2003 BMW Z4

2003 BMW Z4: WE HAVE NOTICED A STEERING ISSUE THAT OCCURS IN THE WARMER MONTHS OF THE YEAR. THE STEERING TENDS TO FEEL 'STICKY' OR 'GUMMY' WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT PATH. IN ORDER TO FREE THE STICKY STEERING, ONE MUST QUICKLY JERK THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT DIRECTION TO LOOSEN AND FREE UP THE STEERING FEEL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS AS OF YET, BUT THE SUDDEN JERK OF THE WHEEL AND RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE LANE CHANGE AND/OR NEARING A SIDE SWIPE SITUATION WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. AFTER A BIT OF ONLINE RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT MANY OTHER HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. BMW MOST LIKELY KNOWS ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF THE UPDATED STEERING SHAFT FIXES THE PROBLEM. MANY OF US ARE OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE STEERING DEFECT IS NOT UNDER A CURRENT RECALL, THEREFORE BMW WILL NOT COVER THE FIX. MANY OF US CONSUMERS CANNOT AFFORD THE $3000 FIX, PER THE BMW SERVICE ESTIMATE AND HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE UNSAFELY. *TR

I OWN A 2003 BMW Z4 DURING WARM WEATHER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING BECOMES STUCK ON CENTER. IN JULY OF 09 I ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE YANK THE WHEEL SO HARD TO GET IT OUT OF THE "STUCK ON CENTER" ISSUE. I THEN RAN OFF THE ROAD AND INTO THE DITCH AND CAUSED ABOUT $1500 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN THE WAY. *TR

DETAILS: STEERING PROBLEM AT 45+MPH WITH VEHICLE, STEERING IS VERY STICKY GOING STRAIGHT, CONSTANT CORRECTIONS CAUSE OVER STEERING, STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO NEUTRAL POSITION ON CURVES LEADING TO DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, TESTED TO 75 + MPH, GETS WORSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS OF FREEWAY DRIVING. JUST TOOK POSSESSION OF USED VEHICLE. I THINK ITS JUST LUCK NO BODY HAS BEEN KILLED FROM RUNNING OFF THE ROAD OR HITTING SOMEONE. PLEASE LOOK AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME TROUBLE. *TR

1. FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS I HAVE NOTICED THAT SOMETHING HAS BEEN WRONG WITH MY 2003 BMW Z4'S STEERING. THE ONSET WAS VERY INSIDIOUS. I FIRST NOTICED A FEELING THAT THE STEERING WOULD STICK AND REQUIRE SLIGHT EXTRA FORCE TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. THIS SEEMED TO OCCUR AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN OUT SITTING IN THE SUN. AT THAT TIME IT WAS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN A PROBLEM. THE STEERING WOULD SOON RETURN TO NORMAL. I REMEMBER HAVING THE STEERING COMPLAINT MORE OFTEN OVER THE 2 YEAR PERIOD BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT I KNEW THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE I NEEDED TO RESOLVE. 2. I WAS MAKING A 250 MILE DRIVE BACK TO ORLANDO ON THE TURNPIKE WHEN THE STEERING PROBLEM RETURNED. IT WAS WORSE THAN EVER. THERE WAS A DANGEROUS "LOCKED ON CENTER" FEELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. MINOR ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED FORCE SUCH THAT THE STEERING JERKED AND THEN REQUIRED ANOTHER FORCEFUL JERK TO CORRECT. THE PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS IN THAT IT TAKES MUCH EFFORT TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WHEN I EXITED AND DROVE AT LOW SPEED THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. I RESEARCHED THIS PHENOMENA AND FOUND MANY OTHER Z4 OWNERS WITH THE SAME STEERING PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM ON THE Z4. MY PROBLEMS REFLECTED THOSE OF OTHER OWNERS. THE "LOCKED ON CENTER" FEELING IS WORSE ON HOT DAYS AND AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HAVE SINCE STOPPED DRIVING THAT VEHICLE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY BOTH FOR MY SAFETY AND THAT OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. 3. THE CAR HAS YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE OTHER Z4 OWNERS SUGGESTED I FILE THIS COMPLAINT, AS THEY HAVE HAD MUCH TROUBLE CONVINCING THEIR BMW DEALERSHIPS OF THE DESIGN FLAW/FAILURE OF THE EPS SYSTEM. *TR UPDATED 01/25/10 *BF UPDATED 01/26/10

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. AFTER HE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT SINCE HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL #08V384000 ( AIR BAGS: FRONTAL), HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1,500.00 FOR THE REPAIR. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.