2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FIX A 2004 BMW Z4 THAT HAS NOTCHY/STICKY STEERING THE CAR HAS 23000 MILES ON IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN FOR 15-20 MILES (IS TEMP A PROBLEM) AND WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND COSTLY IN THE $3500-4000 RANGE THE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AT BMW OF CHATTANOOGA TENN IN APRIL OF 2010 NOW I BELIEVE THE CAR WAS SOLD TO ME WITH THE STEERING PROBLEM IT COULD EASY CAUSE A HEAD ON CRASH OR YOU ASKED THIS BMW QUESTION ON 6/24/2011 FOR $18. *TR

THE POWER STEERING BECOMES "STICKY" IN WARM WEATHER. THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING IN COOL WEATHER. I KEEP THE CAR IN COVERED PARKING AT MOST TIMES MAKING THE STEERING ONLY SLIGHTLY STICKY ALTHOUGH ENOUGH TO MAKE FREEWAY DRIVING A CONSTANT STATE OF OVER-CORRECTION TO KEEP THE CAR IN A LANE. ON ONE OCCASION I LEFT THE CAR PARKED IN FULL SUNSHINE ON A 100 DEGREE DAY AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK AT ALL AT HIGHWAY SPEED MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

MY 2004 BMW Z4 EXPERIENCES STEERING PROBLEMS WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. THE STEERING BECOMES STICKY AND DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. IT RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER IT SITS INT HE SHADE. IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. ALTHOUGH I AM REPORTING THIS TODAY IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING OFF AND ON FOR OVER A YEAR. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2009 AND DO NOT DRIVE IT VERY MUCH-5,000 MILES SINCE PURCHASING IT. WOULD DRIVE MORE IF STEERING WAS NOT AN ISSUE. *TR

1. STEERING STICKS WHEN THE TEMP. IS AROUND 80 DEGREES. 2. THE STEERING BECOMES VERY STICKING OR SLIGHTLY LOCKED AND REQUIRES EXTRA FORCE TO CORRECT, WHICH SENDS THE CAR OFF COURSE. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN WARMER TEMPS AND HIGHER SPEEDS. 3. NOTHING HAS YET TO BE DONE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE IT. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE A NO BRAINER TO HAVE A RECALL. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE YOUR WHEEL LOCK ON YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING 55MPH. *TR

ON MY 2004 BMW Z4 3.0I, ON HOT DAYS MY STEERING WANTS TO STICK AND I HAVE TO USE MUCH MORE FORCE THAN I USUALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE STEERING MOVE. IN THE WINTER I TEND TO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS MUCH, BUT IN THE SUMMER (I LIVE IN TEXAS) IT GETS VERY HOT AND THE STEERING WANTS TO STICK MORE. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED!! THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER Z4 DRIVERS THAT HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS ME. *TR

STEERING BECOMES UNSAFE IN HOT WEATHER, STEERING WILL NOT CENTER, AND CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL, WHEN YOU TURN RIGHT OR LEFT STEERING WILL STICK AND CAUSE YOU TO OVER STEER, AND CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

2004 BMW Z4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ON WARM DAYS WILL BECOME CHUNKY OR NOTCHY IN FEELING AND REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO STEER THE CAR. THIS CAN CAUSE MORE STEERING INPUT THAN IS REQUIRED AND WHEN THE STEERING CATCHES UP THE CAR CAN REACT MORE THAN INTENDED. VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED EVEN FOR MULTIPLE OWNER CARS. *TR

2004 BMW Z4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ON WARM DAYS WILL BECOME CHUNKY OR NOTCHY IN FEELING AND REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO STEER THE CAR. THIS CAN CAUSE MORE STEERING INPUT THAN IS REQUIRED AND WHEN THE STEERING CATCHES UP THE CAR CAN REACT MORE THAN INTENDED. VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED EVEN FOR MULTIPLE OWNER CARS. *TR

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I NOTICED THAT MY 2004 BMW Z4 LOST ITS OTHERWISE SMOOTH STEERING AFTER BEING PARKED IN THE SUN ON HOT DAYS. THE STEERING WOULD BECOME STICKY AND REQUIRED EXTRA AND INCONSISTENT EFFORT TO MAKE LOW-SPEED AS WELL HIGHER-SPEED TURNS. THIS OCCURRED MOST FREQUENTLY DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE TURN RATHER THAN WELL INTO IT. THESE EVENTS WERE INFREQUENT AS I RARELY PARK OUT IN THE SUN, BUT VERY DISCONCERTING. WHEN I HAD THE CAR IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TO THE DEALER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PHENOMENON BUT ALWAYS GOT THE ?CAN?T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM? AND ?IT?S NORMAL? RESPONSE. THIS SPRING, HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD THE ?STICKY? PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OF THE HOTTER DAYS EVEN THOUGH I PARK IN A GARAGE WHICH HAS ME VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. INTERNET RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT NHTSA HAS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE AND VARIOUS FORUMS REPORT SIMILAR OR MORE SEVERE EXPERIENCES. I READ THAT BMW HAS RESPONDED TO NHTSA THAT THIS IS PRIMARILY A ?COMFORT? ISSUE, BUT I STRONGLY DISAGREE. DRIVING IS HIGHLY INSTINCTUAL, DEVELOPED THROUGH EXPERIENCE ? HAVING YOUR STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY HIT A STICKY POINT IN MID-TURN CAN EASILY TRIGGER AN ADVERSE REACTION SUCH AS FORCING OVER-STEERING RESULTING IN LEAVING THE ROADBED. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO NOT EXPERIENCE THAT, I MUST BE MUCH MORE DILIGENT, ALERT AND ON-EDGE. *TR

I HAVE AN '04 BMW Z4 AND AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. I'VE BEEN READING ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER Z4 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I AM WHICH INCLUDE; DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE WHEEL STRAIGHT, HAVING TO USE A LOT OF FORCE TO MAKE STEERING ADJUSTMENTS, AND CONSTANT PULLING TO THE RIGHT/LEFT WHILE DRIVING. THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO SAID THE PROBLEM WAS PRETTY BAD. I AM WAITING TO HEAR HIS EXACT DIAGNOSIS AND SHOULD HEAR FROM HIM ON MONDAY 5/23/11 AS I DROPPED IT OFF FRI 5/20/11. I HAVE NOT WRECKED THE VEHICLE DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS HOWEVER I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS. FORTUNATELY I AM A VERY ATTENTIVE DRIVER OTHERWISE THERE MAY VERY WELL BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR