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1999 Bmw Z3 Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Serious

56 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.50 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious06E026000

Exterior Lighting

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Serious98V275000

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:Cables

IF THIS OCCURED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE ENGINE COULD STOP.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.

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.

Moderate99V272000

Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit

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 & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S DIFFERENTIAL AND IF INVOLVED, WILL REPLACE IT.

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.

Complaint volume

56 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
7Injuries
0Deaths

Across 56 complaints. Severity Index 0.50.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Air Bags6 · 11%Structure · Frame And Mem…5 · 9%Power Train · Driveline ·…4 · 7%Power Train4 · 7%Seat Belts · Front · Retr…3 · 5%Air Bags · Frontal · Sens…3 · 5%Suspension · Rear3 · 5%Structure · Body3 · 5%
  1. Air Bags — 6 reports
  2. Structure:Frame And Members — 5 reports
  3. Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit — 4 reports
  4. Power Train — 4 reports
  5. Seat Belts:Front:Retractor — 3 reports
  6. Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module — 3 reports
  7. Suspension:Rear — 3 reports
  8. Structure:Body — 3 reports
  9. Seat Belts — 2 reports
  10. Structure — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1996 (2) · 1997 (2) · 1998 (1) · 1999 · 2000 (1) · 2001 (1) · 2002 (1) · 2003 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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