IllustrationCAR IS A 1998 BMW M ROADSTER. SPOT WELDS ATTACHING THE SUBFRAME AND DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS TO THE CAR ARE SEPARATING, CAUSING AN UNSAFE STRUCTURAL SITUATION. *NM
1998 BMW M Roadster
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all M Roadster years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 16 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
Structure complaints
16 reportsREAR SUBFRAME WELD FAILURE ALLOWING THE DIFFERENTIAL TO DROP TO THE POINT THAT THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT IN ARE THE HALFSHAFTS RESTING ON THE FRAME RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE
1998 BMW M ROADSTER REAR SUB-FRAME FAILURE (1) NORMAL DRIVING (NON-RACING) LED TO A TORN REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT AND SUB-FRAME CRACK. (2) CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AS THE REAR AXLES WERE RUBBING ON THE EXHAUST AND THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS 5" FROM TOUCHING THE GROUND (3) I HAD A PRIVATE MECHANIC DO THE REPAIR WORK WHICH CONSISTED OF REP…
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1998 BMW M ROADSTER REAR SUB-FRAME FAILURE (1) NORMAL DRIVING (NON-RACING) LED TO A TORN REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT AND SUB-FRAME CRACK. (2) CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AS THE REAR AXLES WERE RUBBING ON THE EXHAUST AND THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS 5" FROM TOUCHING THE GROUND (3) I HAD A PRIVATE MECHANIC DO THE REPAIR WORK WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE WHOLE REAR SUB-FRAME AND PUTTING IN A NEW, REINFORCED ONE. *NM
THE CHASSIS IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE CRACKS, PULLED SPOTWELDS AND SEPARATION (DELAMINATION) OF UNIBODY IN THE TRUNK AREA. THE SEPARATION CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, AS THE DIFFERENTIAL WILL BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CHASSIS.*AK THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW Z3 CARS. MORE DETAILS OF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP:/…
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THE CHASSIS IS DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE CRACKS, PULLED SPOTWELDS AND SEPARATION (DELAMINATION) OF UNIBODY IN THE TRUNK AREA. THE SEPARATION CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, AS THE DIFFERENTIAL WILL BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CHASSIS.*AK THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW Z3 CARS. MORE DETAILS OF THE PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.368S.COM/INDEX.PHP?P=23 PLEASE REQUIRE BMW TO FIX THIS DESIGN DEFECT BEFORE IT CLAIMS A LIFE. # OF FAILURES IS ESTIMATED. ACTUAL FIGURE IS PROBABLY HIGHER AND BELIEVED TO BE DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES PRODUCED.
IN REGARD TO ALL MODEL YEAR Z3 BMW AUTOMOBILES. LATELY, INCLUDING WITH MY CAR, BMW Z3'S AS WELL AS ///M ROADSTERS AND COUPES (LIKE MY CAR), HAVE BEGUN EXPERIENCING HORRIFIC FAILURE IN THE REAR END DUE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CRACKING AWAY FROM THE CHASSIS. COUNTLESS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING LARGE CRACKS IN THEIR FRAME NEAR THE…
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IN REGARD TO ALL MODEL YEAR Z3 BMW AUTOMOBILES. LATELY, INCLUDING WITH MY CAR, BMW Z3'S AS WELL AS ///M ROADSTERS AND COUPES (LIKE MY CAR), HAVE BEGUN EXPERIENCING HORRIFIC FAILURE IN THE REAR END DUE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CRACKING AWAY FROM THE CHASSIS. COUNTLESS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING LARGE CRACKS IN THEIR FRAME NEAR THE DIFFERENTIAL, CAUSE THE CAR TO BECOME LOOSE AND RESULT IN A POTENTIAL CRASH. MANY OWNERS HAVE EVEN SEEN THEIR ENTIRE TRUNK FLOORBOARDS BEGIN TO SEPARATE FROM THE CAR DUE TO WEAK WELDING. BMW HAS FOR THE MOST PART BEEN EXTREMELY UNRECEPTIVE TO OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE PROBLEMS, BLAMING THE FAILURES ON DRIVER ERROR. IT IS NOT DRIVER ERROR, AS THERE IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT BMW ITSELF ACTUALLY REINFORCED THE PROBLEM AREAS IN 2001-2002 WITHOUT ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM. AS OUR CARS GET OLDER, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE NOTICING THIS DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE. PLEASE HELP. *JB
CROSS MEMBER OF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BROKE. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.