2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V-182000, BUT THE RECALL FAILED. *JB

1. STEERING DEFECT OCCURS DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. 2. STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HEAVY TO TURN AND HAS A "LOCKED ON CENTER" FEEL. 3. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS DID NOT FIX PROBLEM.*AK

STEERING PROBLEM - STEERING BINDS AND LOCKS REQUIRING EXCESS EFFORT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION RESULTING IN OVERCORRECTION AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN MY VEHICLE IS PARKED IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING ROUGHLY 85 DEGREES, FOR PERIODS OF AN HOUR OR MORE, THE CAR'S POWER STEERING BEGINS TO MALFUNCTION. THE STEERING TAKES ON AN EXTREMELY HEAVY FEEL, AND IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO TURN. ADDITIONALLY, IN A GENTLE TURN, THE WHEEL DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY RETURN TO THE CENTER POSITION WHEN IT IS RELEASED. THE CAR CONTIUNES TO TURN INDEFINITELY. AS LONG AS TEMPERATURES REMAIN HIGH, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK

DURING EXPOSURE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 1990'S FARENHEIT THE STEERING BECOMES STIFF, UNRESPONSIVE WITH A TENDENCY TO "STICK" WHERE IT IS SET. ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER VEHICLE HAS SAT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT ON HOT DAYS.*AK

WHEN MY VEHICLE HAS SAT OUT IN THE 90F+ TEMPERATURE FOR A FEW HOURS, THE STEERING BECOMES ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE IN THAT THE STEERING "STICKS" AND IS NO LONGER SMOOTH IN ITS ROTATION. TO GET THE STEERING TO GO THE OTHER WAY AFTER TURNING OR CHANGING LANES, YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE FOR IT TO HAPPEN. MY ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN/ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I'VE CONFIRMED THIS ISSUE WITH Z4 OWNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AM BEGINNING TO FEEL THIS IS AN OVERALL DESIGN ISSUE. AGAIN, THIS IS A TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT ISSUE AS THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY AGAIN AT NIGHT OR WHEN IT'S NOT OVER 85 F.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 BMW Z4 2.5I ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 9, 2004 THE AMBIENT TEMP IN CT WAS IN THE MID 90'S WHILE DRIVING MY CAR THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS BINDING, WAS STIFF TO TURN AND DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY RETURN TO A CENTER POSITION. THE STEERING LOST THE SMOOTH GRADUAL ROTATION AS I TURNED THE WHEEL THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS COOLER THE PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT ITSELF. *AK

2003 BMW Z-4 COMPUTER GLITCH THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY AND KILL THE ENGINE RPM'S CREATTING A VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL SITUATIONS FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS.*AK

MY CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD GOING FIFTY MILES AN HOUR ON UNIVERSITY CITY BLVD. IN CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE BUT LUCKILY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID ME. I HAVE NEVER BEEN THAT SCARED IN MY LIFE. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE CAR HAD BROKEN DOWN IN NINE MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME BEING MAY 27, 2003. THE SECOND BEING OCTOBER 25, 2003. AND THE THIRD TIME BEING JANUARY 16, 2004 (THIS IS THE TIME IT STALLED GOING 50 MILES ON THE ROAD). THE DEALERSHIP, BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND THE MANAGERS AT HENDRICK IMPORTS WERE ALL AWARE THAT MY CAR HAD STALLED ON THE ROAD! BEING THAT MY LIFE WAS AT ISSUE I WAS UPSET AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I EVEN LET THEM KEEP THE CAR AN EXTRA FEW DAYS TO MAKE IT SURE THE PORBLEM WAS CORRECTED. THIS IS WHY I DID NOT TAKE ANY PREVIOUS ACTION. NOW ON MARCH 5, 2004 ABOUT SIX WEEKS LATER THE CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FIRST THREE TIMES. THIS TIME IT STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN MY APARTMENT WHICH IS NOT A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRAFFIC!! WHAT IF I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT STALLED AGAIN, I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS LETTER TO YOU I WOULD BE IN THE GROUND! THEY JUST WANT TO FIX IT AND PUT ME ON THE ROAD AGAIN, BUT I KNOW THE CAR IS UNSAFE BUT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO CARE. I JUST WANTED TO LET THE NHTSA KNOW ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE!! THANK GOD I AM STILL ALIVE TO WRITE THIS LETTER TO YOU!*AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THEN IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. *AK *CB *JB