2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

STEERING STICKS WHEN IT'S HOT OR SITTING IN TRAFFIC. NEED TO APPLY EFFORT TO MOVE THE WHEEL WHICH IS A CONCERN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO POSSIBLE OVERSTEER. *TR

I HAVE A BMW Z4 THAT HAS STEERING ISSUES. THE CAR IS HARDLY EVER DRIVEN AND ONLY HAS 24K MILES. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT I NEED A NEW POWER STEERING COLUMN AT APPROX. $3500. HOW CAN THAT BE THAT BAD IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FINE ENGINEERED CAR? *TR

ONLY IN HOT WEATHER THE STEERING BECOMES VERY HARD AND STICKY AND REQUIRES INCREASED FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE BMW DEALER CLAIMS THEY CANNOT FIND AN "INTERNAL BULLETIN" #4515500-02, RELEASED ON 05/05/06. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY IN YOUR LANE, AND TWO HANDS ARE NEEDED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS DEFECT ACTS UP AFTER SITTING IN THE SUN OR HOT WEATHER. THIS IS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED SPEEDS OF 30 MPH OR OVER AT WHICH TIME YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH COMMITTED TO FIGHT THE STEERING. THIS BECOMES VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND CLAIMS IT'S NOT A "SAFETY ISSUE". I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAY I NEED A STEERING RACK FOR OVER $4000.00. THE "BULLETIN" SAYS THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE EPS COLUMN WITH A MODIFIED ONE WHICH WAS AVAILABLE SINCE WEEKS 17 AND 18 OF 2006. UNFORTUNATELY, I BOUGHT MY CAR USED AND WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THE STEERING DANGERS. IT TOOK SOME TIME TO RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AND YET, BMW IS NOT WILLING TO FIX THIS DEFECT. *TR

MY STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY ON THE FREEWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY STIFF WHEN DRIVING IN VERY HOT TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR A MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HAVING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,300.

STEERING BECOMES STICKY IN HOT WEATHER. THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS NOTCHY AND DOES NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WHEN TURNED - FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK IN CENTER POSITION. AGGRESSIVE MOVEMENT RESTORES RESPONSE BUT CONDITION REMAINS PRESENT. SITUATION NOTICED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN 90 DEG. WEATHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN TRAVELING THE SPEED RATE OF 45 MPH AND HIGHER. THE CONTACT WOULD NOT DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE STEERING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE POWER STEERING AND STEERING COLUMN. THE PARTS ESTIMATED COST WAS $3,000. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS CENTERED WHILE DRIVING, IT TAKES SOME EFFORT TO MAKE A STEERING ADJUSTMENT SUCH AS KEEPING THE CAR CENTERED IN THE DRIVING LANE. THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE STUCK AND TO OVER COME THIS ONE MUST OVER-STEER THE CAR AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO CENTER. SOME TIMES THIS RESULTS IN AN ABRUPT OVER TURN AND CAUSES THE CAR TO ALMOST LURCH OUT OF THE DRIVING LANE. *TR

2004 BMW Z4 3.0. THE STEERING IS STICKY WHEN AMBIENT TEMP OVER 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE. DEALER STATES NO PROBLEM. READ THE NEWS AND SAW THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING. YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO DRIVE MINE TO SEE THE PROBLEM IN ACTION. WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE (AS IT OFTEN IS IN JACKSONVILLE, FL) THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE BECAUSE OF THE "STICKY STEERING." *TR

MY 2004 BMW Z4 HAS 33,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN THE LAST 1,000 MILES IT HAS DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH STICKY OR RATCHET-LIKE STEERING WHICH HAS CAUSED ME TO OVERSTEER AT TIMES. IT IS WORSE WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. I AM BECOMING AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON FLAW. BMW NEEDS TO ACT. THANK YOU! *TR