1998 BMW Z3 Roadster

BOTH THE DRIVER SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT RAILS ARE DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE SEATS TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH DURING STOPS ESPECIALLY DOWNHILL. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE DRIVER AND AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION FOR THE PASSENGER. BMW SAYS THAT IT WILL NOT PROVIDE A REPAIR AT ITS COST OR AT A REDUCED COST BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT INHERENT TO THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND IT ON OTHER Z3S THAT I TEST DROVE. IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT COST BY BMW. *NM

DT: 1998 BMW Z3 ROADSTER - THERE WAS A SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS. WHILE DRIVING ON A DRY ROUGH ROAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CONSUMER DID NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH ANYTHING, AND WAS DRIVING ONLY ABOUT 5 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAY THAT AN IMPACT WITH A POT HOLE CAUSED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. CONSUMER CLAIMED HE DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THIS DEPLOYMENT. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT CHECK THE SENSORS TO SEE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS. THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE AIR BAG DEFECT ON THIS MODEL. HOWEVER THERE WAS A RECALL ON AIR BAGS IN OTHER BMW MODELS. *AK

I HEARD A CREAKING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR, I PUT IT ON JACKS TO CHECK IT OUT. TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLOOR PAN MAINLY AROUND THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT. THE CAR IS CLAIMED TO BE UNDRIVABLE BY BMW, BUT YET THEY WILL NOT TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MATTER. I SEE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF I DID NOT CHECK IT AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CRACKS AND TEARS IN THE BODY METAL THAT EXIST COULD HAVE CONTINUED EVEN FURTHER AND LED TO AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. I WAS ESTIMATED AT A WHOPPING 5200 DOLLARS WHICH BMW SAID THEY WOULD ONLY PAY 3000 OF. I BELIEVE IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, SO IT SHOULD BE PAID IN FULLY BY THE COMPANY, BUT THEY WILL NOT STAND UP THE THEIR FAULT. I HAVE AT THIS TIME NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN ITS CURRENT STATE, I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT WHO DOESNT HAVE THE LARGEST INCOME AROUND SO PICKING 2000 OR MORE DOLLARS OUT OF NOWHERE IS QUITE IMPOSSIBLE. AND I STILL HAVE TO GO TO WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME I AM HOME, AND SO WITHOUT A LOANER FROM BMW OR THEM TAKING FULL BLAME AND PAYING IN FULL I AM FORCED TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR, FOR HOWEVER LONG. I HOPE THIS SITUATION CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF AS THERE ARE CASES OF SIMILAR SUBFRAME PROBLEMS POPPING UP ALL OVER FORUMS ONLINE. ENTHUSIASTS OF THE Z3 WILL RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE IF THEY TEDIOUSLY AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THEIR CARS, HOWEVER THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO JUST BUYS THEIR CAR AND DRIVES IT AROUND HAS ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA OF THE PROBLEM AT HAND AND THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE THAT IT MAY LEAD UP TO IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY.

THE SEAM ON THE GAS TANK OF MY BMW Z3 HAS A DEFECT. IT HAS ONLY 86,000 MILES ON IT, HAS NEVER BEEN IN A SALT OR CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED. IT HAS APPARENTLY BEEN LEAKING GAS FOR QUITE A WHILE. WITH THE LOW FLASHPOINT OF GAS AND THE PROPENSITY FOR INJURY IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT I AM OUTRAGED. I WANT TO PURSUE THIS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.

ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN REAR OF CAR SLID LEFT DURING TURN WHILE DRIVING AT 30-40 MPH. AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL (ATC) DID NOT ENGAGE AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, ALLOWING SLIDE TO CONTINUE. DRIVER PROPERLY CORRECTED STEERING. CAR OVERCORRECTED WITH THE REAR OF THE CAR SLIDING TO THE RIGHT. DRIVER PROPERLY CORRECTED AGAIN, BUT REAR OF CAR SLID AGAIN TO THE LEFT. DRIVER COULD NOT CORRECT IN TIME TO PREVENT SPIN, LEADING TO IMPACT WITH CONCRETE WALL. ATC IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO RESPOND TO THIS TYPE OF POSITION BUT DID NOT. DRIVER INJURED. CAR DAMAGED, WITH FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION IN DISARRAY. *AK

1998 BMW Z3, 1.9. SRS (AIRBAG LIGHT) CONSTANTLY COMING ON EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT! I HAD IT FIXED 3 TIMES ALREADY AT THE DEALERSHIP SUPPOSEDLY UNDER WARANTY BUT STILL COSTING ME ATLEAST 100 DOLLARS R "DIAGNOSTIC FEES". IT CAME ON AGAIN AND I GIVE UP.ITS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS NOW. WHY BOTHER GETTING IT FIXED IF IT WILL JUST COME ON AGAIN! I AM GOING TO TRY BUYING THE DIAGNOSTIC TOOL MYSELF AND SEEING IF I CAN HANDLE IT MYSELF. *AK