2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

EXCESSIVE FORCE IS NEEDED TO TURN WHEEL SAFELY AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. WITH POOR ROAD CONDITIONS, THIS EFFECT IS SEVERELY EXAGGERATED!!! STEERING BINDS UP WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE SMALL CORRECTIONS RESULTING IN OVERCORRECTIONS IN EITHER DIRECTION CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD TO BOTH ME AND OTHER VEHICLES IF I WERE TO CROSS LANES DUE TO OVERCORRECTION SITUATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME STIFF. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD VEER TOWARD THE RIGHT AS WELL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURED WAS CONTACTED VIA POSTAL MAIL BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION NOTICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

VEHICLE BOUGHT JULY 2011 WITH 40000 MILES. IN DECEMBER, 2011 ON THE RETURN TRIP (200 MILES EACH WAY), AFTER A 5 HR LAYOVER, THE STEERING ON THE CAR STARTED TO STICK IN THE STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. WHEN THE CAR DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND STEERING NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL A LOT OF FORCE WAS APPLIED AND THEN THE CAR WOULD OVER CORRECT TO THE RIGHT, SOME TIMES GOING ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE AS PREVALENT WHEN CORRECTIONS TO THE LEFT WERE NEEDED. SINCE THEN IT HAS OCCURRED ON AT LEAST TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, ALWAYS ON EXPRESSWAYS AND AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. AND WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 70 DEGREES F. *KB

THE STEERING BINDS AT ALMOST ANY SPEED. I NOTICED IT WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT FORWARD. WHEN A CORRECTION IN DIRECTION IS MADE THE WHEEL BINDS UNTIL GREATER PRESSURE IS APPLIED. IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM IS REQUIRING EVEN MORE PRESSURE FOR THE CORRECTION. I CALLED BMWNA AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I AM IN FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHERS AROUND BMW'S Z-4 2004. *TR

THE STEERING BECOMES STUCK. UNDER HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE ERRATIC CONTROL AND ULTIMATELY AN ACCIDENT. THE STEERING SEEMS TO BIND AND NEEDS GREATER PRESSURE TO FREE THE STEERING ITSELF. *TR

I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2004 BMW Z4. I NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THAT THE STEERING IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHILE TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT PATH, THE STEERING GETS "STUCK" AND YOU NEED TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A TURN TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, OR EVEN TO CHANGE LANES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ACTION AND COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTIFIED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND INDY WHOLESALE DIRECT, THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM. NEITHER ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO HELP IN THIS SITUATION AND BOTH HAVE IGNORED MY COMPLAINTS. THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I HAVE FILED WITH THE NHTSA. I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. *TR

DRIVING ON A 70 DEGREE FALL DAY ON INTERSTATE 70, NEAR ST. LOUIS, THE STEERING BECAME LOCKED IN A CENTER POSITION. I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 65 TO 70 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I HAD TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET IT OFF CENTER TO MAKE A TURN. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE I GOT TO MY DESTINATION. JERKING A STEERING WHEEL AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON A CROWDED HIGHWAY IS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE AND, TO SAY THE LEAST, VERY UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR AND I AM TRULY NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE OR LETTING MY WIFE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK. *TR

POWER STEERING STICKS ON HOT DAYS TYPICALLY ABOVE 80 DEGREES. PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH BUT HAS HAPPENED AT LOWER SPEEDS AS WELL. IT TAKES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO RELEASE THE STICKING WHICH RESULTS IN OVERCORRECTION. THIS HAS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN 2004 Z4'S. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY BMW HASN'T VOLUNTARILY HAD A RECALL OR WHY NHTSA HASN'T DEMANDED ONE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IDENTIFIED BY MANY Z4 OWNERS. *TR

WATER GETS INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE RUBBER GROMMET THAT CARRIES THE MAIN BATTERY CABLE FROM THE TRUNK TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT IS A WELL THAT ALSO HOUSES THE CAR STEREO AMPLIFIER. AMPLIFIER WAS SITTING IN ABOUT 2 INCHES OF WATER CAUSING THE CIRCUIT BOARD TO SHORT OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. *TR