1997 BMW Z3

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. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 32K MILES ON IT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PREMATURE FAILURE AND A DEFECT OF BOTH TRACKS. THIS FAILURE MODE IS DOCUMENTED BOTH ON THIS SITE AND ON MANY BMW FORUMS. THE ENTIRE TRACK ASSEMBLY OF BOTH SEATS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NLM

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. DEALERSHIP AND AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURE CONTENDS THIS SITUATION WOULD NOT CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO MALFUNCTION AND THEREFORE NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY WOULD NOT SUPPLY INFORMATION OR DATA TO SUPPORT THEIR ASSESSMENT. *JB

THE SEAT DOES NOT LOCK ON THE TRACK, IT SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH WHILE ACCELERATING OR BRAKING, IT WAS A DEFECT WHEN MANFURED BUT MANUFACTURER WILL NOT CORRECT, MANY Z 3 OWNERS HAVE THE PROBLEM, I FEEL IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR KILL SOMEONE, IF IT WAS A US COMPANY LIKE GM, FORD, OR CHRY I KNOW THEY WOULD HAVE REPAIRED THE DEFECT, WHY DO WE ALLOW FOREIGN COMPANIES TO GET AWAY WITH PRODUCING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE WE WOULD NOT ALLOW ONE OF OUR COMPANIE TO PRODUCE. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY SEAT. BY THE WAY BMW HAS AGREED IT WAS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BUT THEY WANT TO GET ANOTHER $4-500 BUCKS TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WAS PLAINLY A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING PROBLEM BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION. I ASK YOU HELP ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE Z 3 OWNERS WHO MIGHT END UP IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE WRITTEN BMW BUT THEY DID NOT EVEN GIVE ME THE COURTESY OF AN ANSWER. HELP PLEASE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATEED ON THE DASHBOARD, THE AIRBAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *AK. CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER AND HARNESS WAS CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, THE HOOD SENSOR FOR THE ALARM WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A FAULTY THERMOSTAT THAT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR, THE GLOVE BOX WAS REPLACED AND THE SEAT CAME OUT OF PLACE WHEN STOPPING. *YD

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS MOVE AND SHIFT OUT OF PLACE DURING NORMAL OPERATION AT ANY SPEED ALL OF THE TIME. REPORTED TO DEALER FOR CORRECTION UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS ADVISED THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE SEAT TO MOVE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE SEAT MOVEMENT COULD RESULT IN DEFICIENT APPLICATION OF BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL DURING BRAKING CONDITIONS. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS CONSIDERED BY NHTSA AS NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION. *AK