Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2000 BMW Z3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags17
- Structure5
- Seat belts5
- Power train5
- Unknown or other4
- Suspension4
- Equipment2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Tires1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 10 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 2000 Z3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2000 BMW Z3 failed the safety check 1.25% of the time — 33% less often than the average 2000 passenger car (1.86%). Median odometer at inspection: 74,783 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2000 BMW Z3 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.9 petrol (87 kW, 117 hp) and 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.9 petrol | 87 kW 117 hp | 23 |
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 20 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
75 first registered in 2000 are on Dutch roads; 100% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect48
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen15
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde13
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan13
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan10
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm10
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont9
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm8
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,109 cars built in 2000 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,315 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,018 of these cars first registered in 2000 took their annual MOT test. 70% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2000 the figure was 61%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.1% | 17.7% |
| Brakes | 10.4% | 12.8% |
| Suspension | 10.3% | 14.3% |
| Visibility | 7.0% | 7.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.5% | 7.7% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4.0% | 3.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
46 of these cars first registered in 2000 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 140,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
166 2000 cars are on the New Zealand register; 87% arrived as used imports, 8% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 11.6–12.1 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 267–278 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.4 | 9.5 | 11.6 |
| Z3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 14.0 | 9.8 | 12.1 |
| Z3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.9 | 9.9 | 12.1 |
| Z3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.9 | 9.9 | 12.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2000 BMW Z3.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2000 BMW Z3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633415 | SUBJECT REGARDING HARD SHIFTS, LEAK AT TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL. *TT |
| 614313 | SUBJECT REGARDING NEW VEHICLE PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 614294 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSING VARIOUS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAULTS. *TT |
| 614292 | EXPERIENCING A BUZZING OR RATTLING NOISE HEARD COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TT |
| 611181 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO NEW VEHICLES PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 611121 | CONCERNS WITH THE CLIPS ON THE FRONT HEADLINER FASTENING STRINGS BREAKING ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO 9/99. *TT |
| 611120 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN 225/50 16 TIRES PRODUCED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY 2000 MAY EXPERIENCE AIR LEAKS AROUND THE BEAD SEATING AREA OF ONE OR MORE TIRES. *TT |
| 11008322 | Thermostat Return |
| 10037702 | BMW: WHEN AT LOWER SPEEDS OR STOPPING THE ENGINE IDLE DIPS TOO LOW BECAUSE OF A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. *RM |
| 10037025 | BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM |
| 10036979 | BMW: A NEW TECHNICAL PROCESS HAS BEEN CREATED FOR BMW TO IDENTIFY CAUSES OF STEERING COMPLAINTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MODELS. *RM |
| 10033130 | BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)