2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

STEERING WHEEL STICKS (STILL DOES AS OF MARCH 30, 2013) AND VEHICLE BECOMES HARD TO STEER AND CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 BMW Z4 2.5I I RECENTLY PURCHASED. I NOTICED THE "STICKY" STEERING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE NIGHT I PURCHASED IT. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS OF Z4 OWNERS HAVE THIS SERIOUS STEERING ISSUE. THE STEERING IS NOT SO BAD IN COOL WEATHER, BUT WARMER TEMPERATURES HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON KEEPING THE CAR ON THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE 1 MONTH THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. YESTERDAY I ALMOST LOST CONTROL GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON A CURVE DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. Z4 OWNERS ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO THIS STICKY STEERING ISSUE. I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK HARD ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THIS ISSUE WIDE-SPREAD AND HAS BEEN GROSSLY IGNORED. I WAS ALSO SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF AFFECTED CARS, WITH NO ACTION BY BMW OR OUR GOVERNMENT. WHAT ARE THE POWERS AT BE WAITING FOR? A DEATH BECAUSE OF THE STEERING ISSUE. THE CAR NEEDS A RECALL FOR A REPLACEMENT STEERING COLUMN OR A BULLETIN TO SIMPLY BRING THE CAR TO A DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. BMW IS AWARE OF THE FAULTY STEERING COLUMNS. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED YET? PLEASE DO SOMETHING! *TR

THE STEERING FEELS 'STICKY'. DRIVING AT ROADSPEED, ESP ON INTERSTATE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE, WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE SLIGHT STEERING ADJUSTMENTS, THE STEERING STICKS AND WHEN YOU GIVE IT ENOUGH EFFORT TO 'UNSTICK' IT, YOUR CAR MOVES ERRATICALLY. BASICALLY, WHEN IT 'UNSTICKS' IT CAUSES THE DRIVER TO OVER-CORRECT AND OVERSTEER. IT DOES THIS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN ON WARM DAYS, I.E OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPS OVER 80 DEGREES F. *TR

POWER STEERING BROKE DOWN. I READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE TRYING TO RESEARCH WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCES OTHER OWNERS HAD AND THERE ARE TOO MANY ISSUES WITH STEERING WITH THESE CARS TO BE IGNORED. THANK GOD THAT MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AT A LOW SPEED, BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH? I HAD "STICKY" STEERING IN THIS CAR FOR YEARS BUT THIS TOOK IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. *TR

STEERING WHEEL GOES BACK & FORTH ON ITS OWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VERY SCARY ! NOT SAFE! FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO CONTROL. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. *TR

STEERING WHEEL GOES BACK & FORTH ON ITS OWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VERY SCARY ! NOT SAFE! FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO CONTROL. I PAYED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. *TR

DRIVING SOUTH ON SANTA BARBARA ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT ONTO DAVIS BLVD. AS I WAS TURNING THE STEERING STUCK. THAT SURPRISED ME AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL. IT TOOK A HEAVY EFFORT TO CORRECT THE DIRECTION OF THE CAR.THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR OVER 1 YEAR NOW. WHEN I CALLED BMW NA TO INQUIRE WHETHER THIS ISSUE WAS COVERED UNDER THE 04V247000 RECALL, I WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT ONE OF THE VIN NUMBERS COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. HOWEVER, IN LIGHT OF THE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED BY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE, IT IS EVIDENT THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THE AIR BAG MODULE OF THIS VEHICLE. BMW NA NEVERTHELESS HAS RESPONDED WITH THE SAME ANSWER "YOUR VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF AFFECTED VIN NUMBERS." IN CASE AN INJURY, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AIRBAG SYSTEM, IS SUSTAINED BY MYSELF OR ANY OTHER COMPLAINING OWNER, BMW NA SHOULD BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PLACED ON ACTUAL NOTICE OF THE DEFECT AND SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR ITS INTENTIONAL DISREGARD OF A KNOWN HAZARD. *TR

THE POWER STEERING BECOMES DANGEROUS WHEN THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO HEAT 80+ DEGREES/SUN. THE STEERING WHEEL "STICKS" IN CERTAIN SPOTS AND IS HARD TO MOVE. IT WILL RANDOMLY STOP "STICKING" GIVING AN UNEXPECTED PUSH IN ANY GIVEN DIRECTION. LOOKS TO BE A FREQUENT COMPLAINT. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE HEAT. *TR

BMW Z4 STEERING - NO POWER STEERING, CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN MANAGING & STEERING CAR. *TR