1997 BMW Z3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Z3 years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 BMW Z3. That is the most of any Z3 model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (15 complaints, 32%), typically at around 56,423 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 47owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 BMW Z3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 15 | 32% | 56,423 | — | — |
| Seats | 13 | 28% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 21% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 9% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% | 199,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 BMW Z3 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 1997 BMW Z3 Roadster. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was a multi-car rear-end accident involving two other vehicles after she fell asleep at the wheel and rear-ended the vehicle in front of her. The contact stated that no other passengers…
Vehicle jerks, shutters and pulls to the right. Rear sub frame and differential bushing failure.
The seat tracks of both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle allowed the seats to move at least 10mm forward and rearward under braking and acceleration. This movement causes a partial loss of control of the vehicle. *tr
Upon starting the car the air bag light came on and stayed on. This is the third time this has happened. The first two time it cost approximately $350 to repair. For this to happen a third time is indicative of a design fault.
I turned the key to start the vehicle. It started normally. I put the car in neutral (5 speed trans.) to allow it to warm-up for about 2 minutes while i checked my voice mail on my phone. As i put the car in gear and looked out the windshield to pull out of my parking space, i saw dense white smoke…
Other BMW Z3 years
See all BMW Z3 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW Z3?
Owners most often report air bags, seats, seat belts problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 BMW Z3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 BMW Z3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Z3 model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.