NHTSA Complaint #10242659 — 2004 BMW Z4

I HAVE A HEAT-RELATED STEERING PROBLEM WITH MY CAR THAT HAS BEEN NOTED ON OTHER BMW Z4S. NORMALLY THE CAR HANDLES QUITE NICELY AND IS VERY RESPONSIVE. HOWEVER, WHENEVER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT A HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (HIGH 80S OR ABOVE), WHEN DRIVEN, THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY NON-RESPONSIVE-STICKY AND DOESN'T TRACK BACK TO CENTER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN SINCE SO MUCH FORCE IS REQUIRED ON SUCH A SMALL CAR TO MAKE WHAT SHOULD BE MINOR CORRECTIONS WHILE DRIVING THAT SEVERAL TIMES I'VE ALMOST ENDED TURNING INTO AN ADJACENT LANE ON THE FREEWAY WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE A STRAIGHT LINE. I AM VERY HESITANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON WARM DAYS (WHICH MEANS MOST DAYS HERE IN THE SOUTH) DUE TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT DUE TO THE DEFECT. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NEED TO USE MY CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BMW ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DESPITE THIS, MY DEALER PROFESSES CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT COULD BE HAPPENING AND HAS TOLD ME THAT WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN FOR A TEST RUN (NOT ON THE FREEWAY AND NOT DURING A WARM DAY), IT'S HANDLED FINE. MEANWHILE, I'M LEFT DRIVING WHAT CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED A DANGEROUSLY DEFECTIVE CAR THAT COULD QUITE EASILY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL, EVEN CAREFUL, CONDITIONS. *TR