2003 BMW Z4 Complaints

TAKATA RECALL. 2003 BMW Z4 AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID SEAT BELTS LOCK WHEN CAR HIT A TRACTER TRAILER WHO SUDDENLY STOPPED SHORT ON THE HIGHWAY. BMW WAS MOVING AT APPROX 80 MPH WHEN DRIVER HIT BREAKS UPON SEEING TRAILER STOP SHORT.

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON WARM DAYS (80 OR ABOVE) THE STEERING DOES NOT RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN SMALL ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE. THE STEERING FEELS "STICKY" OR "NOTCHED" REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO RE POSITION THE STEERING WHEEL TO STAY ON THE ROAD. TIRE PRESSURES ARE IN SPEC AS IS THE ALIGNMENT.

STICKY STEERING WHEN IT IS HOT WEATHER. IT IS HARD TO STEER AND WILL NOT STRAIGHTEN UP. CONSTANT STEERING PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN HOT WEATHER. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

AT LOW SPEEDS (UNDER 20MPH) STEERING IS VERY LIGHT AND SMOOTH, NO ISSUES AT ALL. AS SPEED INCREASES, THE STEERING GETS HEAVIER (AS IT SHOULD) BUT DEVELOPS A "DETENT" AT STRAIGHT CENTER. THE FASTER THE SPEED, THE MORE EFFORT NEEDED TO OVERCOME THE DETENT RESISTANCE, TO THE POINT THAT IT BECOMES EASY TO OVERSTEER THE CAR. THIS CAN BE REAL SCARY DURING AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS AND QUICK LANE CHANGES.

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING STICKS AND IS VERY STIFF. NOT FLUID STEERING BUT JERKING AND IS UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. THIS IS A DANGER ON ROAD.

STEERING GETS "STUCK" WHILE DRIVING. FEELS LIKE YOUR IN A RUT. 35K ON THE VEHICLE AND THE BMW DEALER SAID THE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED FOR $4538.41. I READ ON THE INTERNET THE ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUES FOR CARS 2003-2005. MANY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AND BMW HAD NO RECALLS ON THE CARS. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO DRIVE THE CARS. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHSTA AND WONDERING WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE ISSUE. I ONLY DRIVE 1500 MILES PER YEAR AND IT STARTED LATE LAST SUMMER AND IS NOW UNDRIVEABLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS MORE PRONOUNCED DURING WARM TEMPERATURES. THE CONTACT WAS A MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING OPEN FACED BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING ASSEMBLY UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. UPDATED 06/02/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 08/29/2017*JS

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE WHILE IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS RESULTED IN INCORRECT AMOUNTS OF STEERING PRESSURE BEING APPLIED BY TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS & NEAR ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DATE IS APPROXIMATE FOR FIRST OCCURRENCE.

STEERING SEEMS RANDOMLY UNRESPONSIVE. YOU TURN STEERING WHEEL AN THERE IS A LAG. FEELS LIKE I DONT ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL OF MY CAR.

STEERING IS TOO UNSTABLE ON STRAIGHT DRIVING. A SUDDEN PULL TO THE RIGHT/LEFT AND STEERING IS NOT CENTERING. STEERING IS STIFF AND HARD TO CONTROL.