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Vehicle speed control
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN.
1996 BMW Z3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 30 owner complaints about the 1996 BMW Z3, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 28, 2018. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1996 BMW Z3 has problems
30 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
9Air bags3 crash/fire/injury
5Seat belts
5Seats1 crash/fire/injury
4Power train
2Engine and engine cooling
1Fuel system, other
1Steering
1Suspension
1Tires
44 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 9 | 3 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 |
| Seats | 5 | 1 |
| Power train | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system, other | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 |
| 4 other systems | 4 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1996 BMW Z3 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Best & worst years
1996 vs. every other Z3 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Z3 median. How we score
'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What Z3 owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS MOVE FORWARD/BACKWARDS DURING ACCELERATION AND BREAKING AT ANY SPEED, GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY ON FULL TANK OR FLUXES ON DASH AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON FOR 3-5 MIN. AT A TIME WHEN STARTING UP IGNITION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW Z3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT COULD NOT BE UNLATCHED WHEN THE DRIVER WOULD DEPRESS OR ADD ANY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY…
SRS LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ADJUSTING THE SEAT. BMW HAS ISSUED SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS RE SRS PROBLEMS, SO CLEARLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. YET BMW REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL TO PROPERLY RETROFIT THE WIRING HARNESS.*AK
Own a 1996 Z3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.