NHTSA Complaint #10447414 — 2003 BMW Z4

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT WITH A LOT OF RESISTANCE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. THIS "STICKING" STEERING WHEELS MAKES THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND HARD TO KEEP FROM WANDERING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE STEERING MECHANISM WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL YEARS LATER AND NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, I NOTICED THIS SAME PROBLEM STARTED BACK UP. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT I WOULD RARELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND HAVE ONLY PUT 4000 MILES SINCE 7/06) THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. AT THIS POINT, I DO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSE AS THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INCREASES. THIS DEFECT MAKES THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SINCE THE VEHICLE TENDS TO WANDER BACK AND FORCE DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING. THE REPAIR IS IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND I HAVE BEEN HOPING FOR A RECALL SINCE I HAVE READ OF MANY OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR