NHTSA Complaint #10402979 — 2004 BMW Z4

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I NOTICED THAT MY 2004 BMW Z4 LOST ITS OTHERWISE SMOOTH STEERING AFTER BEING PARKED IN THE SUN ON HOT DAYS. THE STEERING WOULD BECOME STICKY AND REQUIRED EXTRA AND INCONSISTENT EFFORT TO MAKE LOW-SPEED AS WELL HIGHER-SPEED TURNS. THIS OCCURRED MOST FREQUENTLY DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE TURN RATHER THAN WELL INTO IT. THESE EVENTS WERE INFREQUENT AS I RARELY PARK OUT IN THE SUN, BUT VERY DISCONCERTING. WHEN I HAD THE CAR IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TO THE DEALER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PHENOMENON BUT ALWAYS GOT THE ?CAN?T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM? AND ?IT?S NORMAL? RESPONSE. THIS SPRING, HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD THE ?STICKY? PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OF THE HOTTER DAYS EVEN THOUGH I PARK IN A GARAGE WHICH HAS ME VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. INTERNET RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT NHTSA HAS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE AND VARIOUS FORUMS REPORT SIMILAR OR MORE SEVERE EXPERIENCES. I READ THAT BMW HAS RESPONDED TO NHTSA THAT THIS IS PRIMARILY A ?COMFORT? ISSUE, BUT I STRONGLY DISAGREE. DRIVING IS HIGHLY INSTINCTUAL, DEVELOPED THROUGH EXPERIENCE ? HAVING YOUR STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY HIT A STICKY POINT IN MID-TURN CAN EASILY TRIGGER AN ADVERSE REACTION SUCH AS FORCING OVER-STEERING RESULTING IN LEAVING THE ROADBED. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO NOT EXPERIENCE THAT, I MUST BE MUCH MORE DILIGENT, ALERT AND ON-EDGE. *TR