2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

AFTER THE CAR SITS OUTSIDE ON A HOT DAY WHEN DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 55-60, THE STEERING PULLS TO EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT AND FEELS LIKE IT ISN'T GOING TO UNSTICK. IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PULL. IT IS VERY SCARY AND DEFINITELY FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THE STEERING. THREE DIFFERENT DAYS AFTER SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT IT DID THIS WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME. NEVER DOES IT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IN THE MORNING FROM THE GARAGE AND HAS NEVER DONE IT WHILE DRIVING IN THE EVENING OR AT NIGHT. WE JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A DIFFERENT OWNER AND OF COURSE SHE DID NOT MENTION ANY PROBLEMS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT TO WORK NOW BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT WILL GET PERMANENTLY LOCKED UP AND I'LL END UP IN THE DITCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN STICKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,500. UPDATED 8/30/11 *CN UPDATED 09/27/11

NORMAL DRIVNG. CLUNKING SOUND IN 2004 BMW Z4 STEERING COLUMN. 11500 MILES. NOTHING DONE TO DATE. *KB

BMW Z4 ROADSTER 23000 MILES STEERING COLUMN STICKS WHICH HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING A CRASH WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TT

STEERING STICKS IN STRAIGHT POSITION. BROUGHT TO DEALER A FEW YEARS AGO AND TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG. STARTED DRIVING AGAIN AFTER A FEW YEARS DUE TO SURGERY, PROBLEM PERSISTS BROUGHT TO REPAIR SHOP, BAD STEERING SYSTEM. ACTS UP MORE IN WARM WEATHER MORE SO THEN IN COOL MORNING. ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR ON HIGHWAY, PROBLEM STAYING IN LANE. TOLD THIS IS NORMAL AND HAS BEEN APPROVED BY NHTSA. DEALER WANTS ALMOST $5,000 TO FIX, I WILL HAVE TO SELL CAR. *TR

STEERING PROBLEMS WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP. IS HOT (85+) THE STEERING STICKS AND REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD I FIRST NOTICED IT AFTER I BOUGHT IT TWO WEEKS AGO AROUND 7-1 THE CAR HAS ABOUT 50,500 MILES ON IT

THE STEERING HAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. STEERING HAS BECOME STIFF. A MECHANIC IS DOING A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND WE ARE AWAITING HIS FINAL ANALYSIS OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 3,000 MILES BUT BECAUSE IT IS A 2004, BMW WILL NOT COVER THIS DEFECT. PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE FOR LONG PERIODS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME TIGHT AND WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD ONLY MOVE IN ONE DIRECTION. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND WARM, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN, BUT WAS NON-REPAIRABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

VEHICLE HAS A STEERING ISSUE WHERE IT BECOMES 'STICKY'; IT HOLDS VERY TIGHTLY TO THE CENTER POSITION AND IS DIFFICULT TO TURN. ONCE IT 'BREAKS FREE', IT TURNS SUDDENLY AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE BEHAVIOR IS INTERMITTENT AND TENDS TO EXHIBIT ITSELF ON HOT DAYS. *TR

WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, I ENCOUNTERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING BECAME STUCK SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE. THIS ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS HIGH (<80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT), ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER SEASON. THIS REOCCURRING PROBLEM HAS CAUSED SEVERAL SITUATIONS THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO POTENTIAL CRASHES.