Model year record

1999 BMW Z3 recalls & problems

The 1999 BMW Z3 has 3 safety recalls and 39 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is structure (13 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints39filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Exterior lightingMar 23, 2006

Exterior lighting

Recall 06E02600061,944 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (OVSC)

Problem: CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

Power trainOct 7, 1999

Driveline › Differential unit

Recall 99V27200036 vehicles

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL MAY CONTAIN RING GEAR BOLTS THAT WERE INCORRECTLY TORQUED DURING ASSEMBLY. THE BOLT OR BOLTS COULD LOOSEN LEADING TO NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
Risk: THE BOLT OR BOLTS COULD LOOSEN LEADING TO NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AND IF A BOLT WERE TO COMPLETELY WORK LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNT, LOCKUP OF THE REAR AXLE COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S DIFFERENTIAL AND IF INVOLVED, WILL REPLACE IT.

Electrical systemNov 3, 1998

12v/24v/48v battery › Cables

Recall 98V2750001,000 vehicles

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE NUT THAT SECURES THE MAIN POSITIVE CABLE TO THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY, ALLOWING THE CABLE TO LOOSEN OVER TIME. IF THIS OCCURRED, THE CABLE COULD ULTIMATELY LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE ELECTRICAL CONTINUITY COULD BE INTERRUPTED.
Risk: IF THIS OCCURED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE ENGINE COULD STOP. ALSO, IF THE VEHICLE WERE BEING OPERATED AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTING SYSTEM COULD SHUT OFF, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

Z3 Roadster

20mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 25 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,350/year to fuel

Z3 Coupe

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Z3 Coupe

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.8 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Z3 Roadster

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Z3 Roadster

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Z3 Roadster

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.8 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Injuries	Typical mileage*
StructureFrame and members; Body	13	1	87,975 mi
Air bagsFrontal › Sensor/control module; Side/window	10	2	84,975 mi
Power trainDriveline › Differential unit; Driveline › Driveshaft	9	1	103,000 mi
Seat beltsFront › Retractor; Front	7	0	—
SuspensionRear; Front › Stabilizer bar	6	1	89,659 mi
Electrical system12v/24v/48v battery; Instrument cluster/panel	2	1	—
Unknown or other	2	0	—
Seats	2	0	—
Latches/locks/linkages	1	0	—
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Abs warning light	1	0	—
Equipment	1	0	—
SteeringHydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections	1	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

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?
Mar 8, 2024
Air bags
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS LIT
Jul 16, 2017 · 103,000 miles
Air bags
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON. WHETHER CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.
Oct 10, 2019 · 53,000 miles
Structure › Body
VERY WELL KNOWN FAILURE, JUST SEARCH FOR "BMW Z3 SUBFRAME FAILURE". IT IS A DESIGN FLAW BY BMW THAT AFFECTS A LOT OF Z3'S THROUGH ALL MODEL YEARS. MINE STARTED TO POP ONE WELD AT 88K MILES. IT CAN CAUSE THE REAR ALIGNMENT TO BE OFF, IN WORST CASE THE TRUNK FLOOR IS TORN OUT AND THE DIFFERENTIAL FALLS TO THE GROUND. CLUNKING FROM THE BACK WHILE SHIFTING IN THE FIRST TWO GEARS IS ONE INDICATOR THIS DAMAGE IS NOT FAR AWAY. THIS IS ONE FORUM THREAD THAT DESCRIBES THE ISSUE WELL: HTTPS://WWW.BIMMERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?1979601-SUBFRAME-TRUNK-FLOOR-DIFFERENTIAL-MOUNT-FAILURE
Oct 6, 2017 · 88,000 miles
Power train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW Z3. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND PLACED INTO REVERSE, A CLANKING SOUND EMERGED FROM THE REAR END WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V272000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Jun 13, 2016 · 140,000 miles
Suspension
THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING IS SEPARATING FROM THE SUBFRAME OF THE CAR, UNDER OR NEAR THE TRUNK AREA. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THE Z3 SERIES OF VEHICLES. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IF THE READ DIFFERENTIAL SEPARATES FROM THE SUBFRAME, AND COULD CAUSE A HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORIST. THIS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. THE FRAME WAS DESIGNED FOR A 1.9L ENGINE, AND BMW DID NOT REDESIGN THE SUBFRAME TO ALLOW FOR THE LARGER ENGINES IT LATER SOLD IN THE Z3 SERIES OF CARS. BMW ALSO HAD THIS SAME ISSUE ON 3XX SERIES OF VEHICLES, AND AGREED TO REPAIR THOSE CARS DUE TO A CLASS ACTION LAW SUITE SETTLEMENT. BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DESIGN…
Nov 26, 2014 · 101,000 miles
Seats
DRIVER SEAT BECAME LOOSE AND WOULD SLIDE FORWARD WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND BACKWARD ON ACCELERATION. THE MOVEMENT WAS ABRUPT ENOUGH TO BE DISCONCERTING, ESPECIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY MANEUVER. BMW DEALERSHIP ADVISED IT WAS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AND NOT DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS NOT AT RISK OF FULLY DETACHING. I HAVE LIVED WITH IT, BUT IT IS A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS AND IT FEELS UNSAFE - AS IF THE SEAT MIGHT COME LOOSE. IT IS VERY DISTRACTING TO ANY DRIVER WHO IS NOT ACCUSTOMED TO IT AND EVEN TO ME - A LIKELY CAUSE OF DRIVER ERROR OR LOSS OF CONTROL DURING ABRUPT MANEUVERS. RECENTLY AS I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR SOLUTIONS I FOUND THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1999…
Aug 18, 2005
Engine
MY 1999 BMW ROADSTER ENGINE BEGAN TORQUING FROM IDLE TO VERY FAST WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANICS AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE THEN. IT WILL STOP THIS WHEN I SHUT OFF ENGINE AND TURN IT BACK ON. I FEAR THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PLEASE ADVISE ON WHAT TO DO. *TR
Oct 20, 2011 · 88,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.