2003 BMW Z4 complaints

2003 BMW Z4 ERRATIC STEERING WHEN DRIVING. THE STEERING CONTROL FLUCTUATES BETWEEN EASY AND MORE DIFFICULT IN REQUIRED EFFORT TO MOVE WHEEL. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY CAR STICKS AND DOES NOT RETURN WHEN I TURN A CORNER. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I AM GOING STRAIGHT AND TRY TO CORRECT A LITTLE BIT. IF I WERE TO TURN THE WHEEL A COUPLE OF DEGREES AND LET GO OF THE WHEEL THE CAR WOULD GO RIGHT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR GO OFF THE ROAD. WARMER TEMPERATURES SEEM TO MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE. *TR

DRIVING MY 2003 BMW Z4 ON A WARM DAY AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP LIKE IT WAS STICKY. ALMOST HIT SOMEONE IT OCCURS ON ANY WARM TEMP DAYS AND ANY SPEED I PAID TO HAVE THE SOFTWARE UPDATED AND IT DIDN'T HELP. MY BMW REPAIR SHOP THINKS IT THE STEERING COLUMN. HAS HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND LOCKED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO COOL OFF BEFORE THE STEERING WOULD RESET ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS UT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

STICKY STEERING AND DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING STEERING WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THESE CONDITIONS OCCUR IE. AFTERNOON COMMUTE. THE FEELING IS UNNERVING MAKES YOU AFRAID YOU WILL HIT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IF YOU DO NOT FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE WHEEL. *TR

STEERING BECOMES STICKY OR UNRESPONSIVE WHILE DRIVING. THIS ESPECIALLY OCCURS WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE HOT (+75' F). WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS EXTRA EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

POWER STEERING ON 2003 BMW Z4 3.01I IS "TWITCHY" / NON-RESPONSIVE AT CENTER POINT CAUSING HANDLING PROBLEMS FOR THE CAR. THIS NON-RESPONSIVE POWER STEERING ON 2003 BMW Z4 CONTRIBUTED TO A FAILURE TO STEER AROUND ROAD DEBRIS WHICH DAMAGED THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE STEERING BINDS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE MINOR CORRECTIONS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON COURSE AND REQUIRING EXTRA EFFORT TO INITIATE A TURN. WHEN THE "BIND" RELEASES, OVER-CORRECTION OCCURS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR, AND BEING A RATHER PETITE WOMAN, THE PROBLEM POSE AN INCREASED SAFETY HAZARD FOR HER. I FIRST NOTICED THIS PROBLEM IN AUGUST, 2010, WHILE ON A LONG HIGHWAY DRIVE. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OVER THE WINTER. WHEN I TOOK IT OUT ON APRIL 27, 2011, IT WAS A VERY WARM DAY AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED WORSE THAN I REMEMBERED. AT ONE POINT I SWERVED INTO AN OPPOSITE LANE; FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. CAR BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER SAFELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE NOR WAS A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,881 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

2003 BMW Z4 STEERING ISSUES, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPEREIENCE ISSUES WITH THE STEERING LOCKING UP AND INTENSITY TO CHANGE THE WHEEL IS GREATER, RESULTING IN OVERSTEERING WHEN IT 'BREAKS FREE'. DANGEROUS. *TR

DRIVING IN A 70 DEGREEE TEMPERATURE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WILL TEND TO HAVE A STICKY FEEL TO IT AND TEND TO PUSH TO THE RIGHT. WHEN YOU PULL BACK YOU FEEL A CLICKING SENSATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. AND THE CYCLE START AGAIN. THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT IT IS THE RUN FLAT TIRES, BUT I REPLAED IT WITH A NON- RUN FLAT TIRE - SAME STEERING ISSUES. THEY REBOOT THE COMPUTER TO GET RID OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IT IS STILL HERE. VERY NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ISSUE SEEMS MORE APPARENT WHEN IT IS WARM.

PARTIAL LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING THE INTERSTATE. VEHICLE STARTED TO CROSS LANES AND STEERING WOULD NOT LOCK INTO CENTER WHEN CORRECTED. THANKFUL THAT I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER. IF MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD HAVE OVER CORRECTED AND CRASHED.

POWER STEERING COLUMN FAILED IN 2003 BMW Z4 3.0I WITH LESS THAN 45,000 MILES. BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE STEERING WAS THAT IT BECAME MAGNETIC AND TWITCHY. THIS WOULD USUALLY HAPPEN AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I FIRST EXPERIENCED THIS DRIVING BACK FROM ORLANDO, FL TO JACKSONVILLE, FL ON I-95. BMW DEALER COPED THE PART ($3,000.00) BUT MADE ME PAY FOR LABOR ($600.00). I WAS NOT HAPPY AS I TRULY FELT THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. I PUSHED, BUT WAS TOLD THAT WAS THEIR BEST OFFER SO I TOOK IT. CAR WAS OUT OF FACTORY BMW WARRANTY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 Z4 AT MODERATE (ABOVE 45MPH) AND HIGHER SPEEDS THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER IN A STRAIGHT LINE DOWN THE ROAD. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAPPEN ON PERFECTLY SMOOTH ROADS. THIS APPEARS IN TWO WAYS. ON BUMPY ROADS, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JERK TO EITHER THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT AND REQUIRE AGGRESSIVE CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR FROM VEERING OUT OF IT'S LANE. THIS SUDDEN JERKING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING, SO CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR IN ITS LANE CAN NOT BE MADE UNTIL THE CAR HAS ACTUALLY JERKED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS CROSSED THE CENTER LINE INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OR ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD BEFORE I COULD REACT. DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65-70MPH) TAKES CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND REQUIRES SLOWING DOWN TO SPEEDS FAR BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT (45-50MPH) ON THE ROUGHEST OF PAVEMENT TO MAKE ME FEEL I CAN KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND IN MY LANE. THE SECOND WAY THIS CAR IS DIFFICULT TO STEER IS WHEN THERE ARE RUTES WORN IN THE ROAD FROM HEAVY TRAFFIC. (MOST HIGHWAYS) WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES, THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AS INPUT IS GIVEN TO THE STEERING WHEEL. AS MORE INPUT IS GIVEN, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JUMP IN THE DIRECTION OF STEERING INPUT, REQUIRING INPUT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING OVER TO FAR AND CROSSING INTO A LANE NOT INTENDED. THIS DIFFICULTY IN STEERING IS DETECTABLE WHEN CHANGING LANES IS STARTED

THE STEERING MECHANISM OFTEN BECOMES STICKY AND JERKY, MAKING THE CAR LESS PREDICTABLE TO DRIVE. IT OCCURS MOST OFTEN WITH THE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 80 DEGREES F. THIS CONDITION HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND ON A BMW SITE: NHTSA CALLED ME TODAY! THEY ARE INVESTIGATING...BMW HAS ADVISED THEM IT IS DUE TO EXPANSION OF A GEAR IN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO HEAT. THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT IN LATE 2006 MODELS. NOT TREATING THIS AS A SERIOUS ISSUE HOWEVER HAVE REPAIRED "UNDER WARRANTY" THOSE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND NOT REPAIRING OTHERS WITH THE $2-3,000 REPAIR. NHTSA SAYS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL BASED ON FINDINGS TO DATE. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THAT MANY COMPLAINTS TO THEM. THIS ISSUE IS NOT DRIVER OR WEAR RELATED AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. TO FORCE THE CAR OWNERS TO PAY RETAIL FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS DANGEROUS IS WRONG. *TR

2003 BMW, Z4-CAR STARTED FINE, THEN IT SHUT OFF, TRIED TO RESTART AND WOULDN'T. HAD VEHICLE TOWED, THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET OF THE ENGINE. *TR

I OWN A 2003 BMW Z4 3.0. THE STEERING MECHANISM OFTEN BECOMES STICKY AND JERKY, MAKING THE CAR LESS PREDICTABLE TO DRIVE. IT OCCURS MOST OFTEN WITH THE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 80 DEGREES F. THIS CONDITION HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS. *TR

STEERING STICKS OR BINDS WHEN OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE IS VERY WARM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ UPDATED 03/17/11

2003 BMW Z4. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERS HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE NHTSA BULLETIN. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR THE POWER STEERING SHUTTING OFF, THE ICON ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *JB

I OWN A 2003 BMW Z4 WITH 27K MILES. RECENTLY THE STEERING HAS BECOME STICKY AND DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW STEERING COLUMN COSTING $3300. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURE. *TR

THE STEERING ON A 2003 BMW Z4 2.5I WILL "STICK" AND MUST BE MANUALLY FORCED TO ALLOW STEERING TO CONTINUE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I NEARLY DROVE INTO A WALL BECAUSE I THOUGHT I JUST NEEDED MORE FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL - HOWEVER ONCE THE WHEEL IS NO LONGER IN THE "STICKING SPOT" STEERING IS NORMAL, WHICH CAUSES OVERSTEER AND ACCIDENT POTENTIAL. *TR

IF CAR IS PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE SUN AND IT GETS HOT (AND UNTIL YOU DRIVE IT AND HAVE THE A/C ON LONG ENOUGH TO COOL OFF THE CAR) THE STEERING STICKS. IT MAKES STEERING JERKEY AND HARD TO HANDLE. IT DOES THIS EVERY TIME IT GETS HOT.

BMW Z4 AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ICON ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD AND YOU LOSE YOUR POWER STEERING THERE AFTER THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT DETERMINED BY SPEED. HAVE CONTACTED TWO DEALERS IN THE BOSTON AREA AND THEY STATE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, WENT ON BIMMERPOST AND GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FIND IT ON YOUR WEBSITE. CAR IS VIRTUALLY UNDRIVEABLE AS YOU LITERALLY LOSE POWER STEERING CONTROL. *TR

2003 Z-4 BMW ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPS) FAILED DURING MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATION WHILE PERFORMING A RIGHT TURN TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR. THE DRIVER AVOIDED COLLISION WITH OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES MAKING THE TURN AT THE SAME TIME, STATIONARY OBSTACLES (TELEPHONE POLE, STREET SIGNS, CURBS), AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE SIDEWALK BY GAINING CONTROL THROUGH MANUAL EFFORT. THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED BY A BMW AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER AT A COST EXCEEDING $3700 DUE TO THE PROPRIETARY SECURITY CODING FOR THEFT PREVENTION. USED UNITS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN CODED TO A SPECIFIC VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO CENTER, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH AND HIGHER. WHILE DRIVING IN COOLER WEATHER THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 54,527.

MY 2003 BMW Z4 SHOULD HAVE INITIALLY BEEN RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE STEERING. FROM THE FIRST DAY I HAD IT, THE STEERING WOULD PERIODICALLY ACT UP AND MADE THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN TO BE FIXED I WAS CHARGED $3001.31 TO ALIGN THE WHEELS, CHANGE THE STEERING RACK, REPLACE A TIRE, TWO WHEELS, AND SOME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, AND THEN ANOTHER $150 ALIGNMENT. (PERHAPS SOME OF THESE COMPONENTS ACTUALLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT, BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS.) YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE STEERING WHICH I FINALLY TRACED TO ACTING UP ON HOT DAYS. AND THE CAR DROVE EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT DID BEFORE THE "REPAIRS." AFTER DOING SOME ON-LINE RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT BMW HAD A SOLUTION ALL ALONG. BUT WAS MY CAR RECALLED AND FIXED? NO. I FOUND THE ACTUAL PART NUMBER OF THE NEW STEERING COLUMN AND I HAD TO INSIST ON A FREE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THAT FIXED IT FINE, BUT WHY DID I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS AND SPEND $3001.31 WHEN BMW KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE 2003 MODEL AND REDESIGNED THE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS? MY INITIAL COMPLAIN WAS ON 08/18/06 AT 23023 MILES AND MY SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINT WAS ON 04/28/08 AT 28274 MILES. LINKS TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS: HTTP://WWW.LEFTLANENEWS.COM/NHTSA-PROBES-BMW-Z4-MAZDA3-OVER-STEERING-ISSUES.HTML HTTP://BIMMER.ROADFLY.COM/BMW/FORUMS/E85/8909755-1.HTML HTTP://BMWCCA.ORG/FORUM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-152.HTML. *TR

2003 BMW Z4 HAS STEERING ISSUE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS WARM. THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMS TO LOOK UP AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. *TR

STEERING PROBLEM WITH 2003 BMW Z4. CONSTANT PROBLEM CAUSING IT TO BE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. BEING REPAIRED TODAY ( 10/14/2010). ELECT. MOTOR ON THE POWER STEERING. *TR

THE STEERING ON MY BMW Z4 WAS STICKING AND HARD TO TURN. THE STEERING DIDN'T WANT TO RETURN TO CENTER. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THROUGH A CURVE, THE STEERING WAS HARD TO TURN, WOULDN'T RETURN BACK TO CENTER AND HAD TO MAKE NUMEROUS ADJUSTMENT TO KEEP THE CAR WITHIN THE LANE. IT WAS VERY UNSETTLING AND COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIME IN THE PAST AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN PREDOMINATELY ON WARM DAYS. *TR

MY BMW Z4, VINXXXXXXXXX, INTERMITTENTLY HAS A NOTCHY FEELING IN THE STEERING AS IF THERE IS A RESTRICTION PREVENTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE MOVED TO THE DIRECTION I WANT TO GO. THIS HAS BEEN GOING FOR A HALF A YEAR. NOW I AM INTERMITTENTLY LOOSING THE POWER ASSIST STEERING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS IS VERY UNNERVING WHEN TRAVELING IN HEAVE CITY TRAFFIC. THE BWM DEALER IS NOT TAKING THIS AS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. THUS FAR NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED OR PERFORMED. *TR

STEERING GETS HEAVY AND "STICKY" AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

THE ELECTRIC STEERING ON MY 2003 BMW Z4 WILL STICK AND I MUST JERK THE WHEEL TO GET IT TO TURN BACK WHEN THE CAR IS DRIFTING. MY DEALER SAYS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT CAUSES OVERSTEERING WHEN THE WHEEL HAS TO BE JERKED BACK. *TR

AFTER CAR HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN ON A 90+ DEGREE DAY, MY STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND "NOTCHY". WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO CENTER POSITION WHEN I LET GO OF WHEEL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SIMULTANEOUSLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER YET THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SUDDENLY LOCK AND THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WOULD APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD . THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT NOTICED PRIOR THAT THE FAILURE TENDS TO OCCUR DURING WARM WEATHER. THE FAILURE MILEAGES WAS 28000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30000.

AT OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES, THE STEERING DEVELOPS A NOTCH OR DEAD SPACE THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN AVERAGE PRESSURE TO OVERCOME, THUS MAKING THE STEERING JERKY AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING AT EITHER A SLOW SPEED SUCH AS 35 MPH OR 65 MPH AND WHEN HE MADE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER POSITION WHENEVER IT LOCKED IN ORDER TO ALLOW IT TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO NOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

2003 BMW Z4 POWER STEERING BINDS UP DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (OVER 90 F) ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS LEFT IN THE SUN ALL DAY. WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT MOVING IT STICKS IN THAT POSITION REQUIRING TREMENDOUS FORCE TO GET IT TO MOVE FROM THAT POSITION AND TURN THE CAR. IT WILL STICK GOING DOWN THE ROAD THEN YOU HAVE TO FORCE IT TO BREAK LOOSE TO CORRECT THE CAR'S DIRECTION, THEN IT STICKS IN THIS NEW LOCATION AND YOU HAVE TO BREAK IT LOOSE TO RETURN THE WHEEL TO STRAIGHT AHEAD. WHEN YOU BREAK THE STEERING LOOSE IT MAKES AN AUDIBLE THUNK. THIS BEHAVIOR CAUSES THE CAR TO DIVE INTO THE NEXT LANE OR ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND DANGEROUS TO EVEN DRIVE AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS THE CAR HAS NEVER EXHIBITED THIS BEHAVIOR FOR THEM, AND IT WILL COST $3700 TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING. *TR

I HAVE BEEN HAVING ON PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING ON MY 2003 BMW Z4. WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE HIGH(OVER 80 DEGREES). THE STEERING BECOMES STICKY/NOTCHY AND BASICALLY FEELS AS IT THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED IN POSITION. THE CAR FEELS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND UNSAFE. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS AUGUST 31, 2010. *TR

MY 2003 BMW Z4 HAS STICKY AND/OR BINDING ELECTRIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING CONTROL WHEN THE TEMPERATURES ARE 75 DEGREES OR WARMER, MAKING THE CAR DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO STEER. BECAUSE OF THIS, OVERSTEERING RESULTS, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE INTO THE NEXT LANE OR ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS BECOMES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN CHANGING LANES OR MAKING MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY OVERNIGHT WHEN COOLER TEMPERATURES PREVAIL AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT HAS HAD A CHANCE TO COOL DOWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW Z4. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 12/22/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR HIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 12/30/10*JB UPDATED 07/12/12. *JB

WHILE DRIVING OUR BMW Z4 THE STEERING SEEMS TO GET LOCKED IN TO A POSITION WHICH REQUIRES MORE A LOT EFFORT THAN NORMAL TO STEER. WE HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY WITH BOTH HANDS TO AVOID OVER STEERING. I SEE THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHEN I GOOGLED Z4 STEERING. IT IS QUITE PREVALENT ON THE BMW FORUMS. *TR

VEHICLE IS A 2003 BMW Z4. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE STEERING MALFUNCTIONS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. EACH OCCASION RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL WITH THE VEHICLE SWERVING ACROSS ONCOMING LANES AND BACK OFF THE SHOULDER.. MOST RECENT 8/12/2010. THE DEALER INDICATED THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND WITHOUT AN OCCURRENCE PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE PARTS OR SERVICE TO CORRECT. THIS HAPPENS SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING AND GOES AWAY JUST AS IT APPEARED WITH NO ACTION ON MY PART. THIS IS A DEADLY ISSUE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I HAVE SINCE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AS VOICED BY OTHER OWNERS. *TR

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, MY 2003 BMW Z4 HAS FELT LIKE IT WAS SLIGHTLY STUCK IN THE CENTER POSITION WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR HIGHWAY. RECENTLY, THE STEERING HAS FAILED COMPLETELY ON ENGINE START-UP. IN OTHER WORDS THE CAR WILL BARELY TURN. AFTER IT HAPPENED, I DISCOVERED IT WILL WORK IF THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND THEN RE-STARTED. HOWEVER, THE CAR STILL SOMETIMES DISPLAYS THE STICKINESS IN THE WHEEL, ESPECIALLY ON WARMER DAYS. THE CAR WILL STEER BUT SEEMS TO GET STUCK SLIGHTLY WHEN THE WHEEL IS CENTERED. IN SEARCHING FOR A SOLUTION ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY CARS OF THIS MODEL. *TR

ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY SHUTTING OFF AND THEN BACK ON. IF IT WERE TO OCCUR AT THE WRONG TIME OR IN THE WRONG SITUATION, IT WOULD HAVE DIRE RESULTS. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 BMW Z4 AND I AM HAVING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ISSUES, THERE WAS A RECALL ON CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS FOR SUCH PROBLEMS. MY CAR DOES NOT FIT IN THE VIN NUMBERS BUT I AM HAVING SAME PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING I COULD DO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 BMW Z4 DURING HOT WEATHER THE STEERING RESPONSE IS VERY POOR. THE CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO REMAIN ON A STRAIGHT PATH AND STEERING IS SEEMS TO BE VERY HEAVY. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE CAR HAS A TIRE THAT IS VERY LOW ON AIR PRESSURE. *TR

STEERING BECOMES STICKY WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPS REACH 85+ DEGREES. THE CAR DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO OPERATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THIS IS OCCURRING. BASICALLY IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS AN INVISIBLE BARRIER THAT MUST BE BROKEN PAST WHEN TURNING FROM CENTER TO LEFT OR RIGHT, EXCESSIVE FORCE IS REQUIRED TO MOVE PAST CENTER TO OTHER DIRECTIONS AND CAN LEAD TO STEERING THE CAR FURTHER IN EITHER DIRECTION THAN DESIRED. BMW HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE ON THEIR OWN AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX. *TR