Total Complaints
6 filings
BMW M ROADSTER · model year
2002 BMW M ROADSTER
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002BMWM ROADSTER carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 M ROADSTER is power train:driveline:differential unit with 2 filings, followed by equipment (1) and unknown or other (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2002 M ROADSTER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20121115STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW M ROADSTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A SQUEAKY NOISE WAS HEARD FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUB FRAME EXHIBITED SEVERAL CRACKS AND WAS SLIGHTLY SEPARATED. THE DEFECT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
Mileage: 67,000
20060129POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
REAR DIFFERENTIAL SIMPLY DROPPED WHILE DRIVING. IT AND THE SUBFRAME HAVE TORN UP REAR SHEET METAL UNDER THE TRUNK. I HAVE A REPAIR IN PROGRESS.*AK
Mileage: 21,280
20051028STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2002 BMW M ROADSTER TRUNK CROSSMEMBER (SUPPORTS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL) SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE CAR. SPOT WELDS PULLED OUT. DANGER OF THE WHOLE CROSSMEMBER SEPARATING FROM THE CHASSIS. CORRECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT IN TOLEDO, OH. CROSSMEMBER REINFORCED BY AN INTERNAL I-BEAM, WELDED TO NEW CUSTOM-FABRICATED SUPPORTS ON THE LONGITUDINAL RAILS. THE OEM CROSSMEMBER IS NOW MERELY COSMETIC. DIFFERENTIAL COVER REPLACED BY ONE WITH A PAIR OF MOUNTS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE TO DISTRIBUTE LOAD. VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. JB
Mileage: 18,000
20050819POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
THE REAR-SUBFRAME IS SEPARATING FROM THE TRUNK IN MY CAR. AS A RESULT, THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAS CRACKED AND THERE IS THE RISK OF THE DIFFERENTIAL TOTALLY SEPARATING FROM THE CAR.
Mileage: 45,000
20021211EQUIPMENT
SPEEDOMETER ON NEW VEHICLE READS EXCESSIVLY HIGH (7 MPH AT 65 MPH). THERE WAS NOSPECIFIC INCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY STANDARDS REGARDING THIS, AS MANUFACTURER SAYS THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE ERROR. DATE BELOW IS ENTERED FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
20021211UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SPEEDOMETER ON NEW VEHICLE READS EXCESSIVLY HIGH (7 MPH AT 65 MPH). THERE WAS NOSPECIFIC INCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY STANDARDS REGARDING THIS, AS MANUFACTURER SAYS THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE ERROR. DATE BELOW IS ENTERED FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
Compare 2002BMWM ROADSTER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 BMW M ROADSTER have?▼
The 2002 BMW M ROADSTER has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 BMW M ROADSTER?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 BMW M ROADSTER is POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2002 BMW M ROADSTER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.