruised arm; no medical attention was provided. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not towed, and the contact’s wife was able to drive the vehicle home.. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a leaky strut on the front left side, and the guibo driveshaft flat disk had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA ID

11683639

Incident

Aug 28, 2025

Mileage

63,000 mi

BOTH AIRBAGS POPPED WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED AT 711. MY DASH AND WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED. I WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVER SEAT. HAD JUST PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION

NHTSA ID

11354641

Incident

Sep 11, 2020

Mileage

192,000 mi

THE AIR BAG COMES ON ALL THE TIME . I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE TAKAT A AIR BAGS

NHTSA ID

11348677

Incident

Feb 2, 2020

HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM COMPLAINT MADE IN DEC., REF. #11288210. FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING FRONT WINDOW TO SHATTER AND DASH IS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. THE PERSON SAT IN THE DRIVER SEAT AND IT EXPLODED.

NHTSA ID

11316436

Incident

Nov 15, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED VERTEBRAE DAMAGE, A STERNUM CONTUSION, AND BREATHING ISSUES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11111226

Incident

Apr 23, 2018

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. IN THE PROCESS, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS ENTERING THE SAME LANE AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO SWERVE INTO A MEDIAN TO AVOID CRASHING INTO EACH OTHER. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT'S HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A RUPTURED LEFT BREAST, BACK BRUISES, AND NECK PAINS. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED, INCLUDING AN MRI. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR FACILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD INVESTIGATE WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11102371

Incident

Apr 23, 2018

AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE SHOWS WARNING SIGN ALL TIMES

NHTSA ID

11018864

Incident

Sep 12, 2016

Mileage

72,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH INTO AN INTERSECTION, UNEXPECTEDLY AN OPPOSING VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES CONSISTING OF A BROKEN COLLAR BONE, EIGHT BROKEN RIBS AND PUNCTURED LUNGS. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A COLLISION FACILITY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10360272

Incident

Aug 25, 2009

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG. HE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT NO ONE WAS STRUCK. HE FILED A REPORT WITH BMW AND WAS INFORMED THAT SOMEONE FROM THE CORPORATE OFFICE WOULD CALL HIM REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10246665

Incident

Oct 23, 2008

Mileage

115,000 mi

BMW Z3 SEAT BELT TENSIONER FAULT. BY READING ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAULT. SEAT BELT IS FINE, BUT FAULT CAUSES THE AIRBAG TO NOT DEPLOY. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL?*AK

NHTSA ID

10112682

Incident

Mar 7, 2005

SRS LIGHT ON MY MW Z3 IS ON. KNOWN REPEATING PROBLEM ON Z3.*AK

NHTSA ID

10061995

Incident

Dec 29, 2003

Mileage

30,300 mi

AFTER RUNNING OVER A METAL PANEL IN THE ROAD THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG AT NO CHARGE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10048281

Incident

Nov 14, 2003

Mileage

48,000 mi

BMW EXAMINED THE Z3 ON AUGUST 1, 2002 AND TOLD ME THAT THE FORCE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO CAUSE A SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. HOWEVER MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY TOTALLED AND I SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES BECAUSE THE SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BMW WAS ASKED IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 21, 2002 TO SUPPLY THE RECORDED EVIDENCE SO THAT I COULD VERIFY THEIR CONCLUSIONS. IT IS NOW OCTOBER 1ST AND THEY HAVE NOT COMPLIED. I BELIEVE THAT BMW KNOWS THAT THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND ARE NOT WILLING TO ADMIT THEIR EQUIPMENT FAILED. IN THE LETTER I ASKED THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY THE Z3 SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND YET THE STRIKING VEHICLE OF SIMILIAR WEIGHT THAT WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH HAD IT'S FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOY. I TOLD THEM THAT IF THE FORCE WAS SUFFICEINT TO CAUSE A FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IT SEEMS THAT THE SIDE AIR BAG IS WHERE THE DANGER OF INJURY IS EVEN GREATER. SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED EVEN MORE READILY. THEY HAVE NOT ANSWERED ME BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEIR EQUIPMENT FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE AIR BAG WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I STILL HAVE DOUBLE VISION AND WILL REQUIRE EYE SURGERY TO HOPEFULLY CORRECT MY VISION PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER SO THAT BMW WILL NOT MAKE ANY OTHER PERSON A VICTIM. MR

NHTSA ID

767945

Incident

Jul 29, 2002

A ROCK WENT BOUNCED UP UNDER THE CAR AND SET OFF THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG BRUISED THE DRIVERS ARM AND RIBS. THE CAR SWERVE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD DUE TO THE AIRBAG FORCING THE DRIVER TO THE RIGHT, BUT THE CAR DID NOT LEAVE THE ROAD WAY. DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPLACING THE SYSTEM, WE WERE FORCED TO SUBMIT AN INSURANCE CLAIM WHICH THUS RAISED OUR INSURANCE PREMIUM.

NHTSA ID

767390

Incident

Jun 21, 2001

DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN A BOUNCING ROCK STRUCK UNDER THE CAR, THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, INJURING THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

764970

Incident

Jul 29, 2002

AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY DURING A COLLISON. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

891756

AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN AUTOMOBILE STRUCK AN OBJECT UNDER THE CAR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES PER HOUR, INJURING THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

745500

Incident

May 15, 2001