2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

MY VEHICLE IS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE 'EPS' ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BIND ON HOT DAYS. THIS COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION AND TO DATE BMW IS NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM. *TR

STICKY, GRABBY, TIGHT STEERING. NO CORRECTION TO CENTER. HEAVY FEEL AND NOTCHY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ON HOT DAYS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CAR SITS IN THE HOT SUN FOR A COUPLE HOURS. MOST NOTICEABLE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, IN THE MORNING WHEN IT IS COOL, THE STEERING IS FINE. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG DEACTIVATED ON IS OWN. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE IT TO AUTOMATIC. THE DEALER HAD TO RE-SET USING THE FACTORY COMPUTER. *TR

2003 BMW Z4 WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY BUT THE DEALER DID NOT SEE ANY PROBLEM. NOW THE POWER STEERING ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. *KB

STEERING LOCKS, RESIST, JERKS, AND STIFFENS UP ON HOT DAYS. THIS DAY MY STEERING ALMOST COMPLETELY LOCKED WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ACROSS TWO EXTRA LANES BEFORE IT LET GO. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL VEHICLE POWER. AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE ENGINE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON DRY ASPHALT ROADS, A VIBRATION WAS HEARD IN THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. UPON INSPECTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE, THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT THE SIDE OF THE TIRE CLOSEST TO THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO HAVE RUBBED AGAINST THE SHOCK ABSORBER, AND THE CORDS WERE VISIBLE WHERE THE TREAD MET THE SIDEWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

DURING HOT WEATHER (90 DEGREES AND ABOVE) THE STEERING BECOMES VERY HEAVY A STICKY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY STEER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE FACTORY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT DETERMINED A SOLUTION EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR OVER A YEAR. I DON'T FEEL THAT THE CAR IS ENTIRELY SAFE TO OPERATE WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS AND THE DEALER A FACTORY HAVE BEEN NON RESPONSIVE IN CORRECTING IT. *JB

THE STEERING IS "STICKY" WHEN DRIVING WITH INTERIOR HEATER ON FULL/HOT. IF CAR INTERIOR TEMPS COOL DOWN THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. I HAVE TO OVER STEER TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION I WANT AND THIS CAUSES A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE CAR WILL MOVE TOO FAR IN THAT DIRECTION. THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN TO BMW AND OTHER OWNERS. *JB

AUTO WAS EXHIBITING A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN APPROACHING A FULL LOCK POSITION. DEALER UPON SECOND COMPLAINT REPLACED THE "LOWER STEERING COLUMN JOINT ASSEMBLY PART # 32-30-6-769-265". AFTER THE PARTS REPLACEMENT THE STEERING OF THE CAR HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY IMPAIRED AND EXHIBITS STEERING THAT IS VERY VAGUE AND EXHIBITS A LOOSENESS ON ROUGH ROADS OR DURING SHARP TURNS SUCH AS PARKING OR A U-TURN. DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THERE ARE APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL BULLETINS BUT CHOSE NOT TO RELEASE INFORMATION IN THEM. *JB CAR IS PARKED AWAITING BMW REGIONAL TECHNICAL SERVICE INSPECTION. *JB