2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

CAR IS 2003 BMW Z4 3.0 LITRE ENGINE. AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 78 DEGREES, THE ELECTRONIC STEERING FEELS AS IF IT IS BINDING, AND FEELS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CAR. WHEN YOU RETURN THE WHEEL TO CENTER POSITION IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS A LAG BEFORE THE CAR RESPONDS. THIS AFFECTS THE CARS HANDLING IN TRAFFIC, AS THE CAR WILL NOT HANDLE AS IT SHOULD. THIS EFFECT IS NOT EVIDENT AT LOWER TEMPERATURES. *TR

IF THE CAR IS LEFT IN THE SUN OR IS USED ON A HOT DAY (SEEMS TO BE ABOVE 85F DEGREES), THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HEAVY AND "STICKY" +/- 5 DEGREES OFF CENTER. THE CAR WILL NOT TRAVEL STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONSTANT CORRECTION AND THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LOCKED WITHOUT EXTRA EFFORT TO MOVE ITS POSITION. DRIVING THE CAR IN THIS STATE IS UNNERVING AND UNSAFE. IT HAS LED TO MULTIPLE OVERCORRECTION ON PUBLIC ROADS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE WHEEL DUE TO THE EXTRA EFFORT. BMW NA HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED A DEFECT AND WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO CORRECT IT.*TR

2003 Z4 3.0I HAS BECOME UNSAFE WITH INCREASES IN STEERING STICKING AND NOTCHINESS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THE SYMPTOMS VARY WITH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE SO THE OVERALL STEERING FEEL WILL VARY FROM MORNING TO NOON TO NIGHT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CANNOT INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FAILURE WOULD PREVENT HIM FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,000.

12-31-08 MY CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN 55-65 MILES PE HOUR. I WAS TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE BUT WAS ABLE TO CRUISE TO THE OUTER LAND BUT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. TAFTER 10 =15 MINUTES MY CAR STARTED, AND THE FLORIDA STATE TROOPER ASSIST ME TO THE NEXT EXIT. AFTER I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME 45 MILES AWAY.... IT COST ME $197.00 BUT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PAID 70 DOLLARS OF THE FULL COST..... BMW HAVE A RECALL ON CERTAIN 2003 Z4 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT HAS REFUSED TO RECALL MY CAR AFTER IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE DRIVING 60MPH HIS VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AT THE TIME THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. IT BECAME WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. HE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE NORMALLY AFTER 20 MINUTES. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED THERE WAS A BUBBLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AREA THAT LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES. NO PROBLEM. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. HE WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $152 FOR A DIAGNOSIC CHECK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

I OWN A 2003 BMW Z4 AND HAVE HAD TWO FUEL PUMPS AND FILTER REPLACEMENTS. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 21,500 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS JUNE 2008. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN 1,000 MILES OF THE FIRST REPLACEMENT. BMW DEALER MAINTAINS IT IS ETHANOL IN THE PREMIUM GAS I BUY, WHICH IS FROM CHERVRON. THE FUEL PUMP IS SUPPOSEDLY SUBJECT TO FAILURE IF THE ETHANOL CONTENT EXCEEDS 10% OR MORE. I HAD THE CHEVRON FUEL TESTED AND IT FALLS WITHIN THE 10% LIMIT. ALL FUELS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONTAIN UP TO 10% ETHANOL. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BMW CANNOT DESIGN A FUEL PUMP TO HANDLE THE FUELS SOLD IN THE U.S. I SUPECT THE FUEL PUMP DESIGN IS FAULTY. ANYWAY I AM OUT ABOUT $2000 AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR VERY FAR FROM TOWN. *TR

THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON, BROUGHT IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR THAT FAILED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN HOT WEATHER, THE STEERING BINDED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SWITCH LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. ALSO, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE CONTACT COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE HAD TO MAKE SUDDEN MANEUVERS TO AVOID POTENTIALLY LOSING CONTROL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000. UPDATED 10/14/08 *BF UPDATED 10/23/08. *JB

VEHICLE HAS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. INTERMITTENTLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, POWER ASSIST UNIT FAILS. CONSEQUENTLY, DRIVER MUST USE A FIRM GRIP AND SUBSTANTIAL FORCE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS. UNIT FAILS EITHER AT ENGINE START OR WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 45,000 MILES. STEERING TORQUE FAULT WAS CLEARED DURING DIAGNOSTIC CHECK BY INDEPENDENT BMW TECHNICIAN BUT FAULT HAS SINCE RECURRED. NEAREST AUTHORIZED BMW SERVICE CENTER ALSO HAS CHECKED VEHICLE. OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT FIX WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF UPPER STEERING COLUMN AT COST TO OWNER OF $2,360 PLUS DIAGNOSTIC FEE. BMW NORTH AMERICAN CONTACTED FOR ASSISTANCE. THEY, IN CONCERT WITH THE DEALER, DECLINED TO OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO OWNER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS. PROBLEM REMAINS UNRESOLVED. OWNER FEELS THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CREATES A SIGNIFICANT HIGHWAY SAFETY RISK, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE UNSUSPECTING OF THE POTENTIAL FAULT. DATE OF INCIDENT BELOW IS FIRST OCCURRENCE OF PROBLEM, WHILE OWNER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. *TR