NHTSA Complaint #11339814 — 2005 BMW Z4

STEERING IS NO LONGER SMOOTH OR SAFE, TAKES 2 HANDS AND EVEN ON STRAIGHT ROAD HAS TO BE MOVED IN JERKS SIDE TO SIDE, AS IF SOMEONE ELSE IS HOLDING THE WHEEL AND FIGHTING BACK WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN WHEEL. WARM IS WORSE AND ON HIGHWAY AT SPEED ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP STRAIGHT. ON MY DRIVE MONDAY HAD I HAD TO MAKE AN EVASIVE MOVE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AND WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. IN HAWAII IT IS ALWAYS OVER 80 DEGREES ON HIGHWAY. WHEN FIRST TURNED ON IN GARAGE IT IS NOT NEARLY AS BAD. BUT AFTER COUPLE MINUTES IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN CHOSEN DIRECTION. EVASIVE ACTION NOW IMPOSSIBLE AND TOLD BY DEALER THAT AN ENTIRE NEW STEERING COLUMN IS REQUIRED AND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN Z4S FROM 2004-2006. HAS ONLY 18,000 MILES ON IT. IN FLAWLESS SHAPE. IN 2012 WITH 11,442 MILES ON THE CAR THE STEERING WAS DOING THE SAME THING. MY FATHER WHO BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, THE CAR TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THUS THE CAR NOW HAS 7,000 MORE MILES AND AGAIN I AM TOLD IT NEEDS ANOTHER STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT FOR $6000. FROM INVESTIGATING OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE IT IS THE UNSEALED BEARING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COLUMN THAT THE LUBRICANT DRIES AND HARDENS ONTO. THAT BEARING CAN BE DUG OUT, CLEANED OFF AND NEW LUBRICANT APPLIED. BUT THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. THE LUBRICANT WILL DRY AND HARDEN REQUIRING ANOTHER COSTLY (QUOTED AT $1700) OPENING AND CLEANING/LUBRICATING. THE 2007 MODELS HAVE HAD 0 COMPLAINTS SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY BMW FIXED THE UNSEALED BEARING PROBLEM. I AM ASKING FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN WITH ONE OF THE SEALED BEARING ASSEMBLIES TO BE INSTALLED BY THE BMW DEALER AT THEIR COST.