Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW Z8 · model year
2001 BMW Z8
4 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001BMWZ8 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2001 Z8 is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan with 1 filings, followed by structure (1) and exterior lighting:tail lights (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. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2001 Z8. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recalls (2)
01V20600021/06/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.
02V13800016/05/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.
Recent Complaints
20180728FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE CAR AT ALL TIMES BEFORE,DURING, AND AFTER DRIVING. UNSAFE HEALTH AND FIRE HAZARD! BMW OF LAS VEGAS, 702 871010 INVOICE 788613 09 JULY,18 RETURNED MY BMW Z-8 TO ME IN FAILED UNSAFE CONDITION WITH FAILURE INDICATORS ON DASH DISPLAY. OWNER GARAGED THE BMW Z-8 AT HIS HOME NOT USING THE CAR BUT TO RETURN TO DEALER IN FAILED UNSAFE CONDITION ASAP! $2835.33 WRONGFULLY CHARGED TO OWNER KUNKLE. FUEL LEAKS ARE BMW DESIGN MANUFACTURER FAILURE AND ARE AT MINIMUM DEALER COST ITEMS AS WELL AS FOLLOW ON DEALER MALPRACTICE FAULTY PROBLEM REWORK/FAILED FIX! FUEL ODOR/LEAKS AT ALL TIMES NEAR AND IN MY BMW Z-8!
Mileage: 26,158
20160429EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW Z8. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 07/13/16*LJ UPDATED 07/13/16.*JB
Mileage: 31,000
20060131STRUCTURE
MY VEHICLE IS A BMW Z8. IT HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BMW Z8 OWNERS AND MYSELF THAT THERE IS AN INHERENT ALUMINUM FRAME FAILURE ISSUE THAT IS KNOWN BUT NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY BMW NA. UPON TRAVELING OVER A POTHOLE THE ALUMINUM FRAME MEMBERS IN THE FRONT (SHOCK TOWERS) ARE KNOWN TO BEND CAUSING IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE AL FRAME. BMW NA HAS NOT DEVELOPED A FIX/REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM AND OR ADDRESSED POTENTIAL LOSS OF FRAME INTEGRITY THAT BMW Z8 OWNERS CAN FACE. BMW NA HAS ALSO NOT DEVELOPED A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE MODIFICATION OR FIX THAT CAN PREVENT FAILURE IN THE FUTURE. *NM
Mileage: 10,000
20010914FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
AFTER DRIVING 7 MILES, WITH NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS OR HIGH TEMPERATURE REGISTERING ON A GAUGE, A FIRE STARTED IN THE FAN AREA AND BURNED THROUGH THE COWLING ABOVE THE RADIATOR. THE FLAME WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH WATER AFTER THE COWLING WAS DESTROYED.*AK
Compare 2001BMWZ8 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 BMW Z8 have?▼
The 2001 BMW Z8 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 BMW Z8?▼
Yes, the 2001 BMW Z8 has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW Z8?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 BMW Z8 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS.
Is the 2001 BMW Z8 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.