14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

This Problem Across All Years

All Structure Complaints

Showing 14 of 14
Oct 30, 2018 117,000 mi

THREE SPOT WELDS OF THE TRUNK FLOOR AND FRAME CROSSMEMBER ARE FAILING WHICH WILL LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRUNK FLOORS, DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS, AND THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER THAT JOINS THEM TO THE TRUNK FLOOR. THIS ISSUE WILL POTENTIALLY DESTROY MY CAR, LEADING TO GROSS SAFETY CONCERNS COUPLED WITH PROHIBITIVE REPAIR COSTS IF DEALT WITH BEFORE THE FAILURE. I WILL NOT DRIVE MY CAR IN ITS CURRENT STATE AS I DO NOT WANT TO RISK MY LIFE INCASE A FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. I NEED TO COVER THE REPAIR COSTS ($3,500) OF COMPREHENSIVE SUBFRAME REINFORCEMENT IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE.

Oct 30, 2018 117,000 mi

THREE SPOT WELDS OF THE TRUNK FLOOR AND FRAME CROSSMEMBER ARE FAILING WHICH WILL LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRUNK FLOORS, DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS, AND THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER THAT JOINS THEM TO THE TRUNK FLOOR. THIS ISSUE WILL POTENTIALLY DESTROY MY CAR, LEADING TO GROSS SAFETY CONCERNS COUPLED WITH PROHIBITIVE REPAIR COSTS IF DEALT WITH BEFORE THE FAILURE. I WILL NOT DRIVE MY CAR IN ITS CURRENT STATE AS I DO NOT WANT TO RISK MY LIFE INCASE A FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. I NEED TO COVER THE REPAIR COSTS ($3,500) OF COMPREHENSIVE SUBFRAME REINFORCEMENT IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE.

Feb 6, 2010 200,000 mi

BMW Z3 M COUPE SUBFRAME BROKE *CN

Feb 6, 2010 200,000 mi

BMW Z3 M COUPE SUBFRAME BROKE *CN

Aug 18, 2006 55,600 mi

1) CAR MODEL IS A 2000 BMW M COUPE (VARIATION OF THE Z3 WITH HARDTOP) WITH 55K MILES. IN RECENT YEARS THESE CARS (ALL Z3 MODELS) HAVE SHOWN SIGNS OF REAR SUBFRAME FAILURE. AFTER INVESTIGATING CREAKING AND SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR I DISCOVERED A CRACK ON THE SUBFRAME WHERE THE DIFFERENTIAL IS MOUNTED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PAN OF THE CAR. 2) IF THIS CRACK GOES UNFIXED, IT WILL SPREAD POSSIBLY TEARING THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM THE CAR, AND RENDER THE CAR USELESS. 3) PROBLEM IS UNSOLVED CURRENTLY. *NM

Aug 18, 2006 55,600 mi

1) CAR MODEL IS A 2000 BMW M COUPE (VARIATION OF THE Z3 WITH HARDTOP) WITH 55K MILES. IN RECENT YEARS THESE CARS (ALL Z3 MODELS) HAVE SHOWN SIGNS OF REAR SUBFRAME FAILURE. AFTER INVESTIGATING CREAKING AND SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR I DISCOVERED A CRACK ON THE SUBFRAME WHERE THE DIFFERENTIAL IS MOUNTED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PAN OF THE CAR. 2) IF THIS CRACK GOES UNFIXED, IT WILL SPREAD POSSIBLY TEARING THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM THE CAR, AND RENDER THE CAR USELESS. 3) PROBLEM IS UNSOLVED CURRENTLY. *NM

Aug 23, 2005 83,000 mi

MY MODEL YEAR 2000 BMW Z3 M COUPE HAS SUFFERED FROM THE PROBLEM OF FAILED WELDS IN THE REAR FLOOR AREA OF THE HATCH. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED AT APPROX. 83,000 MILES, WHILE THE SECOND WAS AROUND 115,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY ON BOTH OCCASIONS I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE THE PROBLEM BECAME SIGNIFICANT, BUT A NUMBER OF MY FRIENDS WITH Z3 M ROADSTERS, Z3 M COUPES AND Z3S HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITH NEAR CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. IN ONE CASE, THE CAR IS LITERALLY TOTALLED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE REAR END TORE APART ON THE HIGHWAY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FACTORY WELDS FAIL, ALLOWING MAJOR METAL PANELS TO MOVE EASILY WHICH COMPROMISES THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE BACK HALF OF THE CAR. ONCE THE REAR FLOOR (OR TRUNK AREA IN THE ROADSTER) FAILS, THE SWAYBAR MOUNTS AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS ARE FREE TO MOVE RANDOMLY, ULTIMATELY OVERWHELMING THE REAR SUBFRAME MEMBER WHICH ANCHORS THE REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS. THE RESULT OF THIS RANGES FROM MINOR - YET QUITE EXPENSIVE - TO CATASTROPHIC. TO DATE, BMW HAS CLAIMED THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE CARS ARE DRIVEN IN COMPETITIVE EVENTS OR WITH AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES, BUT I KNOW OF MULTIPLE CARS THAT ARE STOCK AND NOT DRIVEN HARD AND YET HAVE SUFFERED THIS FAILURE. I HAVE TO ADMIT MINE IS ON NON-STOCK SPRINGS AND SHOCKS... SO I DOUBT MY FILING WILL BE MUCH HELP IN YOUR ANALYSIS. FOR THAT REASON ALONE I HAVE NOT DOCUMENTED THE FAILURES WITH BMW. NEVERTHELESS IT IS ANOTHER DATA POINT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF MORE DETAILS ARE NEEDED.

Aug 23, 2005 83,000 mi

MY MODEL YEAR 2000 BMW Z3 M COUPE HAS SUFFERED FROM THE PROBLEM OF FAILED WELDS IN THE REAR FLOOR AREA OF THE HATCH. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED AT APPROX. 83,000 MILES, WHILE THE SECOND WAS AROUND 115,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY ON BOTH OCCASIONS I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE THE PROBLEM BECAME SIGNIFICANT, BUT A NUMBER OF MY FRIENDS WITH Z3 M ROADSTERS, Z3 M COUPES AND Z3S HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITH NEAR CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. IN ONE CASE, THE CAR IS LITERALLY TOTALLED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE REAR END TORE APART ON THE HIGHWAY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FACTORY WELDS FAIL, ALLOWING MAJOR METAL PANELS TO MOVE EASILY WHICH COMPROMISES THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE BACK HALF OF THE CAR. ONCE THE REAR FLOOR (OR TRUNK AREA IN THE ROADSTER) FAILS, THE SWAYBAR MOUNTS AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS ARE FREE TO MOVE RANDOMLY, ULTIMATELY OVERWHELMING THE REAR SUBFRAME MEMBER WHICH ANCHORS THE REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS. THE RESULT OF THIS RANGES FROM MINOR - YET QUITE EXPENSIVE - TO CATASTROPHIC. TO DATE, BMW HAS CLAIMED THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE CARS ARE DRIVEN IN COMPETITIVE EVENTS OR WITH AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES, BUT I KNOW OF MULTIPLE CARS THAT ARE STOCK AND NOT DRIVEN HARD AND YET HAVE SUFFERED THIS FAILURE. I HAVE TO ADMIT MINE IS ON NON-STOCK SPRINGS AND SHOCKS... SO I DOUBT MY FILING WILL BE MUCH HELP IN YOUR ANALYSIS. FOR THAT REASON ALONE I HAVE NOT DOCUMENTED THE FAILURES WITH BMW. NEVERTHELESS IT IS ANOTHER DATA POINT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF MORE DETAILS ARE NEEDED.

Aug 19, 2005 48,000 mi

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, AS AN OWNER OF A 2000 BMW Z3 M COUPE E36/8, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESIGN DEFECT OF THE SUB-FRAME ON MY VEHICLE. I LEASED MY VEHICLE NEW ON 12/1999 AND UPON THE EXPIRATION OF THE LEASE, PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM BMWNA ON 10/2002; I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THIS VEHICLE. DURING THIS TIME, I HAVE PLACED OVER 49,000 STREET DRIVEN MILES ON THE CAR WITH ABSOLUTELY NO COMPETITIVE EVENTS (I.E. RACING, AUTOCROSSING, DRAG-RACING, ETC.). THAT SAID, LESS THAN THREE MONTHS AGO, A MECHANIC DISCOVERED AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED THE BEGINNINGS OF A CRACK ON THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT OF MY SUBFRAME. BASED ON EXPERIENCE OF FELLOW BMW Z3 OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, MY CONFIDENCE IN THE SUB-FRAME DESIGN IS WANING. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE OF ME TO FACILITATE THIS REQUEST.

Aug 19, 2005 48,000 mi

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, AS AN OWNER OF A 2000 BMW Z3 M COUPE E36/8, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESIGN DEFECT OF THE SUB-FRAME ON MY VEHICLE. I LEASED MY VEHICLE NEW ON 12/1999 AND UPON THE EXPIRATION OF THE LEASE, PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM BMWNA ON 10/2002; I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THIS VEHICLE. DURING THIS TIME, I HAVE PLACED OVER 49,000 STREET DRIVEN MILES ON THE CAR WITH ABSOLUTELY NO COMPETITIVE EVENTS (I.E. RACING, AUTOCROSSING, DRAG-RACING, ETC.). THAT SAID, LESS THAN THREE MONTHS AGO, A MECHANIC DISCOVERED AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED THE BEGINNINGS OF A CRACK ON THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT OF MY SUBFRAME. BASED ON EXPERIENCE OF FELLOW BMW Z3 OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, MY CONFIDENCE IN THE SUB-FRAME DESIGN IS WANING. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE OF ME TO FACILITATE THIS REQUEST.

Mar 16, 2004 43,125 mi

DIFFERENTIAL BRACKET AND SUBFLOOR ARE CRACKING AND TEARING APART AT THE WELD SEAMS. IF ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, THIS COULD LEAD TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT AND/OR SUBFRAME MOUNTING LOCATIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNPREDICTABLE HANDLING. *JB

Mar 16, 2004 43,125 mi

DIFFERENTIAL BRACKET AND SUBFLOOR ARE CRACKING AND TEARING APART AT THE WELD SEAMS. IF ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, THIS COULD LEAD TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT AND/OR SUBFRAME MOUNTING LOCATIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNPREDICTABLE HANDLING. *JB

Mar 11, 2004

MANUFACTURING WEAKENESS/DEFECT IN THE REAR SUBFRAME WELDS AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS. *AK

Mar 11, 2004

MANUFACTURING WEAKENESS/DEFECT IN THE REAR SUBFRAME WELDS AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS. *AK