2006 BMW Z4

FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT ON - PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT FUNCTION IN EVENT OF COLLISION. PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING CODE CAN NOT BE RESET. THE CAR AIR BAG SYSTEM HAS NEVER BEEN ACTIVATED BY COLLISION. THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FIRST APPEARED WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN GARAGE AND IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY COLLISION EVENTS. IT APPEARS TO BE LINKED TO SIMILARLY REPORTED BMW MODELS RECALLS INVOLVING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT FAILURES, WHICH REQUIRES SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT REPLACEMENT. THE PROBLEM IS IT IS NOT CLEAR IF CURRENT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT RECALLS INCLUDE AND COVER THE BMW 2006 Z4 PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR MAT REPLACEMENT. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM BMW DEALER AS A PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED CAR UNDER FULL WARRANTY. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ADDRESS REPAIRS UNDER THE CURRENT RECALLS.NEED YOUR HELP, THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY Z4 ON THE ROAD AND THE NUMBER OF OWNER REPORTED FAILURES IS LIKELY TO BE A SMALL NUMBER BUT THIS DOES NOT DIMINISH THE FACT THAT THE SEAT SENSOR MAT IN A Z4 ARE THE SAME EQUIPMENT BEING RECALLED FOR OTHER BMW MODELS. PLEASE EXTEND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT RECALL TO INCLUDE THE 2006 Z4 MODELS. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

STEERING IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 85F. IT IS NOT SPEED DEPENDENT. WHEN STEERING IN EITHER DIRECTION THERE IS A STICKING FEEL THE RESULTS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OVERSTEER. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON BASED ON BMW OWNER FORUMS AND IS WELL DOCUMENT IN THE NHTSA COMPLAINT DATABASE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS ISSUE RESULTS IN INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR

I JUST PURCHASED A 2006 Z4 3.0I WITH 21000 MILES FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WILMINGTON, NC. DURING THE TEST DRIVE I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS UNUSUALLY STIFF AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS THE CAR WAS SOMEWHAT HARD TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I DISMISSED THE ISSUE AS A POSSIBLE ALIGNMENT OR WORN OUT TIRE ISSUE. ON THE 120 MILE DRIVE HOME TO RALEIGH, NC THE STEERING BECAME MORE AND MORE ERRATIC, PUSHING THE CAR HALF WAY TO THE OTHER LANE. I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS GETTING REALLY STICKY AND JERKY THE LONGER I DROVE. WHEN TRYING TO SLIGHTLY CORRECT THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CAR TO ANY SIDE, THE STEERING WOULD NOT REACT TO LIGHT TORQUE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT WOULD WITH ANY OTHER CAR I'VE DRIVEN BEFORE. WHEN APPLYING MORE FORCE THE STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY JUMP A DEGREE OR MORE, CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERSTEER AND MAKING FOR SOME RALLY SCARY AND ERRATIC MANEUVERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN TRYING TO CORRECT THIS UNEXPECTED JUMP, THE CAR WOULD DO THE SAME THING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, CAUSING ME TO SWERVE RIGHT AND LEFT. LATER, WHEN COMING OUT OF A LONG RIGHT TURN ON A NARROW TWO LANE ROAD, THE STEERING WAS STUCK IN THE RIGHT TURN POSITION AND SUDDENLY POPPED INTO A LEFT TURNING POSITION, ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION WITH AN ONCOMING SEMI TRUCK. SINCE THE BEHAVIOR IS SO UNPREDICTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL, I CONSIDER THIS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. I GOT LUCKY AND I AM CONVINCED THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR

I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE ONE MORNING AND NOTICED A SLIGHT STICKING FEELING IN MY STEERING. THINKING IT WAS A TIRE, I RAN MY ERRAND AND CHECKED MY TIRE INFLATION. ONE WEEK LATER WE TOOK A SHORT TRIP (50 MILES) AND THE FURTHER I GOT DOWN THE ROAD, THE MORE I FELT THIS NOTCH IN THE CENTER OF MY STEERING. WHEN ONE TRIES TO OVERCOME THIS NOTCH, YOU OVERCORRECT THE STEERING AND COULD POSSIBLY DART OFF TOO FAST. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. AGAIN WE CHECKED OUR TIRES WHICH SEEMED TO BE FINE, THEN DETERMINED IT WAS IN THE STEERING. WE RESEARCHED FOR SIMILAR SITUATIONS ON LINE AND FOUND THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS PRIOR TO 06/2006. OUR CAR WAS MFG. 04/2006. IS THERE A RECALL IN PLACE FOR THIS WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE CAM AND THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

I HAVE A 2004 Z4 3.0 WITH 69K MILES. HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAVE NOTICED A STEERING ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. I RESEARCHED THIS ON MULTIPLE FORUMS AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MOST RELATE TO ISSUES IN HOT TEMPERATURES, MINE IS MORE RELATED TO SPEED. HERE ARE THE SYMPTOMS... 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. *TR