NHTSA Complaint #10299852 — 2003 BMW Z4

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