NHTSA Complaint #10445000 — 2003 BMW Z4

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS FAILED ON THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. LUCKILY IT FAILED WHILE ON A STRAIGHT PART OF AN INTERSTATE AS MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THIS SEVERELY FRIGHTENED HER. SHE DID NOT OVERREACT AND WE TOOK APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS ISSUE WAS BEING INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA IN 2010 BUT CAN NOT FIND ANY INDICATION THAT AN ACTUAL RECALL IS IN PLACE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IN A STATE WITH A LOT OF WINDING ROADS (TENNESSEE). I PURCHASED THE CAR USED LAST YEAR AND ALSO HAD A WATER PUMP FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE. I WISH THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED ALSO AS I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGES READING INCORRECTLY. I READ THAT ONE OWNER WAS CONTACTED BY BMW NORTH AMERICA AFTER THEY FILED A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE POWER STEERING WITH NHTSA AND BMW VOLUNTARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR THE OWNER. I HOPE I HAVE THE SAME LUCK AFTER POSTING THIS COMPLAINT. THANK YOU. *TR