Over several months I heard increasing noise from the rear of my car. When I took it to my mechanic he found that the entire crossmember that holds the differential to the subframe had pulled loose from the trunk. The car could not be safely driven, my bodyshop suggested I send it to the bmw dealer in charlotte nc. They kept my car for about 3 weeks and fixed it. Now 5 years and 10k miles have passed and the sub-frame mount is pulling loose again, the welds pop out and the noise has started. It makes the car dangerous to drive and impossible to sell.
The worst 1999 BMW M Roadster problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Body9
- Suspension5
- Transmission5
- Airbags2
- Seats1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Body9
- Suspension5
- Transmission5
- Airbags2
- Seats1
- Visibility1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 BMW M Roadster 5
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop
- Bmw: running noises heard when brakes are applied, with high brake loads; through wheel opening, visible...
- Procedures on replacing m-mobility system
- Customer may complain of engine running rough on cold start
- Procedures to install asc switch and indicator bulb
What 1999 BMW M Roadster owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Took vehicle in for engine maintenance and asked them to address squeaks and rattles. On inspection it was found that the rear crossmember had almost completely separated from the unibody and the mount holding the differential in had only 1/4 in of 4 inches holding the aft end of the differential. Complete failure could have caused a catastrophic chain of events causing a crash and possible fatalities. Looking on line I found numerous failures of the same kind resulting from metal fatigue brought on by faulty design. At least this was the opinion of other people with the same failure. One person had a phds in metallurgy.
While driving the car, the rear end fail and began to drag. After getting the car towed to the shop, it was noted the rear end subframe welds came lose. After contacting the insurance company they totaled the car out. I bought the car back and made repairs to the car that cost me $4000.00.
Car was purchased new it now has a broken subframe. It began as a thumping noise in the rear of the car. I thought maybe it needed struts. After looking closer I saw a tear in the frame. I took it to a body shop first and they had never seen anything like it. So I contacted bmw and they told me to take it to a local dealer. After they inspected it they told me it would take $10,000 plus to fix it. The rear end is basically sitting on the exhaust which is the only thing holding it to the car. Several spot weld have failed this is common among all bmw z-3 cars. Much like the 3 series in the same years ( 1999 - 2006 class action law suit) they all need to be recalled before some one gets hurt. Bmw is not interested in addressing this problem and basically offered me $2000 to have it fixed in their shop. It difficult to understand their willingness to put the public at risk. Looking on line this is a chronic issue that needs addressed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 bmw m roadster. The contact heard a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was inspected and the contact was informed that the subframe had fractured. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The current and failure mileage was 135,000. Updated 09/19/11 *bf the mechanic informed the consumer the problem was due to fatigue. The sheet metal was too thin and the box beam was too small. Updated 11/04/11
The differential mount for the car has torn loose from the trunk floor it is welded to. There was no accident because I found this defect before one occurred. Had I not found this defect, the entire rear axle could have come loose from the vehicle while driving it.
Noise developing under rear undercarriage.
Differential subframe causes weld failures appearing in trunk and other body locations. I believe that this is caused by a defect that generates a significant safety hazard. This defect is being reported by an increasing number of z3 owners over time.
Rear subframe separation on 1999 m roadster (z3).
Failure of the trunk floor supporting the differential, rendering the car undriveable.
Compare the 1999 BMW M Roadster
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Questions about the 1999 BMW M Roadster
Is the 1999 BMW M Roadster reliable?
Owners have filed 18 complaints about the 1999 BMW M Roadster, 4.5 times a typical M Roadster model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 BMW M Roadster?
Body and structure, with 9 complaints, typically around 82,302 miles. Next is suspension (5).
How many recalls does the 1999 BMW M Roadster have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the BMW M Roadster have the most body problems?
The BMW M Roadster model years with the most body complaints are 1998 (16 complaints) and 2000 (15 complaints).
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