BMW Z3 Complaints (1997)

47 consumer complaints on file.

#763069June 14, 2002
SEATS
THE SEAT DOES NOT LOCK ON THE TRACK, IT SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH WHILE ACCELERATING OR BRAKING, IT WAS A DEFECT WHEN MANFURED BUT MANUFACTURER WILL NOT CORRECT, MANY Z 3 OWNERS HAVE THE PROBLEM, I FEEL IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR KILL SOMEONE, IF IT WAS A US COMPANY LIKE GM, FORD, OR CHRY I KNOW THEY WOULD HAVE REPAIRED THE DEFECT, WHY DO WE ALLOW FOREIGN COMPANIES TO GET AWAY WITH PRODUCING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE WE WOULD NOT ALLOW ONE OF OUR COMPANIE TO PRODUCE. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY SEAT. BY THE WAY BMW HAS AGREED IT WAS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BUT THEY WANT TO GET ANOTHER $4-500 BUCKS TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WAS PLAINLY A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING PROBLEM BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION. I ASK YOU HELP ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE Z 3 OWNERS WHO MIGHT END UP IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE WRITTEN BMW BUT THEY DID NOT EVEN GIVE ME THE COURTESY OF AN ANSWER. HELP PLEASE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8010882June 2, 2002
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
LEFT REAR FRAME RAIL CRACKED WITH CAUSE UNKNOWN. THIS CRACK WAS ONLY DETECTED BY OWNER WHEN CHANGING TIRE. DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THIS MAY HAVE COME FROM MANUFACTURE TIGHTNING FRAME TOO TIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8006061March 20, 2002
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8003673February 6, 2002
AIR BAGS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, SEAT BELTS, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER, STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, SEATS, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8002952January 28, 2002
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH WHEELS LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VEER FROM SIDE TO SIDE, FINALLY SPUN AROUND. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL HAD LOCKED UP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748982July 23, 2001
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748070July 8, 2001
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#736637November 20, 2000
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT ON. BROUGHT TO BMW CHARGED $80 TO DIAGNOSE, SAW INTERNET OTHER OWNERS SAME PROBLEM / THEN FOUNDOUT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLITEN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729024August 25, 2000
SEATS
PASSENGER SEAT BELT TIGHTENS AROUND PASSENGERS NECK AND CHEST, CAUSING PAIN AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. I HAVE INFORMED MY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#9000795May 17, 2000
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
REQUESTING AN ON/OFF AIR BAG SWITCH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720673March 27, 2000
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS MOVE AND SHIFT OUT OF PLACE DURING NORMAL OPERATION AT ANY SPEED ALL OF THE TIME. REPORTED TO DEALER FOR CORRECTION UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS ADVISED THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE SEAT TO MOVE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE SEAT MOVEMENT COULD RESULT IN DEFICIENT APPLICATION OF BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL DURING BRAKING CONDITIONS. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS CONSIDERED BY NHTSA AS NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550196January 3, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL FRONTAL DAMAGE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO ARM, WRIST AND LOWER BACK. NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#784386January 1, 2000
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCK PERIODICALLY. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#714825November 15, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
6 MONTH OLD AND THE HEAD GASKET BLOWS UP, WARPING THE CYLINDERS. BMW WAS NASTY TO DEAL WITH, REFUSED TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF PROBLEM SO WE REFUSED TO TAKE BACK CAR. SERVICE DEPARTMENT HINTED THAT THIS WAS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 1.9L AND THAT THEY WOULD STOP SELLING THE ENGINE (WHICH THEY DID). *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712836October 5, 1999
SEATS
SEATS JUMP OUT OF GUIDES CAUSING THEM TO JUMP BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER DEALER SAYS THEY WILL NOT FIX AND IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL BMW'S WHICH I FIND QUESTIONABLE TO THE SAFETY OF ALL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548992September 30, 1999
SEATS
BOTH SEATS COME OFF TRACK AND MOVE WHEN STOPPING, CAN NOT BE REPAIRED, NORMAL OPERATION. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#703349February 16, 1999
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
GRINDING NOISE WHEN A/C BUTTON ENGAGED AND FAN IS RUNNING. OCCURS AT SPEEDS FROM 0+ MPH. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#834519February 5, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
SEAT HEATER CONTROL IS LOCATED ON THE CONSOLE IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO REACH WHILE DRIVING, NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#609377February 1, 1999
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT LOCKING DEVICE FAILED, STICKING, NEW UNIT PERFORMS THE SAME. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#780655October 2, 1998
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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