2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL WAS RESISTANT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS EXTREMELY WARM OUTSIDE. BMW WAS NOT NOTIFIED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE APPROXIMATELY 27,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING EXCESSIVELY. IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING OVER 30 MPH OR MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 10/20/10 *BF UPDATED 10/22/10

THE STEERING ON THE VEHICLE STICKS ON HOT DAYS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN LEFT OUT IN THE SUN. THIS MAKES IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE HIGHWAY, AS THE STEERING EFFORT BECOME TOO HIGH. IT WAS THE WORST I'VE EXPERIENCED TODAY, AS THE TEMPERATURE IN NEW ENGLAND REACHED 102 DEGREES F. *TR

STEERING WHEEL WOULD STICK & WHEN IT WOULD FINALLY MOVE IT WOULD OVER CORRECT. NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT IT WAS VERY SCARY. *TR

MY 2003 BMW Z4 HAS A MAJOR STEERING PROBLEM. THERE IS NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA AND THE STEERING BECOMES VERY STIFF AND NON-RESPONSIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ITS LIKE DRIVING A CAR WITH A POWER STEERING PUMP THAT IS ABOUT TO FAIL. THE PROBLEM IS MUCH WORSE ON HOT DAYS OR AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A LOT. I TOOK IT TO THE ONLY BMW DEALERSHIP AROUND HERE IN INDIANAPOLIS. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM IN THE SHOP BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE A DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN. THE COST ON A NEW COLUMN IS $3500 PLUS MANY MAN-HOURS OF LABOR CHARGES TO INSTALL IT! I WENT ON LINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH Z4S. SO, HERE I SIT WITH A $13,000 CAR THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MORE THAN A FEW MILES FROM HOME BECAUSE THE STEERING IS SO TIGHT/QUESTIONABLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND BMW SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THIS ISSUE! *TR

PURCHASED A "LIKE NEW" 2003 BMW Z4 3.0I WITH 15,000 MILES WITH 1 OWNER LAST FALL FROM A DEALERSHIP IN VA AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN STORAGE. UPON REMOVAL FROM STORAGE THIS MONTH, STEERING STICKS DANGEROUSLY AT ALL SPEEDS. STEERING WHEEL REFUSES TO RETURN TO CENTER. WHEN ROUNDING A CORNER, STEERING WHEEL WILL MAINTAIN THE TURN AND NOT NATURALLY STRAIGHTEN. THIS CREATES A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION OF OVERSTEER AS YOU OVER COMPENSATE THE STEERING. ON A TWO LANE ROAD, IT IS EASY TO CROSS CENTERLINE. MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR 2003, 2004, 2005, AND SOME 2006 MODELS. REPAIR SEEMS TO BE TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN AT OWNER'S COST OF $3900. HOWEVER, SOME OWNER'S HAVE PAID FOR REPLACEMENT AND STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

2003 BMW Z4 2.5I. STEERING FEELS STICKY ON WARM AFTERNOONS. FEELS LIKE A "DEAD SPOT" IN THE STEERING GEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A PARKING SPOT AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE BUT IF HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IT WOULD STALL AGAIN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 50,100.

VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPER DRIVE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY DURING A SEVERE RAINSTORM WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING IN INSIDE LANE AT 65 MPH IN MODERATE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON I-65 AT LEE ST. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT CRASHING. NOTE: DRIVE MOTOR FOR WIPERS OPERATES PASSENGER SIDE WITH LINKAGE TO DRIVER'S SIDE. NO INDICATION PRIOR TO FAILURE. DRIVERS SIDE BEARING FAILED ALLOWING LINKAGE TO DROP FROM DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER PIN. DESIGN SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO DRIVE THE DRIVERS SIDE RATHER THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE OR LINKAGE MODIFIED TO ALLOW GRAVITY TO SECURE THE LINKAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DRIVE PIN. *TR

BMW Z4 POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN OUTSIDE TEMP IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES. BMW ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE UPDATED 05/14/10.*JB