2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

WATER GETS INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE RUBBER GROMMET THAT CARRY'S THE MAIN BATTERY CABLE FROM THE TRUNK TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. CAR STEREO AMPLIFIER DESTROYED. *TR

WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK TODAY MY CAR EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING ISSUE WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD "FREEZE" OR "STICK" IN ONE PLACE. I HAD TO EXERT A LOT OF FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE BUT WHEN IT "BROKE FREE" IT TURNED A LOT WITH THE HELP OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP BECAUSE I WAS PUTTING SO MUCH FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET IT TO MOVE. I HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING THE CAR IN MY LANE. THE POWER STEERING WAS DOING THIS THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME OF 20 MILES. THE CAR WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED SINCE IT IS A HAZARD. IF THE POWER STEERING WAS JUST NOT WORKING AT ALL, IT WOULD BE OKAY BECAUSE THEN AT LEAST THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO MOVE ALL OF THE TIME SO I COULD CONTROL HOW MUCH I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ACCURATELY. SINCE THE POWER STEERING WORKS "INTERMITTENTLY" BUT ONLY AFTER I APPLY A LOT OF FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET THE WHEEL TO BREAK FREE, THE CAR VEERS VIOLENTLY WHEN THE POWER STEERING ACTUALLY DOES WORK. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON PER THE WEBSITE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS FAILURE IS REPORTED TO THE NHTSA ON CARS RANGING FROM 15,000 MILES UP TO OVER 100,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM FROM WHAT I WAS READING, IS MORE EVIDENT IN COLD OR HOT TEMPERATURES. IT WAS 102F OUTSIDE TODAY IN PHOENIX ON MY DRIVE HOME. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR WAS FLASHING ON AND OFF WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER. THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT TURNED ON AFTER THIS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL INFLATE IF THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR OR NOT. BMW STATES MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL ACCORDING TO THE VIN BUT THE CAR FITS THE MODEL, MAKE, AND YEAR OF THE PRESENT RECALL. HOW CAN MY CAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL DESCRIBES, BE THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR, BUT NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

ON HOT DAYS THE STEERING WILL CATCH AND REQUIRE UNUSUALLY HIGHER FORCE TO STEER RIGHT OR LEFT. LATER AT NIGHT WHEN THE CAR IS COOLER THE STEERING WILL BE NORMAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE CONSTANT FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SEAT MAT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

UPON STARTING UP THE BMW Z4 THERE WAS NOTICEABLE PLAY IN THE STEERING. THE PLAY IN THE STEERING IS ENOUGH TO SO THAT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT IS AT LEAST 4 INCHES FROM ENGAGEMENT RIGHT TO ENGAGEMENT LEFT. IN ADDITION, ONCE THERE IS ENGAGEMENT IT ENGAGES WITH WHAT MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A STICKY SPOT AFTER WHICH IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE STEERING AGAIN DISENGAGES AND THERE IS THE 4 INCHES OF PLAY BEFORE IT RE-ENGAGES. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN STEERING STRAIGHT AHEAD THE STEERING HAS THE 4 INCHES OF PLAY MAKING THE CAR WEAVE TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT AND WHEN CORRECTING THIS WEAVE THE STEERING JERKS THROUGH THE STICKY SPOT AT THE BEGINNING OF STEERING ENGAGEMENT AND BY THE TIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED JUST ENOUGH TO STAY ON THE ROAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THE PLAY MAKES THE CAR VEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. IN ORDER TO DRIVE THIS CAR ON A NICE HIGHWAY IT IS NECESSARY TO CONSTANTLY RAPIDLY MOVER THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE FOUR INCHES OF PLAY OR THE CAR WOULD GO INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD. I WOULD FEEL SAFER IF I KNEW IT WOULD GO OFF THE ROAD BUT THE PROBLEM IS PLAY IN THE MIDDLE AND IT COULD GO EITHER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD. IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND WERE TOLD THIS WAS A $3000 PLUS REPAIR. I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS MANUFACTURES DEFECT SHOULD BE A CHARGEABLE REPAIR. I GUESS WE WILL JUST NEED TO WAIT FOR A CRASH OR A RECALL. *TR

THE STEERING STICKS WHILE DRIVING. VERY SCARY SO I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR MORE THAN 4 OR 5 MILE TRIPS. WON'T TAKE IT ON A HIGHWAY ANYMORE, SINCE I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE STEERING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES HAD BROKEN BANDS AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT I WAS FEELING, SO I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND WHATEVER ELSE MIGHT BE NECESSARY. THE TIRES WERE A HUGE EXPENSE. I CAN'T VERY WELL SELL THE CAR, SINCE I DON'T FEEL IT IS SAFE. PLEASE HELP. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT, FOR THIS TO BE EXPECTED AND ACCEPTABLE.

2004 BMW Z4 3.0. STEERING GETS VERY LOOSE AND ONE CAN NOT STEER THE CAR ACCURATELY AT TIMES. VERY SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND ONE LOSES ALL CONFIDENCE N THE CAR. *TT

MY 2004 BMW Z4 3.0I HAS DIFFICULTY WITH STEERING WHEN THE TEMPERATURES EXCEED 95 DEGREES. THE CAR STEERING IS "STICKY" FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION. IT IS SCARY TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AFTER IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

STEERING IS STICKY NOT ALLOWING STEERING WHEEL TO RETURN TO CENTER. TAKES CONSTANT PRESSURE TO STEER AND KEEP CENTERED. VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN CENTER OF LANE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

WRITES: I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. 2004 BMW Z4 WITH 23,500 MILES! DEALER IWILL REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN FOR A COST OF $3,700! WHERE CAN I FIND HELP IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM BEING A SENIOR CITIZEN ON LIMITED INCOME THE $3,700 REPAIR BILL IS A PROBLEM IS THERE A NUMBER TO CALL BMW TO ISSUE A COMPLAINT THANKS 2004 BMW Z4 ROADSTER VIN THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP GET INTO THE 90'S. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT