Most common 1997 BMW Z3 problems
Share of the 47 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW Z3 complaints by model year
Best Z3 years: 2002, 2001. Years to avoid: 1997. Compare all years →
1997 BMW Z3 recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
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.
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.
What 1997 BMW Z3 owners say
Air bags
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 were in her vehicle; however, only the driver's side air bag had failed to deploy. The contact required hospitalization and was in a coma. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and later auctioned. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in an air bag recall. The approximate failure mileage was 199,000. The VIN was not available.
After vehicle was vacuumed it would not start; the vehicle was pushed to the side and the driver turned the key again to start it, and a puff of smoke came from the steering column. The driver quickly tried to turn the key to the off position,then the lights dimmed. The key became immovable in the start position, and smoke began to pour from all the vents. Stunned, the driver opened the door to run from the vehicle, but the air bag deployed and knocked the driver unconscious. The driver was pulled from the vehicle and revived in time to get the negative battery terminal disconnected. Ems attended to the driver's injuries.
Seats
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.
First failure, driver and passenger seats are coming loose from the track that the seats move back and forth on. The seats can move back and forth a few inches, without depressing on the level to move the seats back and forth. The automobile dealership diagnosed the problem to be the track and it required replacement. The automobile manufacturer and dealer contends this is a repair item and does not believe it to be defect in the seats or a safety problem should an accident occur. The fact that both seats now do this and it is not something that should happen under normal wear and tear would indicate otherwise. The automobile has only 42,000 miles and is less than 4 years old. Second failure: the outer trim of the dashboard housing of the passenger side airbag has come loose. We are concerned that this defect May disrupt or alter the deployment of the airbag should a collision occur. …
Seat belts
My 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.
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.
1997 BMW Z3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 20 / 29 / 24 |
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Sports car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 BMW Z3 a good car?
Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Z3 rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Z3 at the same age. It is one of the Z3 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 BMW Z3?
The air bags — 15 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the seats (12) and seat belts (10).
How many recalls does the 1997 BMW Z3 have?
There is 1 recall for the 1997 BMW Z3, the most recent from August 19, 1997 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW Z3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997. See the full BMW Z3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 BMW Z3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.