1999 BMW M ROADSTER Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
OVER SEVERAL MONTHS I HEARD INCREASING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC HE FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE CROSSMEMBER THAT HOLDS THE DIFFERENTIAL TO THE SUBFRAME HAD PULLED LOOSE FROM THE TRUNK. THE CAR COULD NOT BE SAFELY DRIVEN, MY BODYSHOP SUGGESTED I SEND IT TO THE BMW DEALER...
Mileage: 90,019
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ENGINE MAINTENANCE AND ASKED THEM TO ADDRESS SQUEAKS AND RATTLES. ON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE REAR CROSSMEMBER HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE UNIBODY AND THE MOUNT HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN HAD ONLY 1/4 IN OF 4 INCHES HOLDING THE AFT END OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. C...
Mileage: 145,000
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ENGINE MAINTENANCE AND ASKED THEM TO ADDRESS SQUEAKS AND RATTLES. ON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE REAR CROSSMEMBER HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE UNIBODY AND THE MOUNT HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN HAD ONLY 1/4 IN OF 4 INCHES HOLDING THE AFT END OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. C...
Mileage: 145,000
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE REAR END FAIL AND BEGAN TO DRAG. AFTER GETTING THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP, IT WAS NOTED THE REAR END SUBFRAME WELDS CAME LOSE. AFTER CONTACTING THE INSURANCE COMPANY THEY TOTALED THE CAR OUT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BACK AND MADE REPAIRS TO THE CAR THAT COST ME $4000.00. *TR
Mileage: 67,000
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE REAR END FAIL AND BEGAN TO DRAG. AFTER GETTING THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP, IT WAS NOTED THE REAR END SUBFRAME WELDS CAME LOSE. AFTER CONTACTING THE INSURANCE COMPANY THEY TOTALED THE CAR OUT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BACK AND MADE REPAIRS TO THE CAR THAT COST ME $4000.00. *TR
Mileage: 67,000
CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IT NOW HAS A BROKEN SUBFRAME. IT BEGAN AS A THUMPING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT NEEDED STRUTS. AFTER LOOKING CLOSER I SAW A TEAR IN THE FRAME. I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP FIRST AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. SO I CONTACTED BMW AND THEY TOLD ME TO T...
Mileage: 1,350,000
CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IT NOW HAS A BROKEN SUBFRAME. IT BEGAN AS A THUMPING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT NEEDED STRUTS. AFTER LOOKING CLOSER I SAW A TEAR IN THE FRAME. I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP FIRST AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. SO I CONTACTED BMW AND THEY TOLD ME TO T...
Mileage: 1,350,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW M ROADSTER. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED...
Mileage: 135,000
THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT FOR THE CAR HAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE TRUNK FLOOR IT IS WELDED TO. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE I FOUND THIS DEFECT BEFORE ONE OCCURRED. HAD I NOT FOUND THIS DEFECT, THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE COULD HAVE COME LOOSE FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR
Mileage: 98,010
THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT FOR THE CAR HAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE TRUNK FLOOR IT IS WELDED TO. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE I FOUND THIS DEFECT BEFORE ONE OCCURRED. HAD I NOT FOUND THIS DEFECT, THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE COULD HAVE COME LOOSE FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR
Mileage: 98,010
NOISE DEVELOPING UNDER REAR UNDERCARRIAGE. *TR
Mileage: 100,555
DIFFERENTIAL SUBFRAME CAUSES WELD FAILURES APPEARING IN TRUNK AND OTHER BODY LOCATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT THAT GENERATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THIS DEFECT IS BEING REPORTED BY AN INCREASING NUMBER OF Z3 OWNERS OVER TIME. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
DIFFERENTIAL SUBFRAME CAUSES WELD FAILURES APPEARING IN TRUNK AND OTHER BODY LOCATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT THAT GENERATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THIS DEFECT IS BEING REPORTED BY AN INCREASING NUMBER OF Z3 OWNERS OVER TIME. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
DIFFERENTIAL SUBFRAME CAUSES WELD FAILURES APPEARING IN TRUNK AND OTHER BODY LOCATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT THAT GENERATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THIS DEFECT IS BEING REPORTED BY AN INCREASING NUMBER OF Z3 OWNERS OVER TIME. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
REAR SUBFRAME SEPARATION ON 1999 M ROADSTER (Z3). *TR
Mileage: 109,000
FAILURE OF THE TRUNK FLOOR SUPPORTING THE DIFFERENTIAL, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. *JB
Mileage: 62,221
I OWN A 1999 BMW Z3 ROADSTER, PURCHASED IN NOV 1998. RECENTLY, THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT HAVE BEGUN TO SLIP FORE AND AFT, AS WELL AS ROCK SIDE-SIDE . BOTH SEATS ARE MOTORIZED. I HAVE HAD THE SEATS EXAMINED BY MY MECHANIC WHO TELLS ME THE WORM GEAR/CRADLE ASSEMBLIES FOR BOTH SEATS ARE EXCESSIVELY WORN...
Mileage: 29,000
FOUR MONTHS AGO I PURCHASED A STOCK EXCELLENT CONDITION 99 M ROADSTER (MY 4TH BMW IN 5 YEARS). 75000 MILES, NO TRACK TIME, NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE DRIVELINE. NORMAL DRIVING HAS CAUSED THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS TO FAIL - THE MOUNT IS RIVETS TO THE TRUNK BED AND THE RIVETS ARE POPPING OUT. IF I LAY ANY ...
Mileage: 75,000
I AM HAVING A SUBFRAME FAILURE ISSUE WITH MY 1999 BMW M ROADSTER. IT HAS 70,000 K OR ABOUT 43,000 MILES ON IT. NEVER BEEN WINTER DRIVEN. I HEARD A KNOCKING AND SQUEAKING SOUND FROM THE REAR, IT LOOKS LIKE THE SUBFRAME IS CRACKING ALSO ON ME. *JB
Mileage: 44,000
I HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN COMPLAINT 10062088, AND KNOW OF OTHER M ROADSTER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE IN THE BMW AIRBAG SYSTEM. THIS PERSON WAS TOLD BY BMW THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS ARE NOT RELIABLE, BUT THE BAGS SHOULD STILL WORK. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON ...
Mileage: 45,000
1) FAILURE OCCURRED SUDDENLY DURING ACCELERATION 2) THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS AND SUBFRAME ON MY 1999 BMW M ROADSTER (MZ3) GAVE WAY, ALLOWING THE DIFFERENTIAL TO DROP TO THE ROAD MOMENTARILY AND CRACK THE HEAT SINK. THE DIFFERENTIAL THEN RESTED ON THE EXHAUST PIPES. THIS CAUSED THE CV JOINT BOLTS T...
Mileage: 82,302
AFTER OTHERS TOLD ME OF THE DEFECTS IN THEIR Z3 CARS, I DECIDED TO CHECK MY OWN CAR. AFTER REMOVING THE CARPET IN THE TRUNK AND IT REVEALED MULTIPLE BROKEN SPOTWELDS OF THE CROSSMEMBER THAT SUPPORTS THE DIFFERENTIAL AND CONNECTS TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PAN. ALSO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FLOOR PAN IS PULLING ...
Mileage: 74,000
SRS LIGHT, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT JUST TURNED ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *AK
Mileage: 37,800
1998 & 1999 M ROADSTER AND M COUPE BMWS HAVE A HUGE REARVIEW MIRROR THAT IS POSITIONED LOW, AND IMPAIRS FRONT VISIBILITY. MIRROR CREATES A HUGE BLIND SPOT. REPORTED TROUBLE TO DEALER AND BMWNA REPRESENTATIVE, BUT THEY HAD NO RECOMMENDATION AND STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES. MANY OWNERS ...