2003 BMW Z4

AT 3844 MILES IN DECEMBER 2017 I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE FOR STANDARD SERVICE AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND I MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING AT TIMES WAS STICKING AND IT WOULD TAKE FORCE TO GET IT OUT OF THE LOCKED POSITION WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS OF SERIOUS CONCERN. THE BMW SERVICE CONSULTANT TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT $5,200. WITH ONLY 3,844 MILES ON THE VEHICLE I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT COULD HAPPEN. I AM FILING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT AND BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $1,911.96 TO REPLACE SENSORS AND FAULTY STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. AFTER THE REPAIR THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE WITH THE STICKING STEERING PROBLEM.

ON JULY 2018 BMW ISSUED AN IMPORTANT LIMITED WARRANTY INFORMATION NOTICE RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE. BMW WOULD COVER REPAIRS TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY FOR THE SRS/AIR BAG SYSTEM. UNFORTUNATELY THIS WARRANTY REPAIR WILL NOT COVER MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THE 15 YEAR PERIOD DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE THAT WAS PUT INTO SERVICE IN JANUARY 2003. I BELIEVE THAT BMW SHOULD COVER ANY 2003 BMW Z4 RATHER THAN CUTTING OFF THOSE MADE IN THE PRIOR 6 MONTHS. BMW REFUSES TO COVER. THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE RELATES TO THE SERVO MOTOR/ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL UNIT. RECENTLY THIS FAILED AND I NOTE THAT OTHER BMWS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. I BELIEVE YOUR AGENCY SHOULD DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS WARRANTS A RECALL TOO. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING CEASES TO FUNCTION. PEOPLE WILL BE KILLED. IN MY CASE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR UNRELATED REPAIRS AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT. THE SHOP HAD NOTICED THE STEERING SEEMED TIGHT AND TOLD ME THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4,000. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND THE STEERING IS BACK TO NORMAL. RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATED THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER BMWS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BERGSTROM BMW (3002 N VICTORY LN, APPLETON, WI) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,698.

ON AUGUST 1 OF THIS YEAR I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW STATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT(OC3) FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS/AIR BAG SYSTEM) . I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR. WHEN I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA I WAS TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT FIXED IS AT MY EXPENSE. OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS I SPOKE TO THEM 3 DIFFERENT TIMES AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY TO FIX A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT WAS IN THE VEHICLE WHEN IT CAME OFF THE FACTORY FLOOR.

SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR NEW IN 2003, AND SINCE, THE STEERING GET VERY "TIGHT" OR "STICKY" MAKING THE CAR ALMOST UNDRIVABLE. IN HPOT WEATHER IF IS WORSE. IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO STEER THE CAR AS IT REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT OR TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO STAY IN A LANE OR TURN. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS ON THE INTERNET AND BMW SITES WITH THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE BMW Z4S.

FOLLOW UP TO NHTSA COMPLAINT ID 10353056. RECEIVED LETTER FROM BMW THAT THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT WARRANTY FOR MY VEHICLE SERIAL NUMBER WAS EXTENDED TO 15 YEARS. RECEIVED LETTER ON 7/31/18, WITH 15 YEAR SERVICE DATE EXPIRED ON 7/11/18. LETTER WAS WORTHLESS, AS THEY WAITED UNTIL THE 15 YEAR EXTENSION HAD EXPIRED BY SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE SENDING THE NOTIFICATION. THE INABILITY OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO INFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT CONTINUES TO BE IGNORED FOR MY VEHICLE AS WELL AS OTHERS REPORTED TO THE NHTSA. BMW NEEDS TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY INJURIES RESULTING FROM AN AIRBAG FAILING TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.