2004 BMW Z4 Complaints

STICKY STEERING SIMILAR TO OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED IN THIS DATABASE. MORE EVIDENT IN HOT WEATHER, BUT HAS BEGUN HAPPENING IN COLD WEATHER. STEERING "STICKS" IN ONE LOCATION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CHANGE THE CARS TRACK. STEERING DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER BY ITSELF. A DANGEROUS AND TIRING DRIVING CONDITION. *TR

STEERING FEELS "STICKY" SIMILAR TO OTHER REPORTS FILED, PREVIOUS ODI CASE NUMBER 10288772 REPORTED 06/30/09. ON 11 NOVEMBER 09 MILEAGE 82,745, ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING (EPS) FAILED COMPLETELY, WARNING LIGHT ON DASH, CAR STILL DRIVABLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING FOR LIMITED DISTANCE TO DEALER. CAUSE FOUND TO BE CODE 611C3 FAILED EPS UNIT. REPAIR WAS STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT & REPROGRAMMING IAW SIB32-06-05. ALL PREVIOUS PROBLEMS ARE GONE, CAR STEERS LIKE BRAND NEW, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I'D BEEN MISSING. REPAIR COST WAS $50 DEDUCTIBLE UNDER EXTENDED BMW FACTORY WARRANTY, NO IDEA OF ACTUAL RETAIL COST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 45-50 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED A NOTCHY SENSATION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING COLUMN . THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 01/12/10. *LJ UPDATED 01/13/10

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 95 IN SOUTH FLORIDA THE STEERING BOUND, (TIGHTENED) MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN GOOD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE PERSISTENT IN HOTTER TEMPERATURES WHILE LESS EVIDENT WHEN THE CAR IS COOLER. *TR

STEERING IS "STICKY" AND HAS MOMENTARY FAILURES WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AT HIGH OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES (OVER 80F). CONTINUOUS FAILURES AS STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. DEALERSHIP DENIES KNOWING OF PROBLEM, OR CANNOT DUPLICATE FAILURES. THIS AN EXTREME HAZARD. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENTS YET. *TR

2004 BMW Z4 CURRENT MILEAGE 81K BOUGHT USED WITH 35K IN 2008. BEGINNING IN SUMMER 2008, STEERING FEELS "STICKY" IN SLOW TURNS TO RIGHT/LEFT SUCH AS ON /OFF RAMP. WITH DIFFERENT TIRES, SYMPTOMS EASED, BUT STILL EVIDENT, ESPECIALLY AT AMBIENT TEMPS 70 DEG F OR ABOVE. AT 71K CAR IN FOR SERVICE INCLUDING THIS COMPLAINT. DEALER NOTED "BINDING/NOISY LOWER COLUMN JOINT" & REPLACED LOWER SECTION OF STEERING COLUMN JOINT "PER SIB 32 03 06", BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. PROBLEM NOT AS SEVERE AS THAT NOTED IN SOME OTHER COMPLAINTS ON LINE BUT SIMILAR IN PERSISTENCE AND ANNOYANCE. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN A CORNER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE LAST INCIDENT NEARLY RESULTED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. I NEARLY STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL WHILE THE STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND PROPERLY. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY SAID THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SAYING THE VEHICLE BEHAVES THIS WAY, BECAUSE IT'S ELECTRONIC STEERING? I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND MANY Z4 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

STEERING OF THE CAR SEEMS TO BIND, THAT IS, AFTER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO EITHER TO LEFT OR RIGHT, IT DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER IN A SMOOTH OR LINEAR FASHION, AS IF THE POWER ASSIST IS INCONSISTENT. ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED,OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL REPORT THE SAME EXPERIENCE. REPLACING THE EPS UNIT DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP, NOR DOES REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS INCONSISTENT STEERING RESPONSE COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS OVER 85 DEGREES. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS AND DRIVE NORMALLY WITHOUT VEERING INTO ANOTHER LANE AND LOOSING STEERING CONTROL. THE DEALER STATED THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR THE STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS $3,400. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE AND LET HER KNOW IF THEY WILL ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,938. UPDATED 10/5/09 *CN UPDATED 10/07/09

2004 BMW Z4 WITH 26K MILES. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS INTHE 90S OR ABOVE, THE STEERING, PARTICULARLY ON THE HIGHWAY, DEVELOPS A NOTCHY OR STICKINESS THAT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO TRACK STRAIGHT. CAUSES YOU TO JERK THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT OF WAY. THERE ARE MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS COMPONENT FOR 2003-04 MODEL YEARS. INDEPENDENT BMW MECHANIC HAS INSPECTED MY VEHICLE AND STATES THAT THE CONTROL MODULE/ELECTRIC MOTOR/STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. HE STATED THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE A TREND ON THIS. *TR