FaultScore report
Owners have filed 22 complaints about the 1998 BMW M Roadster with NHTSA between 2004 and 2011. The largest single group is the body & structure. Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 3 worst.
FaultScore 35/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the BMW M Roadster.
How this is worked out22
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
75,775 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
17%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 82,500 miles
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 35,000 mi
Median failure at 90,000 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. IT ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES REPORTED.
NHTSA complaint #10083684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
POWER TRAIN
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 complaint #10385548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
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 complaint #10385548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10296871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10233822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
MY BMW M ROADSTER HAS SUSTAINED A MASSIVE CHASSIS AND SUBFRAME FAILURE MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND INOPERABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10217438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10211084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10181515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10177032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
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.
NHTSA complaint #10177032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1) DRIVING, SUB-FRAME WELD SEPARATION (SEAM AND SPOT WELDS) AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT CRACK. 3) ONE FAILED ATTEMPT AT RE-WELD BY BODY SHOP.
NHTSA complaint #10165581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
1) DRIVING, SUB-FRAME WELD SEPARATION (SEAM AND SPOT WELDS) AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT CRACK. 3) ONE FAILED ATTEMPT AT RE-WELD BY BODY SHOP.
NHTSA complaint #10165581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
I HAVE A 1998 BMW M ROADSTER WITH 101,000 MILES ON IT. THE REAR OF THE CAR HAS MANY CRACKS IN THE REAR SUBFRAME AND TRUNK AREA, INCLUDING THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT. THE CAR WAS NEVER RACED OR AUTOCROSSED, BUT IS MY DAILY TRANSPORT TO WORK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AS THE TRANSAXLES COULD EASILY FALL OUT OF THE CAR AT SPEED. FORTUNATELY, I SPOTTED IT WHILE REPLACING THE EXHAUST AND NO ONE WAS HURT. I AM A PHD MATERIALS SCIENTIST AND SPOT THIS AS METAL FATIGUE.
NHTSA complaint #10155903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE AIR BAG IN THE PASSENGER SIDE IN HIS 1998 BMW M ROADSTER BE DISCONNECTED FOR THE SAFETY OF HIS YOUNG CHILDREN. *TS *NM *** TRANSFER TO TIS***
NHTSA complaint #10144279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
(1)I NOTICED THERE WERE CREAKS COMING FROM THE TRUNK. I SAW FIVE SPOT WELDS PULLED THROUGH THE SHEET METAL FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE LEFT SIDE, AND THE SHEET METAL WAS SEPARATING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRUNK. (2) AFTER BRINGING IN THE '98 M-ROADSTER IN TO A BMW DEALERSHIP FOR AN ESTIMATE I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE IF I WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN A REAR END ACCIDENT. (3) THE TRUNK WAS RE-WELDED, BUT NOT REINFORCED.
NHTSA complaint #10142644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TEAR IN SUBFRAME OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL SUPPORT.
NHTSA complaint #10138744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CAR IS A 1998 BMW M ROADSTER. SPOT WELDS ATTACHING THE SUBFRAME AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS TO THE CAR ARE SEPARATING, CAUSING AN UNSAFE STRUCTURAL SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10135539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
REAR SUBFRAME WELD FAILURE ALLOWING THE DIFFERENTIAL TO DROP TO THE POINT THAT THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT IN ARE THE HALFSHAFTS RESTING ON THE FRAME RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE
NHTSA complaint #10133480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
1998 BMW M ROADSTER REAR SUB-FRAME FAILURE (1) NORMAL DRIVING (NON-RACING) LED TO A TORN REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT AND SUB-FRAME CRACK. (2) CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AS THE REAR AXLES WERE RUBBING ON THE EXHAUST AND THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS 5" FROM TOUCHING THE GROUND (3) I HAD A PRIVATE MECHANIC DO THE REPAIR WORK WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE WHOLE REAR SUB-FRAME AND PUTTING IN A NEW, REINFORCED ONE.
NHTSA complaint #10133407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE CHASSIS IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE CRACKS, PULLED SPOTWELDS AND SEPARATION (DELAMINATION) OF UNIBODY IN THE TRUNK AREA. THE SEPARATION CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, AS THE DIFFERENTIAL WILL BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CHASSIS.*AK THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW Z3 CARS. MORE DETAILS OF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.368S.COM/INDEX.PHP?P=23 PLEASE REQUIRE BMW TO FIX THIS DESIGN DEFECT BEFORE IT CLAIMS A LIFE. # OF FAILURES IS ESTIMATED. ACTUAL FIGURE IS PROBABLY HIGHER AND BELIEVED TO BE DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES PRODUCED.
NHTSA complaint #10091290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. IT ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES REPORTED.
NHTSA complaint #10083684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
IN REGARD TO ALL MODEL YEAR Z3 BMW AUTOMOBILES. LATELY, INCLUDING WITH MY CAR, BMW Z3'S AS WELL AS ///M ROADSTERS AND COUPES (LIKE MY CAR), HAVE BEGUN EXPERIENCING HORRIFIC FAILURE IN THE REAR END DUE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CRACKING AWAY FROM THE CHASSIS. COUNTLESS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING LARGE CRACKS IN THEIR FRAME NEAR THE DIFFERENTIAL, CAUSE THE CAR TO BECOME LOOSE AND RESULT IN A POTENTIAL CRASH. MANY OWNERS HAVE EVEN SEEN THEIR ENTIRE TRUNK FLOORBOARDS BEGIN TO SEPARATE FROM THE CAR DUE TO WEAK WELDING. BMW HAS FOR THE MOST PART BEEN EXTREMELY UNRECEPTIVE TO OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE PROBLEMS, BLAMING THE FAILURES ON DRIVER ERROR. IT IS NOT DRIVER ERROR, AS THERE IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT BMW ITSELF ACTUALLY REINFORCED THE PROBLEM AREAS IN 2001-2002 WITHOUT ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM. AS OUR CARS GET OLDER, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE NOTICING THIS DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE. PLEASE HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10062316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CROSS MEMBER OF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BROKE.
NHTSA complaint #10055446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.