NHTSA Complaint #10362696 — 2003 BMW Z4

MY 2003 BMW Z4 SHOULD HAVE INITIALLY BEEN RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE STEERING. FROM THE FIRST DAY I HAD IT, THE STEERING WOULD PERIODICALLY ACT UP AND MADE THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN TO BE FIXED I WAS CHARGED $3001.31 TO ALIGN THE WHEELS, CHANGE THE STEERING RACK, REPLACE A TIRE, TWO WHEELS, AND SOME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, AND THEN ANOTHER $150 ALIGNMENT. (PERHAPS SOME OF THESE COMPONENTS ACTUALLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT, BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS.) YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE STEERING WHICH I FINALLY TRACED TO ACTING UP ON HOT DAYS. AND THE CAR DROVE EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT DID BEFORE THE "REPAIRS." AFTER DOING SOME ON-LINE RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT BMW HAD A SOLUTION ALL ALONG. BUT WAS MY CAR RECALLED AND FIXED? NO. I FOUND THE ACTUAL PART NUMBER OF THE NEW STEERING COLUMN AND I HAD TO INSIST ON A FREE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THAT FIXED IT FINE, BUT WHY DID I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS AND SPEND $3001.31 WHEN BMW KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE 2003 MODEL AND REDESIGNED THE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS? MY INITIAL COMPLAIN WAS ON 08/18/06 AT 23023 MILES AND MY SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINT WAS ON 04/28/08 AT 28274 MILES. LINKS TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS: HTTP://WWW.LEFTLANENEWS.COM/NHTSA-PROBES-BMW-Z4-MAZDA3-OVER-STEERING-ISSUES.HTML HTTP://BIMMER.ROADFLY.COM/BMW/FORUMS/E85/8909755-1.HTML HTTP://BMWCCA.ORG/FORUM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-152.HTML. *TR