NHTSA Complaint #10730919 — 2004 BMW Z4

THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. I JUST HAD THE FRONT STRUTS AND OTHER FRONT END WORK DONE FIGURING IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, IT DIDN'T. IN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM AND TALKING WITH OTHER BMW Z4 OWNERS, THIS HAPPENS ON ALL 2003-2005 BMW Z4. THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS A HIGH SPEED. WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING AWHILE (LONGER THAN 1 HOUR, MOST LIKELY HEAT RELATED), THE STEERING BECOMES VERY, VERY STIFF AND FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED, AND TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL YOU MUST EXERT AN EXTRAORDINARY FORCE TO MAKE IT MOVE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS UNTIL THE CAR SITS AWHILE (COOLS OFF). AT HIGH SPEEDS THIS CAN MAKE YOU OVER CORRECT AND FORCE YOU OUT OF YOUR LANE. IF I EVER COME UP AND AN OBJECT IN MY LANE (I.E. TIRE FRAGMENT FROM A TRUCK) AND I HAVE TO MOVE OUT THE WAY AND THERE IS ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE NEXT LANE, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE I COULD SIDESWIPE THAT VEHICLE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN OTHER VEHICLES BY INSTALLING A NEW STEERING COLUMN FROM EARLIER YEAR BMW Z4 (2008 OR EARLIER), SO IT SEEMS THAT BMW KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS CORRECTED THE DEFECT. BMW JUST NEEDS TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH ALL THE VEHICLES EFFECTED. I KNOW FROM RESEARCH THAT THIS HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BEFORE (2010 OR 2011) BY THE NHTSA, BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THIS NEEDS TO BE REOPENED AND A RECALL IMPLEMENTED. THESE ARE LOW MILEAGE AND WELL MAINTAINED CARS, AND WILL STILL BE ON THE ROAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IF THIS WAS ON ANY OTHER MASSED PRODUCED CAR (GM, FAULTY IGNITION), THERE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN A RECALL BY NOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU HOW SERIOUS THIS DEFECT IS, BUT IT IS DANGEROUS! I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. THANK YOU!