2006 BMW Z4 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
107
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
3
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2006 BMW Z4
The 2006 BMW Z4 has received a total of 107 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV). 3 technical service bulletins have been issued by BMW of North America, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Steering (55 complaints), Air Bags (13 complaints), and Electrical System (13 complaints).
Recalls for the 2006 BMW Z4
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 2006 BMW Z4, potentially affecting up to 1,101,611 vehicles.
Recall 22V119000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)
| 917,106 vehicles affected
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5...
Consequence: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA...
View full details →Recall 19V273000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)
| 184,505 vehicles affected
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 530xi Sports Wagon, 325i, 325xi, 325xi Sports Wagon, 330i, 330xi, Z4 3.0i and Z4 3.0si vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Consequence: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion to recall 17V-683.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2006 BMW Z4
107 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 BMW Z4. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 55 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bagssidewindow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingengine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainautomatic Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The electronic steering has failed several times while driving. This makes it very difficult to maintain a lane and avoid other vehicles. This problem continues intermittently. Thousands of Z4 owners have reported the same issue in online forums.
In hot weather, the steering binds, making keeping the car in the correct lane extremely difficult. The car will dart from one side to the other. The car will be nearly impossible to keep in the correct lane.
I have just found out that my 2006 BMW Z4 Convertible has serious wiring issues. The wires for example on my front headlights the insulation is falling off the and leaving bare wires. I am very concerned this could be a fire safety issue that could result in bare electrical wires shorting together and starting a car fire. My research shows that many people who have 2006 BMW Z4 Convertibles are having this same issue. This seems to be a real issue with BMW using cheap wiring harnesses material and over time due heat and cooling is cause the insulation to fail and resulting in this issue.
I have just found out that my 2006 BMW Z4 Convertible has serious wiring issues. The wires for example on my front headlights the insulation is falling off the and leaving bare wires. I am very concerned this could be a fire safety issue that could result in bare electrical wires shorting together and starting a car fire. My research shows that many people who have 2006 BMW Z4 Convertibles are having this same issue. This seems to be a real issue with BMW using cheap wiring harnesses material and over time due heat and cooling is cause the insulation to fail and resulting in this issue.
When the car gets hot (parked in the sun) the steering becomes knotchy or sticky and the car becomes difficult to control. No problems whatsoever when the car is cool or on a cooler day. This problem has been witnessed by a BMW technician and there are no warning lights. This appears to be a fairly common issues with these cars.
Safety Rating for the 2006 BMW Z4
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2006 BMW Z4 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2006 BMW Z4
BMW of North America, LLC has issued 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2006 BMW Z4. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SIB-51-42-10 — STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW: WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A DAMAGED SEAL ON REAR VENTS. *RM
SI-B72-02-09 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT
BMW: BELT TENSIONER HARNESSES. A REPAIR HARNESS FOR THE FRONT SEAT SAFETY BELT TENSIONERS AT THE BELT RETRACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. *PE
SIB-12-24-07 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
BMW VEHICLE: S54-CATALYST PROTECTION MODE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS LOW ON FUEL. COMPLAINTS THAT THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER DURING HEAVY ACCELERATION. FUEL RESERVE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AND THE FUEL LEVEL, WHEN MEASURED WITH THE SERVICE TESTER, IS BELOW 10 LITERS. WITH THE FUEL LEVEL LOW AND UNDER EXTREME DRIVING...
NHTSA Investigations for the 2006 BMW Z4
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW Z4
- 2002 BMW Z4 — 6 complaints
- 2003 BMW Z4 — 459 complaints
- 2004 BMW Z4 — 443 complaints
- 2005 BMW Z4 — 204 complaints
- 2006 BMW Z4 (current)
- 2007 BMW Z4 — 42 complaints
- 2008 BMW Z4 — 27 complaints
- 2009 BMW Z4 — 26 complaints
- 2010 BMW Z4 — 9 complaints
- 2011 BMW Z4 — 55 complaints