SEATBELTS LOCK TIGHT, PINNING ME DOWN OR DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. BOLT ON DRIVER'S SEAT WAS REPLACED BUT THE SEAT STILL MOVES. CONVERTIBLE TOP IS MISALIGNED CAUSING LEAKS, GAPS COULD BE SEEN 1 WEEK AFTER PURCHASE AND THEY ARE GROWING. DEALER ARGUES NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. CAR HESITATES BUT HASN'T STALLED YET.
1999 BMW Z3
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
25 reports with mileage · 14 unknown
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 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Seat Belts complaints
7 reportsTHE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP DID NOT CLOSE. *PH *JB
AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON CONTINUOUSLY. TOOK IN TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND HAS NEVER GONE OFF, SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. PASSENGER SEAT BELT GETS STUCK WHILE PASSENGER IS BELTED AND WILL NOT RELEASE. *NLM
ONGOING SEAT BELT PROBLEMS AND HAD TO KEEP REPLACING SEAT BELTS. WHEN UNFASTENING SEAT BELT, IT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN HOLDER. HAD TO FEED IT BACK INTO HOLDER.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY SEAT BELTS ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES WILL NOT COME OUT OF RETRACTOR. SOMETIMES WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD, SEAT BETS LOCK UP AND WILL NOT RELEASE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS NOT USING SEAT BELT CORRECTLY. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILING TO RELEASE WHEN NEEDED. UNABLE TO USE SAFETY BELT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS RETRACTING AFTER EXITING THE AUTOMOBILE. *AK
Official recalls
299V272000 · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
Oct 7, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL MAY CONTAIN RING GEAR BOLTS THAT WERE INCORRECTLY TORQUED DURING ASSEMBLY. THE BOLT OR BOLTS COULD LOOSEN LEADING TO NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BOLT OR BOLTS COULD LOOSEN LEADING TO NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AND IF A BOLT WERE TO COMPLETELY WORK LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNT, LOCKUP OF THE REAR AXLE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S DIFFERENTIAL AND IF INVOLVED, WILL REPLACE IT.
98V275000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables
Nov 3, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE NUT THAT SECURES THE MAIN POSITIVE CABLE TO THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY, ALLOWING THE CABLE TO LOOSEN OVER TIME. IF THIS OCCURRED, THE CABLE COULD ULTIMATELY LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE ELECTRICAL CONTINUITY COULD BE INTERRUPTED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE ENGINE COULD STOP. ALSO, IF THE VEHICLE WERE BEING OPERATED AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTING SYSTEM COULD SHUT OFF, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.
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.
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