NHTSA Complaint #10341046 — 2004 BMW Z4

I AM STUCK WITH A 2004 Z4 WITH THE STICKY STEERING SYNDROME. AFTER IT IS WARMED UP THE STEERING STICKS IN POSITION AND IS DIFFICULT TO MOVE FROM POINT TO POINT. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 50 OR 60 MILES WITH THE TOP DOWN AND THE HEATER ON SO THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. THAT IS WHEN THE ISSUE FIRST APPEARED AND WE ALMOST HAD A HEAD ON ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 101 SOUTH OF CANNON BEACH, OREGON. THE SYNDROME SEEMS TO APPEAR ONLY AFTER THE CAR IS WARMED UP. WE BOUGHT THE Z4 ONE YEAR AGO AT ABOUT 37000 MILES AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 42667. BMW REGIONAL MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED NOT TO SUPPORT ANY REDUCTION OF THEIR $3259.00 CHARGE TO REPLACE THE STEERING MECHANISM WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE STICKY STEERING SYNDROME IS WELL KNOWN AS A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE NHTSA SITE AND ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT TO THIS DATE. THIS LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER TOYOTA LIKE SAFETY ISSUE. IS THE NHTSA LISTENING OR DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED? *TR