2003 BMW Z4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK IN THE CENTERED POSITION AND MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT SPECIALIZED ON BMW MANUFACTURED VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,300.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE SUN WITH TEMPERATURES OVER 88 DEGREES. AT 2 PM, I DROVE THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60MPH WHILE ROUNDING A SLIGHT BEND TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN UNDER A SLIGHT EFFORT SO I MADE AN ADDITIONAL EFFORT. SUDDENLY, THE RESISTANCE IS COMPLETELY ABSENT RESULTING IN A SHARP VEER TO THE LEFT CHANGING LANES. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER CAR IN THE LEFT LANE. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED AND RETURNED TO MY ORIGINAL LANE. WITHIN 15 TO 20 SECONDS, THE SITUATION REPEATS. I TRIED TURNING ON THE SPORT FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSE TO PROVIDE MORE RESISTANCE BUT THE SAME EVENT OCCURS. IT ONLY HAPPENS IN HOT WEATHER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SITTING IN THE SUN FOR 4 OR MORE HOURS AND IT IS ABOVE 88 DEGREES. IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE, I DRIVE IN ONE GEAR LOWER, SAY 4TH, AND CONSTANTLY SHIMMY THE WHEEL TO AVOID LOSS OF CONTROL. IT'S SIMILAR TO SNOW SKIING WITH THE VEHICLE CATCHING AN EDGE OR GROOVE IT DOES NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF. IT CONTINUES TO DRIVE IN THE SAME PREVIOUS DIRECTION AS YOU APPLY ADDITIONAL EFFORT. SUDDENLY, THE WHEEL GIVES AND IT'S AS IF THE POWER STEERING ASSIST IS SUDDENLY AMPLIFIED, WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY NEED AT 5MPH, NOT 60MPH. AS YOU FINISH THE BEND, IT CONTINUES TO STAY LOCKED IN THE TURNING POSITION. SO, ADDITIONAL EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE AND AGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL FIGHTS YOUR EFFORTS ONLY TO SUDDENLY GIVE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. YOU STRUGGLE TO KEEP THE CAR IN YOUR LANE THE ENTIRE TIME AND FROM THE REAR, THE VEHICLE APPEARS ERRATIC AND SWERVING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THAT WAS MY FIRST SUMMER WITH THE CAR AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER WHERE HOPEFULLY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL APPLY. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH SHE COULD FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL JERKING AND IT BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. SHE ALSO STATED IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBIT EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,800 THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 12,200 UPDATED 07/13/12*LJ BMW AGREED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN FREE OF CHARGE. UPDATED 07/18/12

OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, THE STEERING IN MY BMW Z-4 HAS FELT LIKE I HAVE TO FIGHT TO STAY ON THE ROAD. IT IS JERKING & PULLING THE CAR OFF CENTER MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND FEEL SAFE. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO "STICKS" RATHER THAN ROTATING SMOOTHLY WHEN I TURN TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS CONDITION IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE LAST WEEK AT APPROX. 55 MILES/HOUR AND SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR SWERVED HARD PULLING ME INTO THE NEXT LANE OF TRAFFIC COMING VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *JS

I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS OVER 90 DEGREES MY STEERING STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO JERK THE WHEEL TO GET IT TO UNSTICK. IT ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN YOU ARE TAKING A GRADUAL CURVE AND YOU TRY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS LIKELY THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING BUT HAVE NOT HAD IT CHECKED. IT IS SO DANGEROUS THAT I WILL NOT DRIVE IN HOT WEATHER UNTIL I GET IT FIXED... I JUST CAN'T AFFORD SEVERAL THOUSAND IN REPAIR BILLS. BTW, THERE ARE ONLY 23,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I HAVE HAD IT SINCE IT WAS NEW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO STICK AND JERK TO THE SIDES ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE10020 (STEERING:COLUMN STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.