FaultScore

BMW Z3 airbag problems

59 of the 299 complaints filed about the BMW Z3 are about the airbag system — 20% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2000.

59

Complaints

20%

Share of all complaints

13

Crashes

2

Fires

Airbags complaints by model year

1996 Z3 9 15.3%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

1997 Z3 16 27.1%

Median failure at 56,423 miles

1998 Z3 3 5.1%

Median failure at 53,500 miles

1999 Z3 10 16.9%

Median failure at 84,975 miles

2000 Z3 17 28.8%

Median failure at 72,000 miles

2001 Z3 2 3.4%

Median failure at 29,300 miles

2002 Z3 2 3.4%

Median failure at 44,500 miles

What owners said

2000 BMW Z3 at 63,000 miles Greensburg, PA 1 injured

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11683639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW Z3 Huntsville, AL

AIR BAGS

Hello, NHTSA released a recall warning for BMWs made from 2000 to 2006, regarding Takata airbags. "The risk to vehicle occupants is dire," it said. My 1999 BMW Z3 was made one year before this, and is not included in the recall. I have been trying to determine whether my '99 BMW has Takata airbags as well, thus far with no success. As of today, BMW will only tell me that there are no outstanding recalls for my car - they have not been willing to tell me what type of airbags they originally installed in it. Do your records indicate what type of airbags I have?

NHTSA complaint #11576189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 BMW Z3 at 199,000 miles Fort Dick, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11513678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 BMW Z3 North Beach, MD

AIR BAGS

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN ALIGHT FOR SOMETIME. I'M NOT CERTAIN IF IT'S AN AIRBAG FAILURE OR WHETHER IT'S ON THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS SURPRISED NOT TO FIND MY AUTO INCLUDED IN THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL LIST EVENT. CAN YOU SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS MATTER? IF SO, MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE.

NHTSA complaint #11404637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 at 192,000 miles LOS Angeles, CA

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11354641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 Simi Valley, CA

AIR BAGS

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

NHTSA complaint #11348677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 BMW Z3 at 29,300 miles Newton, MA

AIR BAGS

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN ENGINE IS ON.

NHTSA complaint #11326781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 at 89,000 miles Yucaipa, CA

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11316436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW Z3 at 103,000 miles Council Bluffs, IA

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS LIT

NHTSA complaint #11288865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW Z3 at 53,000 miles Anacortes, WA

AIR BAGS

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON. WHETHER CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.

NHTSA complaint #11288157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 BMW Z3 at 69,000 miles SAN Carlos, CA

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT IS COMING IN AND OUT ON THE VEHICLE DISPLAY

NHTSA complaint #11287152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 at 80,000 miles Fernadina Beach, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11111226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 Fernandina Beach, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #11102371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 at 72,000 miles Cooper City, FL

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE SHOWS WARNING SIGN ALL TIMES

NHTSA complaint #11018864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 BMW Z3 at 102,000 miles Henderson, NV

AIR BAGS

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS MOVE FORWARD/BACKWARDS DURING ACCELERATION AND BREAKING AT ANY SPEED, GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY ON FULL TANK OR FLUXES ON DASH AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON FOR 3-5 MIN. AT A TIME WHEN STARTING UP IGNITION.

NHTSA complaint #10649974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 BMW Z3 at 75,000 miles Jacksonville, AR

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW Z3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT COULD NOT BE UNLATCHED WHEN THE DRIVER WOULD DEPRESS OR ADD ANY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #10524931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW Z3 at 117,860 miles Kula, HI 1 injured

AIR BAGS

DRIVER SIDE (DOOR) AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. IMPACT CAUSED ME TO SWERVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANES.

NHTSA complaint #10491929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 BMW Z3 at 56,423 miles Rancho Santa FE, CA

AIR BAGS

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 complaint #10404652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 BMW Z3 at 65,000 miles SUN Lakes, AZ Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

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 complaint #10360272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW Z3 at 82,000 miles Clarksville, TN

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT ON. SHOP MECHANIC STATED "RETRIEVED DTC CODE FOR DRIVERS SEAT BELT SWITCH OPEN OR SHORT CIRCUIT. CLEANED CONNECTORS, CLEARED DTC INFO OPERATIONAL CHECK OK. IF FAULT RECURS, RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF DRIVERS SEAT BELT LATCH ASSEMBLY." PROBLEM FIXED JUNE 18, 2008. NOW PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ON IS BACK. THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG SENSORS AND SEAT BELT LATCHES ON VARIOUS BSM VEHICLES ACCORDING TO INTERNET SEARCHES.

NHTSA complaint #10310014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other BMW Z3 problems