IllustrationMY 1997 BMW Z3 HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON 2 YEARS AGO. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SEATBELT TENSIONER. HE REPLACED IT AND ALL WAS FINE. IT'S BACK ON AGAIN. IF THIS IS AS COMMON TO THESE MODELS AS I'VE HEARD WHY HASN'T BMW HAD A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS GETTING EXPENSIVE. *TR
1997 BMW Z3
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 BMW Z3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 30.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Z3 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 11 of 47 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
10 reportsTHE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS UP MORE OFTEN THAN NORMAL AND AT UN-NEEDED TIMES. THIS CAUSES PAIN TO THE USER WITH THE END RESULT BEING THAT THE USER TENDS TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT, OR IS FORCED TO SIT THERE IN PAIN WITH THE SEAT BELT ON AND LOCKED UP. *NLM
BOTH SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
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 GLO…
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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
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.
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…
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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
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCK PERIODICALLY. YH
SEAT BELT LOCKING DEVICE FAILED, STICKING, NEW UNIT PERFORMS THE SAME. YH
PASSENGER'S SID ESEAT BELT LOCKS UP WHEN EXTENDED OUT ABOUT 8-9 FEET FOR A LARGE PERSON. ONCE LOCKED, IT WILL NOT UNLOCK EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS AT COMPLETE STOP. *AK
SEAT BELT DESIGN CAUSING BELT TO PULL AND LOCK UP DURING NORMAL OPERATION, CAUSING COMFORT PROBLEMS.
Official recalls
197V131000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 19, 1997
THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
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.