2003 BMW Z4 Steering Problems

DURING HOT TEMPERATURES WHEN MAKING TURNS IN THE Z4 THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT SMOOTHLY ROTATE, IT IS KNOTCHY AND SOMETIMES SUDDENLY PULLS TOWARDS A CERTAIN DIRECTION WHILE GOING INTO OR OUT OF A TURN. THIS BEHAVIOR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN RESULT IN AN UNWANTED MANEUVER AT HIGH SPEED. CONSIDERING THIS IS A SPORTS CAR PEOPLE TEND TO GO ON SPIRITED DRIVES THAT ARE NOT FORGIVING TO SUCH STEERING WHEEL PULL IN UNWANTED DIRECTIONS. *TR

WHEN THE CAR GETS HOT (SUMMER HOT) THE STEERING GETS NOTCHY IN THAT WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN A SLIGHT TURN, LIKE CHANGING LANES OR GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CORNER, THE STEERING LITERALLY STICKS IN THAT POSITION CAUSING THE DRIVER TO APPLY OPPOSITE PRESSURE TO "BREAK" THE WHEEL LOOSE FROM THE TURN FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER STICK WHEREVER THE WHEEL IS BROUGHT BACK TO. PROBLEM IS THAT IT CAUSES MASSIVE OVERSTEERING ISSUES AT HIGH SPEED. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS! BMW KNOWS ABOUT IT AND RELEASED MULTIPLE PUMAS (ONE OF WHICH IS 4515500-06 - EQUIVALENT OF A TSB) BUT HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. *TR

WHEN THE CAR GET WARM UP THE STEERING BEGINS TO STICK IN ON PLACE. THIS MAKES A PLEASURE CAR SEEM MORE LIKE A NIGHTMARE AND IT IS VERY UNSAFE. THEIR NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS VERY SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING SOON THERE IS GOING TO BE A ACCIDENT AND THEN THEY'LL BE DEALING WITH LAWSUIT AT THAT POINT. *TR

APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO THE STEERING ON MY Z-4 BEGAN STICKING WHEN THE CAR WAS GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD. ON THE ADVICE OF A REPAIR SHOP I HAD THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND TO GOT THE BMW DEALER TO CHECK THE WORK AND PROVIDE A FOUR-WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THIS DID NOT HELP.. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING AND IS WORSE DURING HOTTER TEMPERATURES. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS MY BMW DEALER HAD SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH STEERING. NOW LAST WEEK THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO REPLACE AN EPS ASSEMBLY IN THE STEERING SYSTEM FOR A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $3500. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING SEVERAL BMW OWNERS CHAT ROOMS AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 2003 - 2005 Z-4S. *TR

STEERING WILL GO FROM VERY TIGHT TO VERY LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. WILL PULL TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WILL INITIALLY RESIST AND THEN GIVE WAY TO EITHER DIRECTION. SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN WARMER WEATHER CONDITIONS. FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO CONTROL IN THE STEERING OF THE CAR. *TR

I AM FILLING THIS COMPLAINT DO TO MY CAR STARTED TO FILL UNSAFE WILL NOT STAY CENTER AND CONTINUES TO PULL ON BOTH DIRECTIONS ITS A STRUGGLE TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD KNOWING THAT AT ANY MOMENT WILL TROW YOU TO EITHER SIDE PLEASE REVIEW MY CLAIM. *TR

I BOUGHT THE 2003 BMW Z4 3.0 L. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2012. I LIVE AND DRIVE THE CAR IN PORTLAND OREGON WHERE THE WHETHER IS RATHER MODERATE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS BUT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHES ABOVE 90 F THE STEERING GETS SO TIGHT THAT AT HIGHWAY SPEED ESPECIALLY I HAVE TO FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR ON TRACK. STEERING GETS SO TIGHT DUE TO OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES THAT DRIVING BECOMES SCARY AND UNSAFE. WHEN THE WEATHER IS PREDICTED WITH TEMPERATURES 90 F. AND ABOVE I CHOOSE TO DRIVE MY OLD BMW 528 WHICH IS THE TRUE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE. SAFE AND RELIABLE. BMW MUST RECOGNIZE AND ADMIT THE ENGINEERING FLAW BUILT IN THE Z4 BMW AND RECALL BEFORE SERIOUS FATAL ACCIDENTS HAPPEN! PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

STEERING BECOME - NOTCHY/STICKY. THIS MAKES SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS VERY DIFFICULT DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE TEMPERATURE RELATED IN MY CASE. WITH COLDER THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES, THE BEHAVIOR IS DELAYED UNTIL THE A LONGER DRIVING DURATION HAS OCCURRED. THIS PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT WITHIN ONE YEAR OF MY PURCHASE. I DID NOT NOTICE IT VERY OFTEN, SINCE I WAS ONLY DRIVING TO AND FROM MY WORK, LOW MILEAGE AND SHORT TIMES. AS I HAVE NOW BEEN DRIVING THE CAR MORE OFTEN, I HAVE FOUND THIS PROBLEM EVIDENT ON ALL TRIP. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (NEW). THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NEED A COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT AT MY EXPENSE (APPROXIMATELY $4000). THE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE. I DID AND BASICALLY GOT A NULL RESPONSE. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, NO ACCIDENTS, PARKED...

BASICALLY THE STEERING BECOMES STIFF IN WARM WEATHER. THE STIFFNESS OCCURS IN MY CAR AFTER A HALF AN HOUR OR SO OF DRIVING AT TEMPERATURES OVER ABOUT 75 TO 80 DEGREES. I BELIEVE IT'S DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND AM VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL SO FAR. IT ALSO TAKES MOST OF THE PLEASURE OUT OF DRIVING IN WARM WEATHER WITH THE TOP DOWN, WHICH IS THE REASON I BOUGHT THE Z4 IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

LOST OF POWER STEERING. *TR

STEERING IS STICKY DURING WARMER WEATHER AND STICKS ON CENTER AND IS DIFFICULT TO TURN FROM CENTER. *TR

STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES IS "STICKING" WHILE DRIVING MAKING TURNING A LITTLE MORE LABORED THAN NORMAL. *TR

SAME PROBLEM AS ALL OTHER 2003 BMW Z4 STEERING COMPLAINTS. VEHICLE STARTED STICKING WHEN MAKING EVEN SLIGHT STEERING ADJUSTMENTS. ALWAYS STARTS THIS ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO A DRIVE. HAS CONTINUED TO THIS DATE IN MARCH 2014 BUT NOW IN ADDITION TO STICKING GET A LOUD SQUEAL WHEN TURNING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR IS "STICKY" STEERING. IT OCCURS MOSTLY AT HIGH SPEEDS IN HOT WEATHER. MANY BMW FORUMS OUT LINE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 Z4. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO BE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND HAVE THE STEERING BECOME SO STIFF YOU CAN HARDLY STEER THE CAR. BMW WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED. I AM SURE YOU HAVE RECEIVED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND I HOPE WILL DO SOMETHING TO FORCE BMW TO CORRECT THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT AND REPAIR THOSE CARS WHICH ARE AFFECTED.

ABOUT A WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED THE 2003 BMW Z-4 I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING, BMW REFUSED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $3600.00. IT IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION, THAT I DO NOT HAVE THE EXTRA FUNDS TO REPAIR. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE WEB IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS AN ALL AROUND ISSUE WITH THE Z4 BMW FOR YEARS 2003-2005. THIS SHOULD OF BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED AT BMW'S EXPENSE MANY YEARS AGO AND HAS GONE WITH OUT THE PROPER RECALL FOR FAR TO LONG. THIS ISSUE HAS NEARLY CAUSED MANY ACCIDENTS FOR ME SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE. I CAN NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR, I CAN NOT CONSCIOUSLY SELL THE VEHICLE IN THE CONDITION IT IS CURRENTLY IN, AND I CAN NOT AFFORD AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE THE LOSS OF LIFE. I AM STUCK WITH A NON DRIVABLE...

MY 2003 BMW Z4 IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, WHILE I AM ON FLAT SURFACES TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY THE STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN WILL PULL TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT CONSTANTLY AND I HAVE TO CORRECT IT EVERY 2 SECONDS AND SOMETIMES IT JUST LOCKS INTO A LEFT TURN POSITION WHEN I AM ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL I AM TRYING TO DO IS KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY. AT THIS POINT I AM AFRAID AN ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE AND I HAVE BEEN READING THOUSANDS OF POSTS ON THE WEB WITH PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME CAR. AT WHAT POINT ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO ACTIVATE A VEHICLE RECALL TO FIX THE STEERING COLUMN DESIGN, PERHAPS AFTER I EITHER GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR I OR A FAMILY MEMBER GETS KILLED, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I AM BEGGING YOU...

INSERT THIS LINK TO READ THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING: HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2004/BMW/Z4/STEERING. *TR

WHEN STEERING SHARPLY OR TURNING THE WHEEL FREQUENTLY LIKE TO PARALLEL PARK FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELECTRICAL SUDDENLY COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN IN MY CAR. THE CAR'S POWER COMPLETELY DIES AND I LOSE ABILITY TO STEER. SOMETIMES THIS IS WHILE MAKING A QUICK TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING QUICKLY. I MUST STOP TURNING, WAIT FOR THE POWER TO TURN BACK ON, AND RESUME DRIVING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE ASSISTANCE. THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY WORSE WHEN CAR IS "WARMED UP" AND IS ALSO WORSENED BY INCREASED OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. MY DEALER CHARGED ME $104.00 FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND TOLD ME TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED. THIS HAS HAD NE EFFECT ON THE PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE HAD MY 2003 BMW Z4 FOR SEVEN YEARS. THE STEERING HAS A TIGHT PLACE AT DEAD CENTER. IT TAKES EXTRA FORCE TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT UNTIL YOU PASS CENTER. IT IS REAL TRICKY ON A CURVED ROAD. I ONLY DRIVE IT ON SPECIAL DAYS; BUT, I NOTICED IT REALLY STARTED STICKING BAD THIS SUMMER. I DO NOT HAVE $3200 TO FIX A DEALER RELATED PROBLEM . I AM MAKING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE READ ABOUT SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME DANGEROUS FOR ME AS WELL AS FOR ALL Z4 OWNERS. I TRUST AND HOPE BMW STANDS UP AND DOES SOMETHING TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I LOVE MY Z4. IT USE TO BE FUN TO DRIVE. IT IS HAS BECOME A BIT SCARY TO DRIVE AND A GREAT WORRY FOR ME WHEN MY WIFE TAKES IT OUT I...

ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I NOTICED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A DEAD SPOT OR CATCH IN THE STEERING. YOU TURN LEFT OR RIGHT VERY MUCH AND ITS LIKE YOU HAVE TO PULL HARDER TO GET IT TO TURN. BY THEN YOU HAVE PULLED TOO HARD AND THE CAR JERKS TO WHICHEVER WAY YOU WERE TURNING. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I CAN BE DRIVING ALONG AND FORGET ABOUT IT STICKING AND TAKE A CURVE AND IT HAPPENS. VERY UNNERVING. *TR

THE STEERING IN THE Z4 STARTS TO GET "STICKY" WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE GETS HOT (~ >85 DEG F). IT DOESN'T RETURN BACK TO CENTER ON IT'S OWN AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE DEAD SPOTS IN THE STEERING WHERE YOU HAVE TO FORCE THE WHEEL BACK TO MAKE IT MOVE. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOL - THE WHEEL TURNS AND RETURNS TO CENTER NORMALLY. IT ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN HOT WEATHER. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRIC STEERING AND IT WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THE WHEEL TO STAY IN YOUR LANE. VERY DANGEROUS ! *TR

THIS IS FOR A 2003 BMW Z4 WITH JUST OVER 25,000 MILES. AS SOON AS I BEGAN DRIVING ON AN ACCESS ROAD AND THEN A COUNTY ROAD, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT TURNING THE WHEEL. THERE WAS SOME PLAY IN THE STEERING AND THE WHEEL FELT STIFFER THAN NORMAL WITH A STICKY FEELING A FEW DEGREES LEFT OR RIGHT. AS I DROVE DOWN THIS STRAIGHT ROAD, THE CAR CONTINUED TO PULL TOWARDS ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND CONTROLLING IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. FROM BEHIND, IT WOULD APPEAR AS THOUGH I WAS SWERVING WHILE TRYING TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I FELT LIKE I COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE SO I DROVE AS SLOWLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND THEY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION THE NEXT DAY. THE...

WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE CAR HANDLES AS IT SHOULD. HOWEVER, WHEN AN ADJUSTMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE TO MOVE THE CAR TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP UNTIL ENOUGH FORCE IS USED TO JERK IT FREE. WHEN THIS IS DONE THE CAR OVERSTEERS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. AS THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE THE CAR IS JERKING MORE VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL FINALLY LETS THE STEERING ADJUST TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. TAKING THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP, THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE ENTIRE STEERING MECHANISM INCLUDING THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. FIELDS BMW IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA IS THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED FOR $85.00. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM FURMAN CHEVROLET IN TAMPA, THEY CLEVERLY FORGOT TO WRITE IT...

TWO YEARS AGO IN THE SUMMER, I DROVE MY CAR BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY HARD TO MOVE. IT WAS A STICKY STEERING SITUATION. THE WEATHER WAS ALSO VERY HOT. THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED EVEN WHEN I AM DRIVING SLOWLY. THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE SEEMS TO BE THE CRITICAL FACTOR. YESTERDAY, I DROVE THE CAR AND IT STEERED PERFECTLY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 70S. TODAY, IT DROVE FINE IN THE A.M. BUT IN THE PM WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHED ABOVE 80, THE STEERING WAS "STICKY" AGAIN. I HAVE FOUND MANY POSTS ON LINE DESCRIBING THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A 2004 BMW Z4. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DRIVE HANDLING YESTERDAY AND TODAY WAS VERY OBVIOUS. *TR

STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD STICK OR BECOME HARD TO MOVE THE WHEEL. THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD STICK IN ANOTHER POSITION AND BECOME HARD TO TURN AGAIN. THIS DID NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME BUT ENOUGH TO BE ANNOYING. THIS PROBLEM MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AROUND TOWN, I NOTICED THE STEERING BECOMING"STICKY". IT WAS HARD TO KEEP THE CAR IN MY LANE. THIS CONTINUED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND I TOOK THE CAR TO A BMW REPAIR SHOP AND WAS GIVEN THE NEWS THAT I NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN WITH POWER ASSIST AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST ABOUT $3800. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN IGNORE. AFTER SEEING ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING ASSIST I AM DUMBFOUNDED AS TO WHY BMW HAS NOT BROUGHT THIS TO OWNERS ATTENTION. THE REPAIR COSTS ARE ASTRONOMICAL!!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS. BMW SHOULD MAKE OWNERS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND FIX IT. THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE MY FIRST AND LAST BMW.!!!!!!! *TR

POWER STEERING DID NOT MOVE SMOOTHLY. ON HOT DAYS THE STEERING BINDS UP. THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN. A DEFINITE DETENT IS FELT IN THE STEERING, THIS DETENT REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT TO OVERCOME, COMMONLY CAUSING OVERSTEER AND A BACK AND FORTH TRACK DOWN THE ROAD. AS CAR ROLLS DOWN HIGHWAY THE SMALL MOVEMENTS TO GO STRAIGHT ARE UNATTAINABLE AS THE STEERING IS HARD TO TURN AS AREAS OF HIGHER RESISTANCE REQUIRE EXTRA FORCE UPON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND WHEN THE RESISTANCE IS OVERCOME THE CAR STEERS TO FAR IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION AND WHEN A CORRECTION IS ATTEMPTED THE SAME SITUATION OCCURS. WHEN THE CAR IS HOT AND THIS ISSUE IS PRESENT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR IN A SMOOTH STRAIGHT DIRECTION. IN ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL I HAVE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS BEEN NEARLY OR SLIGHTLY OFF THE ROADWAY AND NARROWLY AVOIDED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. *TR

WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE THE STEERING BECOMES ROUGH, AWKWARD, AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. IT HAPPENS AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BECOME "STUCK" IN A CERTAIN POSITION AND REQUIRES GREATER THAN NORMAL FORCE TO MOVE FROM THAT POSITION. USING GREATER FORCE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE "STUCK" POSITION CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR OVER-STEERING. *TR

STEERING HAS BECOME LOOSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS HARD TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD AND FIND THAT OVER CORRECTIONS ARE HAPPENING. WAS TOLD MUST REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $3200.00. IT IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM THAT BMW SHOULD FIX. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT A MODERATE SPEED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES THE STEERING BECAME "STICKY" AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE THIS INCIDENT. IT APPEARS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. IN READING VARIOUS BMW FORUMS I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 Z4'S AND THE NHTSA HAS OR IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION. I UNDERSTAND BMW HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ON LATER MODELS. THIS REALLY CREATES A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION AND I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS CAR. IS THERE ANY ACTION BEING TAKEN BY THE NHTSA OR BMW? I HAVE CONTACTED BMW BUT THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR

APPARENTLY THERE IS A BEARING INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND IT IS NOT A SEALED BEARING (POOR DESIGN). THE GREASE LEAKS OUT OF IT AND IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND DANGEROUS. THE BEARING IS NOT REPLACEABLE SO YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $3,000 TO $4,000. THE WARMER THE TEMPERATURE THE HARDER THE STEERING. I WON'T EVEN LET MY WIFE DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR SHE WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I EVEN HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING IT ON THE ROAD AT TIMES. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING SINCE BUYING IT 5 YEARS AGO. HAD IT AT A BMW REPAIR STORE THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR $ 3000 PLUS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS BMW. WHY HAS BMW NOT ISSUED A RECALL? THIS COULD BE A SEVERE PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND DEATH WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I'M HAVING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE STEERING BEING STICKY. IT IS ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND REQUIRES REASONABLE FORCE TO CORRECT. THIS, IN TURN, CAUSES OVER-STEERING CONSTANTLY MAKING THE CAR VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR IS LOW MILEAGE: UNDER 36,000. *TR

MY STEERING COLUMN TURNS SIMILAR TO THE FAN CONTROL SWITCH ON THE Z4 FROM DETENT TO DETENT AND NOT SMOOTHLY LIKE A VOLUME CONTROL ON A RADIO. IF YOU REACH FORWARD TO THE FAN CONTROL CONSOLE AND TURN IT YOU WILL NOTE THAT IT DOES NOT TURN SMOOTHLY IT GOES FROM STOP TO STOP TO STOP ABOUT EVERY 5 DEGREES. EACH STOP IS CALLED A DETENT. SO AS YOU TURN THE KNOB IT STARTS IN A DETENT THEN AS YOU TURN IT CLICKS INTO THE NEXT DETENT AND STOPS THEN YOU HAVE TO TWIST A BIT HARDER TILL IT CLICKS INTO THE NEXT DETENT. THAT IS HOW MY STEERING COLUMN ACTS WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. IT CLICKS INTO ONE DETENT AND THAT POSITION MAY NOT KEEP YOU DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. YOU TRY TO CORRECT IT AND IT WILL NOT TURN UNLESS YOU PUSH EXTRA HARD THEN IT...

THE STEERING STICKS MEANING IT BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE AND REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT ON MY PART TO MOVE IT AGAIN. I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE IT ELSE IT STICKS AND I LOSE CONTROL FOR ABOUT A SECOND. VERY SCARY AT HIGH SPEEDS. BASICALLY IF GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND I WANT TO TURN IT IS NOT SMOOTH AND I HAVE TO ALMOST FIGHT WITH IT TO TURN. *TR

CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BEING STICKY WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM OR WHEN THE CAR SITS IN THE HOT SUN. THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN HELD STEADY DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SEEMS TO STICK IN AN EXACT POSITION AND IF THE WEATHER IS VERY WARM THE STICKINESS IS SUCH THAT WHEN THE CAR NEEDS STEERING CORRECTION TO STAY IN THE DRIVING LANE THAT SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO UNSTICK THE POSITION OF THE STEERING DIRECTION. ONCE THE DRIVER'S PRESSURE CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME UNSTUCK THE WHEEL WILL SUDDENLY VEER IN THE DIRECTION THE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED, IE. TOWARD ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR TOWARDS THE DITCH UNTIL THE DRIVER CAN QUICKLY COUNTERACT THE SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE UNSTUCK STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE WEATHER IS PARTICULARLY WARM THE CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE FOR FEAR OF LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP...

I BOUGHT MY USED BMW Z 4 THREE YEARS AGO FROM A PRIVATE PARTY WITH 13,500 MILES. CAR IS IN SHOWROOM CONDITION BUT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE RISES AND THE CAR SITS IN THE SUN, I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING AND LOCKING. I FIND MYSELF CONSTANTLY FIGHTING THE STEERING WHEEL IN HOT WEATHER AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE STEERING CAPABILITY OF MY VEHICLE. MY LAST EPISODE WAS LAST WEEK WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 80'S AND THE CAR SAT OUT IN THE SUN ALL DAY WHILE I WAS AT WORK. THIS CAR HAS UNDER 19,000 MILES ON IT AND I FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE THAT BMW WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND DO A RECALL IMMEDIATELY TO ADDRESS THIS COMMON PROBLEM. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE A FATALITY TO OCCUR BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS STEERING MALFUNCTION. *TR

STEERING GOT STUCK, AND CAR SLID LEFT TO RIGHT. *TR

DATE LISTED IS AN APPROXIMATION... I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED AND DURING THE HOT WEATHER THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS STICKING. NOW THAT I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS I CAN TELL THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LEFT IN THE HOT SUN THE STEERING "STICKS" WHICH CAUSES IT TO MOVE ERRATICALLY. THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER THE SPEED AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. DUE TO THE STICKING I AM VERY WARY DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT AND THE CAR SITS IN THE SUN. I READ THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE AND WANT TO INCLUDE THAT MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS LISTED IN THE INVESTIGATION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AND THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE BMW TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT ENOUGH EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE TO CONFIRM THERE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED A JERKING MOTION WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY IN HOTTER WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING BECAME STICKY AND IMPACTED THE DRIVERS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,650.

AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 75 DEG THE STEERING GETS STIFF AND FEELS STICKY. AFTER MAKING A TURN THE WHEELS DO NOT RETURN TO THE CENTER POSITION ON THEIR OWN BUT REQUIRE DRIVER TO TURN STEERING WHEEL BACK TO CENTER. DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION BECAUSE THE STEERING BINDS AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO OVERSTEERING IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THE STIFFNESS. *TR

STEERING WHEEL STICKS (STILL DOES AS OF MARCH 30, 2013) AND VEHICLE BECOMES HARD TO STEER AND CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 BMW Z4 2.5I I RECENTLY PURCHASED. I NOTICED THE "STICKY" STEERING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE NIGHT I PURCHASED IT. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS OF Z4 OWNERS HAVE THIS SERIOUS STEERING ISSUE. THE STEERING IS NOT SO BAD IN COOL WEATHER, BUT WARMER TEMPERATURES HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON KEEPING THE CAR ON THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE 1 MONTH THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. YESTERDAY I ALMOST LOST CONTROL GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON A CURVE DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. Z4 OWNERS ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO THIS STICKY STEERING ISSUE. I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK HARD ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THIS ISSUE WIDE-SPREAD AND HAS BEEN GROSSLY IGNORED. I WAS ALSO SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF AFFECTED CARS, WITH NO ACTION BY BMW OR OUR GOVERNMENT....

THE STEERING FEELS 'STICKY'. DRIVING AT ROADSPEED, ESP ON INTERSTATE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE, WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE SLIGHT STEERING ADJUSTMENTS, THE STEERING STICKS AND WHEN YOU GIVE IT ENOUGH EFFORT TO 'UNSTICK' IT, YOUR CAR MOVES ERRATICALLY. BASICALLY, WHEN IT 'UNSTICKS' IT CAUSES THE DRIVER TO OVER-CORRECT AND OVERSTEER. IT DOES THIS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN ON WARM DAYS, I.E OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPS OVER 80 DEGREES F. *TR

POWER STEERING BROKE DOWN. I READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE TRYING TO RESEARCH WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCES OTHER OWNERS HAD AND THERE ARE TOO MANY ISSUES WITH STEERING WITH THESE CARS TO BE IGNORED. THANK GOD THAT MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AT A LOW SPEED, BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH? I HAD "STICKY" STEERING IN THIS CAR FOR YEARS BUT THIS TOOK IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. *TR

STEERING WHEEL GOES BACK & FORTH ON ITS OWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VERY SCARY ! NOT SAFE! FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO CONTROL. I PAYED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. *TR