NHTSA Complaint #10618602 — 2004 BMW Z4

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR I LOST CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING AND IT FELT LIKE MY STEERING LOCKED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED A BIT AFTER CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE THAT I HAD GOOD POWER STEERING FLUID AND THE BELTS WERE GOOD. I TURNED ON THE CAR AGAIN AND STILL HAD NO POWER STEERING. SINCE I WAS NOT FAR FROM HOME I CAREFULLY DROVE HOME FIGHTING MY STEERING ALL THE WAY. I CALLED MY LOCAL BMW DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THEY SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THE REPAIR WAS EXTREMELY COSTLY. I DID NOT REALIZE HOW AWARE THEY WERE UNTIL I FURTHER RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED TO SEE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. I SAW REPORTS OF MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT A RECALL WAS NEVER ISSUED ON THIS ITEM. IT IS ABSOLUTELY MIND BOGGLING THAT SUCH A DEFECT IS LEFT TO THE CONSUMER TO PAY WHEN IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. DOES A DEATH HAVE TO INCUR FOR A RECALL? AREN'T PREVENTATIVE MEASURES JUST AS IMPORTANT FROM THE NHTSA TO HELP AVOID FUTURE ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE INJURIES? *TR