Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
SIB-32-04-0706/01/201010036979Ready04/25/2011
SIB-32-04-0706/01/201010036979Bmw: a new technical process has been created for bmw to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models. *rm04/25/2011
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
SIB-32-04-0706/01/201010036979Ready04/25/2011
SIB-32-04-0706/01/201010036979Bmw: a new technical process has been created for bmw to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models. *rm04/25/2011

Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
STEERING
PE10020BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC06/28/201006/28/2011Sticky Steering
 Odi has evaluated the sticky steering condition, which included reviews of complaints and warranty claims, interviews and surveys of owners of complaint vehicles, road tests of complaint vehicles, and a review of bmw's engineering and test data.odi found the sticky steering condition does not result in a significant steering effort, thus the impact on the driver's ability to control the vehicle does not appear to be significant.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.see the attached report for additional information.in addition, during this investigation, odi became aware of allegations of failure or loss of electric power-assisted steering on the subject vehicles.as a result, odi is separately reviewing this issue to determine whether additional agency action is needed.
STEERING - COLUMN
PE10020BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC06/28/201006/28/2011Sticky Steering
 Odi has evaluated the sticky steering condition, which included reviews of complaints and warranty claims, interviews and surveys of owners of complaint vehicles, road tests of complaint vehicles, and a review of bmw's engineering and test data.odi found the sticky steering condition does not result in a significant steering effort, thus the impact on the driver's ability to control the vehicle does not appear to be significant.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.see the attached report for additional information.in addition, during this investigation, odi became aware of allegations of failure or loss of electric power-assisted steering on the subject vehicles.as a result, odi is separately reviewing this issue to determine whether additional agency action is needed.
STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
PE10020BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC06/28/201006/28/2011Sticky Steering
 Odi has evaluated the sticky steering condition, which included reviews of complaints and warranty claims, interviews and surveys of owners of complaint vehicles, road tests of complaint vehicles, and a review of bmw's engineering and test data.odi found the sticky steering condition does not result in a significant steering effort, thus the impact on the driver's ability to control the vehicle does not appear to be significant.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.see the attached report for additional information.in addition, during this investigation, odi became aware of allegations of failure or loss of electric power-assisted steering on the subject vehicles.as a result, odi is separately reviewing this issue to determine whether additional agency action is needed.

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STEERING
07/11/201249000
 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.
02/08/201381000
 Power steering broke down. i read a lot of complaints online trying to reserach 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 travelling 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.
07/11/201249000
 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.
02/08/201381000
 Power steering broke down. i read a lot of complaints online trying to reserach 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 travelling 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.
07/11/201249000
 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.
02/08/201381000
 Power steering broke down. i read a lot of complaints online trying to reserach 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 travelling 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.
07/11/201249000
 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.
02/08/201381000
 Power steering broke down. i read a lot of complaints online trying to reserach 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 travelling 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.
04/01/20124500
 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.
12/08/2012870001
 Steering wheel sticks then releases causing loss of control. *tr
12/08/201287000
 Steering wheel sticks then releases causing loss of control
09/25/2012778251
 Driving south on santa barbara attempted to turn right onto davis blvd. as i was turning the steering stuck. that surprised me and almost lost control. it took a heavy effort to correct the direction of the car.this problem seems to occur at high ambient temperatures. *tr
09/25/201277825
 Driving south on santa barbara attempted to turn right onto davis blvd. as i was turning the steering stuck. that surprised me and almost lost control. it took a heavy effort to correct the direction of the car.this problem seems to occur at high ambient temperatures.
07/15/2009570001
 The power steering becomes dangerous when the car is exposed to heat 80+ degrees/sun. the steering wheel sticks in certain spots and is hard to move. it will randomly stop sticking giving an unexpected push in any given direction. looks to be a frequent complaint. car is unsafe to drive in the heat. *tr
07/15/200957000
 The power steering becomes dangerous when the car is exposed to heat 80+ degrees/sun. the steering wheel sticks in certain spots and is hard to move. it will randomly stop sticking giving an unexpected push in any given direction. looks to be a frequent complaint. car is unsafe to drive in the heat.
04/16/2012930001
 Bmw z4 steering - no power steering, causes difficulty in managing & steering car. *tr
04/16/201293000
 Bmw z4 steering - no power steering, causes difficulty in managing & steering car.
08/22/2012576861
 There is a catch or binding feeling in the steering after the car has been driven a while and is at full operating temperature (gets worse when warm). i noticed this after having driven it a few miles; it feels like the car wants to track on its own as if it was following a rut in the road even though it is on smooth pavement and the wheel has to be forced back in the a straight line. it happened to me as i entered an intersection and the steering stuck, turning me into the on-coming lane. i worry that this may happen when my wife is driving and result in an accident if it were to tighten up unexpectedly. *tr
08/22/201257686
 There is a catch or binding feeling in the steering after the car has been driven a while and is at full operating temperature (gets worse when warm). i noticed this after having driven it a few miles; it feels like the car wants to track on its own as if it was following a rut in the road even though it is on smooth pavement and the wheel has to be forced back in the a straight line. it happened to me as i entered an intersection and the steering stuck, turning me into the on-coming lane. i worry that this may happen when my wife is driving and result in an accident if it were to tighten up unexpectedly.
07/30/2012285001
 On my drive home from work, after the car had been parked outside, i experienced sticky steering. just like the complaints from investigation pe10020 and countless internet posts over the past decade, the steering wheel movement was stuck in place and required extra force, then it would release unexpectedly causing me to over-correct. worse than just heavy steering is the fact that it needs extra force to get the steering wheel unstuck but then the assist kicks in and you're over-compensating which causes zig-zagging. it was almost impossible to maintain my lane on the interstate and at one point i dropped two wheels on the shoulder. i have now contacted bmw corporate and they tell me they're being generous by replacing the known-faulty steering rack -- so long as i pay $1,000+ in labor. i think this is outrageous. it is wrong that this known defect costs the consumer any money to replace. bmw should cover parts and labor. they know this part is faulty, everyone i've talked to says oh, the z4, yeah i've seen this steering problem on lots of them but they're quick to remind me that it was not an official recall so they aren't obligated to do anything. this is a safety issue and should be the basis for a mandatory recall (you know, like the one they are doing on current models with similar power steering failures!). *tr
06/17/20111000001
 Sticky steering causes over steering. *tr
07/30/201228500
 On my drive home from work, after the car had been parked outside, i experienced sticky steering. just like the complaints from investigation pe10020 and countless internet posts over the past decade, the steering wheel movement was stuck in place and required extra force, then it would release unexpectedly causing me to over-correct. worse than just heavy steering is the fact that it needs extra force to get the steering wheel unstuck but then the assist kicks in and you're over-compensating which causes zig-zagging. it was almost impossible to maintain my lane on the interstate and at one point i dropped two wheels on the shoulder. i have now contacted bmw corporate and they tell me they're being generous by replacing the known-faulty steering rack -- so long as i pay $1,000+ in labor. i think this is outrageous. it is wrong that this known defect costs the consumer any money to replace. bmw should cover parts and labor. they know this part is faulty, everyone i've talked to says oh, the z4, yeah i've seen this steering problem on lots of them but they're quick to remind me that it was not an official recall so they aren't obligated to do anything. this is a safety issue and should be the basis for a mandatory recall (you know, like the one they are doing on current models with similar power steering failures!).
06/17/20111000001
 Sticky steering causes over steering. *tr
07/30/201228500
 On my drive home from work, after the car had been parked outside, i experienced sticky steering. just like the complaints from investigation pe10020 and countless internet posts over the past decade, the steering wheel movement was stuck in place and required extra force, then it would release unexpectedly causing me to over-correct. worse than just heavy steering is the fact that it needs extra force to get the steering wheel unstuck but then the assist kicks in and you're over-compensating which causes zig-zagging. it was almost impossible to maintain my lane on the interstate and at one point i dropped two wheels on the shoulder. i have now contacted bmw corporate and they tell me they're being generous by replacing the known-faulty steering rack -- so long as i pay $1,000+ in labor. i think this is outrageous. it is wrong that this known defect costs the consumer any money to replace. bmw should cover parts and labor. they know this part is faulty, everyone i've talked to says oh, the z4, yeah i've seen this steering problem on lots of them but they're quick to remind me that it was not an official recall so they aren't obligated to do anything. this is a safety issue and should be the basis for a mandatory recall (you know, like the one they are doing on current models with similar power steering failures!).
06/17/20111000001
 Sticky steering causes over steering. *tr
06/17/2011100000
 Sticky steering causes over steering
04/15/201254000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel exhibited excessive play which caused the vehicle to travel out of lane. the failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the vehicle operated normally. there was a front end wheel alignment performed and all four tires were balanced. the failure continued after the repair. the contact planned to have the vehicle inspected by a different mechanic. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 54,000. kmj
04/15/201254000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel exhibited excessive play which caused the vehicle to travel out of lane. the failure occurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the vehicle operated normally. there was a front end wheel alignment performed and all four tires were balanced. the failure continued after the repair. the contact planned to have the vehicle inspected by a different mechanic. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 54,000. js
07/02/201287000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while turning at 5 mph, the steering wheel seized. the steering wheel became stuck in the centered position and made it very difficult to change lanes on the highway. the failure occurred frequently at all speeds. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic that specialized on bmw manufactured vehicles. the mechanic diagnosed the failure and stated that the repairs would be very expensive. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer was not notified. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 87,000 and the current mileage was 87,300. sm.
07/05/2012265001
 Driving 35 mph straight. lost power steering. pulled over shut off engine. restarted engine power steering returned. lost power steering again within one mile. returned home. *tr
07/02/201287000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while turning at 5 mph, the steering wheel seized. the steering wheel became stuck in the centered position and made it very difficult to change lanes on the highway. the failure occurred frequently at all speeds. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic that specialized on bmw manufactured vehicles. the mechanic diagnosed the failure and stated that the repairs would be very expensive. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer was not notified. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 87,000 and the current mileage was 87,300. sm.
07/05/2012265001
 Driving 35 mph straight. lost power steering. pulled over shut off engine. restarted engine power steering returned. lost power steering again within one mile. returned home. *tr
07/02/201287000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z-4. the contact stated that while driving at 5 mph to turned when the steering got stocked. since you have to move the wheel hard either to the left or right the electric steering binds or gets stocked while in center position and makes it difficult or impairs the ability to change lanes on the highway. the steering gets stacked at all the time at any speed. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic specialist on bwm who diagnosed the failure and for the repairs the total amount was $3,300.00 at the contact cost. the vehicle was not repair. the dealer was not notified. the manufacture was not notified. the failure mileage was 87,000 and the current mileage was 87,300. lg
07/05/201226500
 Driving 35 mph straight. lost power steering. pulled over shut off engine. restarted engine power steering returned. lost power steering again within one mile. returned home.
07/02/20121
 The steering seems to lock up making it hard to steer. seems rather dangerous since you have to move the wheel hard either to the left or right. wondering why there isn't a recall on this. *js
07/02/2012
 The steering seems to lock up making it hard to steer. seems rather dangerous since you have to move the wheel hard either to the left or right. wondering why there isn't a recall on this.
07/02/201156000
 The vehicle was parked in the sun with temperatures over 88 degrees. at 2 pm, i drove the vehicle on the highway at 60mph while rounding a slight bend to the left. the steering wheel would not turn under a slight effort so i made an additional effort. suddenly, the resistance is completely absent resulting in a sharp veer to the left changing lanes. fortunately, there was not another car in the left lane. i immediately corrected and returned to my original lane. within 15 to 20 seconds, the situation repeats. i tried turning on the sport feature which is suppose to provide more resistance but the same event occurs. it only happens in hot weather when the vehicle is sitting in the sun for 4 or more hours and it is above 88 degrees. in order to compensate, i drive in one gear lower, say 4th, and constantly shimmy the wheel to avoid loss of control. it's similar to snow skiing with the vehicle catching an edge or groove it does not want to get out of. it continues to drive in the same previous direction as you apply additional effort. suddenly, the wheel gives and it's as if the power steering assist is suddenly amplified, what you would normally need at 5mph, not 60mph. as you finish the bend, it continues to stay locked in the turning position. so, additional effort must be made to straighten out the vehicle and again the steering wheel fights your efforts only to suddenly give when you least expect it. you struggle to keep the car in your lane the entire time and from the rear, the vehicle appears erratic and swerving from side to side. that was my first summer with the car and it is currently at the dealer where hopefully my extended warranty will apply.
06/20/201272000
 While driving the steering gets very hard to steer.
07/02/201156000
 The vehicle was parked in the sun with temperatures over 88 degrees. at 2 pm, i drove the vehicle on the highway at 60mph while rounding a slight bend to the left. the steering wheel would not turn under a slight effort so i made an additional effort. suddenly, the resistance is completely absent resulting in a sharp veer to the left changing lanes. fortunately, there was not another car in the left lane. i immediately corrected and returned to my original lane. within 15 to 20 seconds, the situation repeats. i tried turning on the sport feature which is suppose to provide more resistance but the same event occurs. it only happens in hot weather when the vehicle is sitting in the sun for 4 or more hours and it is above 88 degrees. in order to compensate, i drive in one gear lower, say 4th, and constantly shimmy the wheel to avoid loss of control. it's similar to snow skiing with the vehicle catching an edge or groove it does not want to get out of. it continues to drive in the same previous direction as you apply additional effort. suddenly, the wheel gives and it's as if the power steering assist is suddenly amplified, what you would normally need at 5mph, not 60mph. as you finish the bend, it continues to stay locked in the turning position. so, additional effort must be made to straighten out the vehicle and again the steering wheel fights your efforts only to suddenly give when you least expect it. you struggle to keep the car in your lane the entire time and from the rear, the vehicle appears erratic and swerving from side to side. that was my first summer with the car and it is currently at the dealer where hopefully my extended warranty will apply.
06/20/201272000
 While driving the steering gets very hard to steer.
07/02/201156000
 The vehicle was parked in the sun with temperatures over 88 degrees. at 2 pm, i drove the vehicle on the highway at 60mph while rounding a slight bend to the left. the steering wheel would not turn under a slight effort so i made an additional effort. suddenly, the resistance is completely absent resulting in a sharp veer to the left changing lanes. fortunately, there was not another car in the left lane. i immediately corrected and returned to my original lane. within 15 to 20 seconds, the situation repeats. i tried turning on the sport feature which is suppose to provide more resistance but the same event occurs. it only happens in hot weather when the vehicle is sitting in the sun for 4 or more hours and it is above 88 degrees. in order to compensate, i drive in one gear lower, say 4th, and constantly shimmy the wheel to avoid loss of control. it's similar to snow skiing with the vehicle catching an edge or groove it does not want to get out of. it continues to drive in the same previous direction as you apply additional effort. suddenly, the wheel gives and it's as if the power steering assist is suddenly amplified, what you would normally need at 5mph, not 60mph. as you finish the bend, it continues to stay locked in the turning position. so, additional effort must be made to straighten out the vehicle and again the steering wheel fights your efforts only to suddenly give when you least expect it. you struggle to keep the car in your lane the entire time and from the rear, the vehicle appears erratic and swerving from side to side. that was my first summer with the car and it is currently at the dealer where hopefully my extended warranty will apply.
06/20/201272000
 While driving the steering gets very hard to steer.
05/01/201298000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving 45 mph she could feel the steering wheel jerking and it became hard to control. she also stated it felt like the steering wheel exhibit excessive resistance. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 98,000. the current mileage was 112,200.
05/01/201298000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving 45 mph she could feel the steering wheel jerking and it became hard to control. she also stated it felt like the steering wheel exhibit excessive resistance. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 98,000. the current mileage was 112,200. rvk
06/15/201139000
 Over the course of the last year, the steering in my bmw z-4 has felt like i have to fight to stay on the road. it is jerking & pulling the car off center making it very difficult to drive and feel safe. the steering wheel also sticks rather than rotating smoothly when i turn to the left or right. this condition is progressively getting worse, i was driving on the interstate last week at approx. 55 miles/hour and several times the car swerved hard pulling me into the next lane of traffic coming very close to causing an accident.
05/01/201298000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving 45 mph she felt the steering wheel jerking and hard to control. she stated it felt like she was fighting with the steering wheel. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacture was not contacted . the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 112,200.jp
06/15/201139000
 Over the course of the last year, the steering in my bmw z-4 has felt like i have to fight to stay on the road. it is jerking & pulling the car off center making it very difficult to drive and feel safe. the steering wheel also sticks rather than rotating smoothly when i turn to the left or right. this condition is progressively getting worse, i was driving on the interstate last week at approx. 55 miles/hour and several times the car swerved hard pulling me into the next lane of traffic coming very close to causing an accident.
04/02/200740000
 The steering sticks and is hard to control. the steering seems to have lobes/sticking points in the steering and sticks at certain points and thenn lets go making it hard to control. the vehicle is very hard to steer and has jerky catching points as you move the wheel while going down the road.
05/02/201120000
 I have noticed that when the outside temprature is over 90 degrees my steering sticks and you have to jerk the wheel to get it to unstick. it especially noticable when you are taking a gradual curve and you try to straighten out the car. i have been told it is likely the electronic power steering but have not had it checked. it is so dangerous that i will not drive in hot weather until i get it fixed... i just can't afford several thousand in repair bills. btw, there are only 23,000 miles on the car and i have had it since it was new.
04/15/201133000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel began to stick and jerk to the sides on its own. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. there was an investigation under nhtsa action number: pe10020 (steering:column steering:electric power assist system) that may be related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 33,000. sm.
04/15/201133000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving at approximately 55 mph the contact noticed the steering wheel became stick and jerk to the sides on its own. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. there was an investigation under nhtsa action number: pe10020 (steering:column steering:electric power assist system) that may be related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 33,000. da
06/10/201174100
 On this particular occasion, the electric steering binds or gets stuck while in center position and makes it difficult or impairs the ability to change lanes on the highway. on this occasion, i was travling at a relatively low speed and was changing lanes and because of the steering problem i jerked the vehicle and hit a car in the other lane causing minor damage to my vehicle. this problem comes and goes and gets worst in the warm to hot weather. i have contacted bmw in both massachusetts and florida with no help from dealers. my vehicle has 79,000 on it now which isnt a lot of miles for a 2003.
02/29/201271132
 The steering wheel will stick to the right and left in warm weather. i causes the handling of the vehicle to be very difficult.
07/01/201185000
 Bought this car in june 2011 with approximately 86000, so it is very possible the problem had shown up prior to this date/mileage. during very hot days, the steering sticks and is difficult to start movement, resulting in jerkiness and swerving on the road. once motion on the steering wheel is initiated, it is possible to continue movement smoothly. but when you stop movement, it will stick again. this makes it very tedious and annoying and possibly even unsafe to make even just the normal constant minor adjustments while driving straight. often times, jumping from one side of my lane to the other, and back.
02/29/201271132
 The steering wheel will stick to the right and left in warm weather. i causes the handling of the vehicle to be very difficult.
07/01/201185000
 Bought this car in june 2011 with approximately 86000, so it is very possible the problem had shown up prior to this date/mileage. during very hot days, the steering sticks and is difficult to start movement, resulting in jerkiness and swerving on the road. once motion on the steering wheel is initiated, it is possible to continue movement smoothly. but when you stop movement, it will stick again. this makes it very tedious and annoying and possibly even unsafe to make even just the normal constant minor adjustments while driving straight. often times, jumping from one side of my lane to the other, and back.
02/29/201271132
 The steering wheel will stick to the right and left in warm weather. i causes the handling of the vehicle to be very difficult.
07/01/201185000
 Bought this car in june 2011 with approximately 86000, so it is very possible the problem had shown up prior to this date/mileage. during very hot days, the steering sticks and is difficult to start movement, resulting in jerkiness and swerving on the road. once motion on the steering wheel is initiated, it is possible to continue movement smoothly. but when you stop movement, it will stick again. this makes it very tedious and annoying and possibly even unsafe to make even just the normal constant minor adjustments while driving straight. often times, jumping from one side of my lane to the other, and back.
04/16/200974000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would seize abnormally. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 74,000. kmj
04/02/201252000
 Dps failure. light stays on and steering is impossiable. dealer said 3,000.00 to replace steering coloumn.
04/16/200974000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed she noticed that the steering wheel would lock in place. the vehicle has not been diagnosed and the vehicle has not been serivced. the current and failure mileages are 74000. bml
04/02/201252000
 Dps failure. light stays on and steering is impossiable. dealer said 3,000.00 to replace steering coloumn.
04/16/200974000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed she noticed that the steering wheel would lock in place. the vehicle has not been diagnosed and the vehicle has not been serivced. the current and failure mileages are 74000. bml
04/02/201252000
 Dps failure. light stays on and steering is impossiable. dealer said 3,000.00 to replace steering coloumn.
03/14/201280885
 When driving at speeds above 40 mph steering has definite sticking spots creating hazardous control. this problem is not predictable sometimes drives fine other times with no warning problem occurs, making the safety issue even more grave. fear of lane swerve and possible colision. bmw service could not replicate problem and says they have no knowledge of a problem existing. upon investigation it seems i am in a large group of bmw z4 owners experincing this steering problem. i urge you to investigate this issue before someone is hurt, mamed or even killed.
06/04/201065000
 I have been having difficulty with the steering system on my z4. this began several years ago and has been intermittent at first but the degree of difficulty in the steering has been increasing from month to month and where it now is beginning to feel unsafe. the steering sticks while navigating through curves and does not always return to neutral position. othertimes, it sticks and one needs to pull it back to correct the steering. it is quite unsafe and my wife and i are very concerned, not only for our safety, but also others who may be victimized by head on collisions. after checking out my compliant with my bmw certified mechanic, he tells me there is a real problem with the steering mechanism on this car and checking through the mechanic's web site, there appears to be no one that knows how to repair the system, short of taking out the entire steering column and replacing with a new one. the cost of this would amount to $3,000.00 or more. the mechanics feel this is a poor steering design and should be fixed by bmw. he told me to be very careful when driving this car for it is possible the entire system could break down at any moment,.
07/05/2008
 Steering is sticking badly. inspected by independent mechanic and told is defective and unsafe. with the vehicle under 20,000 miles the mechanic said is clearly a defect with the electronic steering.
07/01/201034000
 Steering becomes intermittently sticky. first symptom is that when i turn the wheel normally nothing happens. as a result, i turn the steering wheel more and then suddenly the car turns. immediately, i have to turn the wheel back the other way to avoid going off the road. the problem is repeated when i turn back in the other direction and i essentially end up weaving down the road. when i brought the vehicle in to have it checked after the first occurrence, the symptom couldn't be reproduced by the servicemen who looked at it. in retrospect, i've realized that i was always having the car checked when it was cool out (mornings & i lived near lake superior), but the problem seems to occur only when it is hot outside (over 70 to 80 degrees). since i couldn't solve the problem, i have dramatically reduced my driving with this vehicle. however, after recently moving to a different part of the country, i mentioned the problem to a new serviceman last month. he said this was a well known problem with the z4 steering bearings. after spending some time searching on the internet, i was shocked to see how many people have reported this same problem (including to this website). i have never heard of a similar problem with any other vehicle; it certainly seems to me this is some sort of design flaw. it is hard to imagine steering bearings wearing out due to normal wear and tear with only 34,000 miles on the vehicle. please recall this vehicle asap and force bmw to fix the problem before someone is killed!
06/22/201169182
 After being parked for a few hours in the sun on a hot day (over 80 degrees) the steering sticks. it is most noticeable at highway speeds where it becomes very difficult to make fine adjustments so it is hard to hold the car in a lane. this has occurred multiple times and is a predictable problem when the temperature is high and the car has been parked in the sun.
11/21/201167870
 The steering mechanism and wheel seem to stick. the steering wheel does not travel smoothly within the normal steering range.when the car is being driven on a straight line... suddenly, you are not able to keep the car going straight, which causes the driver to attempt to correct and typically causes the car to move erratically from side to side to keep the car center on the driving lane. driving the car under normal driving conditions has become a battle to keep the car straight on the road. over corrections are inevitable and this can cause loss of control and accidents/collisions.
06/10/201149000
 In hot weather the power steering gets extremenly sticky and when making a turn such as on an exit ramp the steering wheel has to be pulled to return it to the straight position which raises the distinct possibility that the car could go right off the ramp if not caught. this problem also causes swerving when making small steering corrections on the highway, the car can swerve into another lane. dealers are unwilling to address this issue and the on-line z 4 forum indicates that this is a very common problem apprarently due to design flaws.
11/01/20035000
 When traveling on a highway, the car steering is very hard to hold straight, veering from left to right. i only have 32,000 miles on the car and it still happens. service reps verify that all steering components are within specfications.
08/02/200443730
 1.vehicle unsafe to drive; unable to maintain steering or keep vehicle on the road safely. 2.vibrations while driving vehicle 3.manuel gear box; shifting through gears not smooth, not engaging smoothly 4.water leaking inside of vehicle trunk and rear seat areas. vehicle trunk area was saturated with water after raining; filling water over the battery box and carpets, shorting out electronics. 5.outside of vehicle; plastic components early deterioration; front windshield wiper area black plastic cowl and antenna. inside of vehicle black plastic cover for convertible top 6.rain sensor inop 7.door locks inop/intermittent 8.windows regulators plastic broken
10/06/201171000
 My steering wheel light goes on then the car handling becomes very difficult to control. the problem started one day on the highway. the wheel was suddenly hard. this problem happens several times a day: when i start the car and at any random time while i'm driving. i have to restart the car in order to get the power steering back (before the next failure). this is very dangerous since nothing is telling me when the next issue is going to happen. i'm always scared to make a turn or to change lanes.
08/02/200443730
 1.vehicle unsafe to drive; unable to maintain steering or keep vehicle on the road safely. 2.vibrations while driving vehicle 3.manuel gear box; shifting through gears not smooth, not engaging smoothly 4.water leaking inside of vehicle trunk and rear seat areas. vehicle trunk area was saturated with water after raining; filling water over the battery box and carpets, shorting out electronics. 5.outside of vehicle; plastic components early deterioration; front windshield wiper area black plastic cowl and antenna. inside of vehicle black plastic cover for convertible top 6.rain sensor inop 7.door locks inop/intermittent 8.windows regulators plastic broken
10/06/201171000
 My steering wheel light goes on then the car handling becomes very difficult to control. the problem started one day on the highway. the wheel was suddenly hard. this problem happens several times a day: when i start the car and at any random time while i'm driving. i have to restart the car in order to get the power steering back (before the next failure). this is very dangerous since nothing is telling me when the next issue is going to happen. i'm always scared to make a turn or to change lanes.
08/02/200443730
 1.vehicle unsafe to drive; unable to maintain steering or keep vehicle on the road safely. 2.vibrations while driving vehicle 3.manuel gear box; shifting through gears not smooth, not engaging smoothly 4.water leaking inside of vehicle trunk and rear seat areas. vehicle trunk area was saturated with water after raining; filling water over the battery box and carpets, shorting out electronics. 5.outside of vehicle; plastic components early deterioration; front windshield wiper area black plastic cowl and antenna. inside of vehicle black plastic cover for convertible top 6.rain sensor inop 7.door locks inop/intermittent 8.windows regulators plastic broken
10/06/201171000
 My steering wheel light goes on then the car handling becomes very difficult to control. the problem started one day on the highway. the wheel was suddenly hard. this problem happens several times a day: when i start the car and at any random time while i'm driving. i have to restart the car in order to get the power steering back (before the next failure). this is very dangerous since nothing is telling me when the next issue is going to happen. i'm always scared to make a turn or to change lanes.
10/01/200925000
 Bmw z4 developed a notchy or sticky feel as i was driving on the highway. it feels like the steering wheel locks in place and extra effort is required to turn the wheel. there is no warning before this occurs. problem was very sporadic at first but seems to be getting worse as i my driving time increases.
03/15/2011104155
 I was driving my 2003 bmw z4 on the highway going roughly 65mph when i noticed the steering became very notchy and stiff, the car felt as if the steering wheel was sticking and not turning to center freely. drving like this the car is difficult to keep in your lane, a very scary feeling when driving at highway speeds. the steering problem continued until i returned home and was still noticeable at city speeds, wheel still sticking around turns and not returning to center position after completing a turn. the problem occurred several times since then,not giving me a good sence of security when driving. this problem only starts to happen after or while drving at speeds above 60mph. i'm contacting you because i have read numerous complaints of bmw z4 owners having similar safely problems. please let me know if anything develops regarding a recall of any faulty steering equipment on this vehicle.
09/19/201131000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact was exiting a residential driveway when the steering wheel seized. the contact turned the vehicle off and on to get the power steering to reset. the power steering assist lasted for a few minutes before failed again. the contact stated the failure recurred sporadically and without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the entire steering column and electronic power assist system needed to be replaced. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 31,000.
03/15/2011104155
 I was driving my 2003 bmw z4 on the highway going roughly 65mph when i noticed the steering became very notchy and stiff, the car felt as if the steering wheel was sticking and not turning to center freely. drving like this the car is difficult to keep in your lane, a very scary feeling when driving at highway speeds. the steering problem continued until i returned home and was still noticeable at city speeds, wheel still sticking around turns and not returning to center position after completing a turn. the problem occurred several times since then,not giving me a good sence of security when driving. this problem only starts to happen after or while drving at speeds above 60mph. i'm contacting you because i have read numerous complaints of bmw z4 owners having similar safely problems. please let me know if anything develops regarding a recall of any faulty steering equipment on this vehicle.
09/19/201131000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact was exiting a residential driveway when the steering wheel seized. the contact turned the vehicle off and on to get the power steering to reset. the power steering assist lasted for a few minutes before failed again. the contact stated the failure recurred sporadically and without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the entire steering column and electronic power assist system needed to be replaced. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 31,000.
09/19/201131000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact was exiting a residential driveway when the steering wheel seized. the contact turned the vehicle off and on to get the power steering to reset. the power steering assist lasted for a few minutes before failed again. the contact stated the failure recurred sporadically and without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the entire steering column and electronic power assist system needed to be replaced. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 31,000. kmj
09/19/201131000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while pulling out of the driveway the steering locked. the contact turned the vehicle off and on to get the power steering to return. the power steering lasted for a few minutes and then failed again. the contact stated the failure occurred without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told the entire steering column and electronic power assist system needed to be replaced. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 31,000.rl
09/10/2011
 The steering wheel of the vehicle is sticky and is difficult to turn after it is in place for more than a few seconds. this causes difficulty in maintaining the driving direction of the car and in many cases causes an overcompensation in steering.
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
11/15/200970000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel would not return to the center position. the contact had to jerk the steering wheel to the center. the failure recurred intermittently at temperatures under 45 degrees and over 75 degrees at different speeds. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics and the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. kmj
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
11/15/200970000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel would not return to the center position. the contact had to jerk the steering wheel to the center. the failure recurred intermittently at temperatures under 45 degrees and over 75 degrees at different speeds. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics and the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. kmj
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
11/15/200970000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel would not return to the center position. the contact had to jerk the steering wheel to the center. the failure recurred intermittently at temperatures under 45 degrees and over 75 degrees at different speeds. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics and the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. kmj
08/27/20119000
 2003 bmw z4 9500 miles, when hot the steering locks in position and excessive force is needed to correct the steering, causing a jerk making the car jerk to the side and then you have to recorrect. happens at high and low speed. has not been repaired
08/27/201121000
 2003 bmw z4 (21,000 miles) - steering becomes dangerously sticky when the outside temperature is warm (above 80 degrees or so and especially after the car has been parked in the sun). the steering wheel won't return to center and the car jerks side to side when the steering un-sticks as the driver tries to make small steering corrections. this results in a dangerous swerving of the car side-to-side when trying to drive straight down the road, particularly at freeway speeds.
11/15/200970000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving at approximately 35 mph the contact noticed the steering wheel would not return to the center position. the contact had to jerk the steering wheel to the center. the failure occurred intermittently at temperatures under 45 degrees and over 75 degrees at different speeds. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. ds
01/01/201020000
 In temperatures below 45
08/07/201170000
 The vehicle is usually kept in the garage. after sitting in the sun in temperatures exceeding 85 degrees, the car steering was hard to operate. it felt as though the steering was manual -- hard to turn on a curve and hard to turn left and right. this only seems to happen when the car sits outside in hot weather. i have not had the problem checked by my mechanic.
07/28/201156230
 4usbt53443lt211442003 bmw z4 3.0i the pump failed on the highway , complete loss of the power steering, no previous sign of malfunction the car was running perfectly
01/01/201030000
 Difficulty steering the car when the steering sticks. the warmer the temperature, the steering feels stuck and with the least movement of the steering wheel, the car feels like it loses control. it is fine in the morning and when it is cool but when the temperature is over 80, i feel like i have no control of the steering. no accidents yet!!!!! it has been happening for at least a year.
07/28/201156230
 4usbt53443lt211442003 bmw z4 3.0i the pump failed on the highway , complete loss of the power steering, no previous sign of malfunction the car was running perfectly
01/01/201030000
 Difficulty steering the car when the steering sticks. the warmer the temperature, the steering feels stuck and with the least movement of the steering wheel, the car feels like it loses control. it is fine in the morning and when it is cool but when the temperature is over 80, i feel like i have no control of the steering. no accidents yet!!!!! it has been happening for at least a year.
07/28/201156230
 4usbt53443lt211442003 bmw z4 3.0i the pump failed on the highway , complete loss of the power steering, no previous sign of malfunction the car was running perfectly
01/01/201030000
 Difficulty steering the car when the steering sticks. the warmer the temperature, the steering feels stuck and with the least movement of the steering wheel, the car feels like it loses control. it is fine in the morning and when it is cool but when the temperature is over 80, i feel like i have no control of the steering. no accidents yet!!!!! it has been happening for at least a year.
07/25/201194181
 Vehicle steering sticks around center when weather is hot and is worse at higher speeds which increases the danger for loss of control.
05/01/200822000
 During warmer weather the steering is jerky and the car does not track straight causing the car to wander back and forth on the road. if the road has a crown it causes the car to pull to one side or the other sending it toward the oncomming traffic occasionally. the steering also feels 'center locked' so that an amount of force greater than normal is required to change course of the vehicle, then once it starts turning (should be gradual as for course corrections), the car lunges in the direction that you are trying to gradually take. as mentioned earlier, this occurs in warmer weather and is not as noticible in cooler weather.
07/25/201194181
 Vehicle steering sticks around center when weather is hot and is worse at higher speeds which increases the danger for loss of control.
05/01/200822000
 During warmer weather the steering is jerky and the car does not track straight causing the car to wander back and forth on the road. if the road has a crown it causes the car to pull to one side or the other sending it toward the oncomming traffic occasionally. the steering also feels 'center locked' so that an amount of force greater than normal is required to change course of the vehicle, then once it starts turning (should be gradual as for course corrections), the car lunges in the direction that you are trying to gradually take. as mentioned earlier, this occurs in warmer weather and is not as noticible in cooler weather.
07/25/201194181
 Vehicle steering sticks around center when weather is hot and is worse at higher speeds which increases the danger for loss of control.
05/01/200822000
 During warmer weather the steering is jerky and the car does not track straight causing the car to wander back and forth on the road. if the road has a crown it causes the car to pull to one side or the other sending it toward the oncomming traffic occasionally. the steering also feels 'center locked' so that an amount of force greater than normal is required to change course of the vehicle, then once it starts turning (should be gradual as for course corrections), the car lunges in the direction that you are trying to gradually take. as mentioned earlier, this occurs in warmer weather and is not as noticible in cooler weather.
07/17/201150000
 The steering on my 2003 bmw z4 2.5l is very sticky. it feels as if there is pine-tar in the linkage. i have to be very careful to not over correct else risk running off a bridge or into the car in the next lane. this is very serious. i only drive this convertible on sunny days, so i couldn't say if weather has any affect.
06/06/201133900
 Bmw z4 roadster, steering wheel play and sticking
07/04/200825000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving at 65mph the steering failed without warning the contact was unable to complete the turn and swerved into the next lane. the contact stated the failure occurred intermittently during hot climate. the vehicle was taken to the bmw specialist who located the failure at the steering column. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 35,000. li
06/06/201133900
 Bmw z4 roadster, steering wheel play and sticking
07/04/200825000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving at 65mph the steering failed without warning the contact was unable to complete the turn and swerved into the next lane. the contact stated the failure occurred intermittently during hot climate. the vehicle was taken to the bmw specialist who located the failure at the steering column. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 35,000. li
07/12/201161000
 Bmw x4 2003 60,1000 miles- electronic power stering is sticky- eratic - safety concen= had problem to control he car- environmental condictions are very hot
01/01/200960000
 The steering in the 2003 bmw z4 is extremely notchy, or sticky. the issue is considerably worse on warmer days, however, it is not limited to only happening in warm weather. recently, the steering has become much worse, almost locking in place while turning. even while attempting to make minor corrections in steering due to curves in the road, the wheel will lock up and then jerk the car violently when it does allow the correction to be made. it is only a matter of time before this issue causes a fatality. bmw has denied any issue or recall and has refused to comment regarding others' complaints of the same problem.
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
06/06/201133900
 Bmw z4 roadster, steering wheel play and sticking
07/04/200825000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving at 65mph the steering failed without warning the contact was unable to complete the turn and swerved into the next lane. the contact stated the failure occurred intermittently during hot climate. the vehicle was taken to the bmw specialist who located the failure at the steering column. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 35,000. li
07/12/201161000
 Bmw x4 2003 60,1000 miles- electronic power stering is sticky- eratic - safety concen= had problem to control he car- environmental condictions are very hot
01/01/200960000
 The steering in the 2003 bmw z4 is extremely notchy, or sticky. the issue is considerably worse on warmer days, however, it is not limited to only happening in warm weather. recently, the steering has become much worse, almost locking in place while turning. even while attempting to make minor corrections in steering due to curves in the road, the wheel will lock up and then jerk the car violently when it does allow the correction to be made. it is only a matter of time before this issue causes a fatality. bmw has denied any issue or recall and has refused to comment regarding others' complaints of the same problem.
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
07/04/200825000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving at 65mph the steering failed without warning the contact was unable to complete the turn and swerved into the next lane. the contact stated the failure occurred intermittently during hot climate. the vehicle was taken to the bmw specialist who located the failure at the steering column. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 35,000. li
07/12/201161000
 Bmw x4 2003 60,1000 miles- electronic power stering is sticky- eratic - safety concen= had problem to control he car- environmental condictions are very hot
01/01/200960000
 The steering in the 2003 bmw z4 is extremely notchy, or sticky. the issue is considerably worse on warmer days, however, it is not limited to only happening in warm weather. recently, the steering has become much worse, almost locking in place while turning. even while attempting to make minor corrections in steering due to curves in the road, the wheel will lock up and then jerk the car violently when it does allow the correction to be made. it is only a matter of time before this issue causes a fatality. bmw has denied any issue or recall and has refused to comment regarding others' complaints of the same problem.
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
07/05/2003
 I am having a problem with the steering on my 2003 bmw z4. i constantly must keep the steering wheel centered as it sticks to one side then the other as i drive. it wants to go right or left and i need to try to keep it going straight.
07/12/201161000
 Bmw x4 2003 60,1000 miles- electronic power stering is sticky- eratic - safety concen= had problem to control he car- environmental condictions are very hot
01/01/200960000
 The steering in the 2003 bmw z4 is extremely notchy, or sticky. the issue is considerably worse on warmer days, however, it is not limited to only happening in warm weather. recently, the steering has become much worse, almost locking in place while turning. even while attempting to make minor corrections in steering due to curves in the road, the wheel will lock up and then jerk the car violently when it does allow the correction to be made. it is only a matter of time before this issue causes a fatality. bmw has denied any issue or recall and has refused to comment regarding others' complaints of the same problem.
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
07/05/2003
 I am having a problem with the steering on my 2003 bmw z4. i constantly must keep the steering wheel centered as it sticks to one side then the other as i drive. it wants to go right or left and i need to try to keep it going straight.
07/06/200338000
 Sometimes when i go over a depression or rough area in the road the car will veer into the other lane. (cross the center line) i also feel the steering wheel sticking. you can turn the wheel to left or right and the car will continue in that direction even when there is no pressure on th wheel?
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
07/05/2003
 I am having a problem with the steering on my 2003 bmw z4. i constantly must keep the steering wheel centered as it sticks to one side then the other as i drive. it wants to go right or left and i need to try to keep it going straight.
07/06/200338000
 Sometimes when i go over a depression or rough area in the road the car will veer into the other lane. (cross the center line) i also feel the steering wheel sticking. you can turn the wheel to left or right and the car will continue in that direction even when there is no pressure on th wheel?
07/08/201142600
 Power steering seems to be sticking at higher speeds, 45 and above on my 2003 z4. car only has 42000 miles, its new to me.
07/05/2003
 I am having a problem with the steering on my 2003 bmw z4. i constantly must keep the steering wheel centered as it sticks to one side then the other as i drive. it wants to go right or left and i need to try to keep it going straight.
07/06/200338000
 Sometimes when i go over a depression or rough area in the road the car will veer into the other lane. (cross the center line) i also feel the steering wheel sticking. you can turn the wheel to left or right and the car will continue in that direction even when there is no pressure on th wheel?
08/01/200410000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that when traveling at speeds above 60 mph or high temperatures above 80 degrees the electronic steering system would lose all power steering, making it difficult to steer. the dealer did not offer any assistance. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 43,000. the approximate failure mileage was 10,000. the vin was unavailable. bw
07/06/200338000
 Sometimes when i go over a depression or rough area in the road the car will veer into the other lane. (cross the center line) i also feel the steering wheel sticking. you can turn the wheel to left or right and the car will continue in that direction even when there is no pressure on th wheel?
08/01/200410000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that when traveling at speeds above 60 mph or high temperatures above 80 degrees the electronic steering system would lose all power steering, making it difficult to steer. the dealer did not offer any assistance. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 43,000. the approximate failure mileage was 10,000. the vin was unavailable. bw
04/03/201020000
 Sticky steering wheel on 2003 bmw z4. feels as if its hard to change directions when the car is warmed up or when it has been sitting in the sun. its almost like a magnetic resistance. the force required to turn the wheel is 3-4x normal and is intermittent so it is a major safety problem imo. if you are in a corner and dont expect it, it can be quite hard to change directions on the wheel, and possibly can overcorrect.
06/14/201119000
 My 2003 bmw z4 automobile has the same problem as numerous other owners of this vehicle have. the steering mechanism sticks or partially locks when driving. on occasion it tends to pull to the left at most speeds causing concern regarding highway driving. there are numerous examples of the exact same problem from other 2003 z4 owners. in some case there were close calls in averting head on crashes when driving on two lane highways due to the steering pull to the left side. this seems to be a problem unique to the 2003 z4 series which has electronic steering. it apparently gets worse with time. my z4 has less than 21,000 miles.
05/18/201158300
 My son and i purchased a used 2003 bmw z4 with only 57,000 miles on it . it had a slight pull to the right so we decided to have an alignment done . the bmw dealership that we took it to said that the alignment was ok and that the electric steering motor was probably going bad. they wanted $ 3,500.00 to repair it. since the pulling to the right was very slight i asked if the car was safe to drive since it my son that will driving the car. they said that the car was safe to drive. after arriving home we did some research and found that this was a common problem with these cars. i called the dealership and spoke with our service adviser and he acted like he was totally unaware of it being a problem and again assured us that the car was safe. on the way home form work my son was driving at highway speeds and had a loss of power steering. the steering had a dead spot at the center position. i then did more research and found that there is an investigation on these cars for the same problem my son is having with his car. i talked to other independent repair shops and they won't even get involved in repairing this because the cars still have problems after being repaired. i then called the bmw dealership and asked him if the problem has been solved or are they just installing a new part that is the same as the old part and will fail again. he said he would get back to me. and surprise he has not. we would not mind so much as to spend $3500.00 to have a potentially deadly problem fixed, but to just have the same problem again it truly unfair. something needs to be done about this. i have found out that they no longer use this type of steering system. i assume that they just want this problem to go away as the cars get older and sold to people like us with no warranty. original owners probably know of the problem and won't mention the problem so not to hurt resale value.
04/03/201020000
 Sticky steering wheel on 2003 bmw z4. feels as if its hard to change directions when the car is warmed up or when it has been sitting in the sun. its almost like a magnetic resistance. the force required to turn the wheel is 3-4x normal and is intermittent so it is a major safety problem imo. if you are in a corner and dont expect it, it can be quite hard to change directions on the wheel, and possibly can overcorrect.
06/14/201119000
 My 2003 bmw z4 automobile has the same problem as numerous other owners of this vehicle have. the steering mechanism sticks or partially locks when driving. on occasion it tends to pull to the left at most speeds causing concern regarding highway driving. there are numerous examples of the exact same problem from other 2003 z4 owners. in some case there were close calls in averting head on crashes when driving on two lane highways due to the steering pull to the left side. this seems to be a problem unique to the 2003 z4 series which has electronic steering. it apparently gets worse with time. my z4 has less than 21,000 miles.
05/18/201158300
 My son and i purchased a used 2003 bmw z4 with only 57,000 miles on it . it had a slight pull to the right so we decided to have an alignment done . the bmw dealership that we took it to said that the alignment was ok and that the electric steering motor was probably going bad. they wanted $ 3,500.00 to repair it. since the pulling to the right was very slight i asked if the car was safe to drive since it my son that will driving the car. they said that the car was safe to drive. after arriving home we did some research and found that this was a common problem with these cars. i called the dealership and spoke with our service adviser and he acted like he was totally unaware of it being a problem and again assured us that the car was safe. on the way home form work my son was driving at highway speeds and had a loss of power steering. the steering had a dead spot at the center position. i then did more research and found that there is an investigation on these cars for the same problem my son is having with his car. i talked to other independent repair shops and they won't even get involved in repairing this because the cars still have problems after being repaired. i then called the bmw dealership and asked him if the problem has been solved or are they just installing a new part that is the same as the old part and will fail again. he said he would get back to me. and surprise he has not. we would not mind so much as to spend $3500.00 to have a potentially deadly problem fixed, but to just have the same problem again it truly unfair. something needs to be done about this. i have found out that they no longer use this type of steering system. i assume that they just want this problem to go away as the cars get older and sold to people like us with no warranty. original owners probably know of the problem and won't mention the problem so not to hurt resale value.
06/14/201119000
 My 2003 bmw z4 automobile has the same problem as numerous other owners of this vehicle have. the steering mechanism sticks or partially locks when driving. on occasion it tends to pull to the left at most speeds causing concern regarding highway driving. there are numerous examples of the exact same problem from other 2003 z4 owners. in some case there were close calls in averting head on crashes when driving on two lane highways due to the steering pull to the left side. this seems to be a problem unique to the 2003 z4 series which has electronic steering. it apparently gets worse with time. my z4 has less than 21,000 miles.
05/18/201158300
 My son and i purchased a used 2003 bmw z4 with only 57,000 miles on it . it had a slight pull to the right so we decided to have an alignment done . the bmw dealership that we took it to said that the alignment was ok and that the electric steering motor was probably going bad. they wanted $ 3,500.00 to repair it. since the pulling to the right was very slight i asked if the car was safe to drive since it my son that will driving the car. they said that the car was safe to drive. after arriving home we did some research and found that this was a common problem with these cars. i called the dealership and spoke with our service adviser and he acted like he was totally unaware of it being a problem and again assured us that the car was safe. on the way home form work my son was driving at highway speeds and had a loss of power steering. the steering had a dead spot at the center position. i then did more research and found that there is an investigation on these cars for the same problem my son is having with his car. i talked to other independent repair shops and they won't even get involved in repairing this because the cars still have problems after being repaired. i then called the bmw dealership and asked him if the problem has been solved or are they just installing a new part that is the same as the old part and will fail again. he said he would get back to me. and surprise he has not. we would not mind so much as to spend $3500.00 to have a potentially deadly problem fixed, but to just have the same problem again it truly unfair. something needs to be done about this. i have found out that they no longer use this type of steering system. i assume that they just want this problem to go away as the cars get older and sold to people like us with no warranty. original owners probably know of the problem and won't mention the problem so not to hurt resale value.
06/14/201119000
 My 2003 bmw z4 automobile has the same problem as numerous other owners of this vehicle have. the steering mechanism sticks or partially locks when driving. on occasion it tends to pull to the left at most speeds causing concern regarding highway driving. there are numerous examples of the exact same problem from other 2003 z4 owners. in some case there were close calls in averting head on crashes when driving on two lane highways due to the steering pull to the left side. this seems to be a problem unique to the 2003 z4 series which has electronic steering. it apparently gets worse with time. my z4 has less than 21,000 miles.
05/18/201158300
 My son and i purchased a used 2003 bmw z4 with only 57,000 miles on it . it had a slight pull to the right so we decided to have an alignment done . the bmw dealership that we took it to said that the alignment was ok and that the electric steering motor was probably going bad. they wanted $ 3,500.00 to repair it. since the pulling to the right was very slight i asked if the car was safe to drive since it my son that will driving the car. they said that the car was safe to drive. after arriving home we did some research and found that this was a common problem with these cars. i called the dealership and spoke with our service adviser and he acted like he was totally unaware of it being a problem and again assured us that the car was safe. on the way home form work my son was driving at highway speeds and had a loss of power steering. the steering had a dead spot at the center position. i then did more research and found that there is an investigation on these cars for the same problem my son is having with his car. i talked to other independent repair shops and they won't even get involved in repairing this because the cars still have problems after being repaired. i then called the bmw dealership and asked him if the problem has been solved or are they just installing a new part that is the same as the old part and will fail again. he said he would get back to me. and surprise he has not. we would not mind so much as to spend $3500.00 to have a potentially deadly problem fixed, but to just have the same problem again it truly unfair. something needs to be done about this. i have found out that they no longer use this type of steering system. i assume that they just want this problem to go away as the cars get older and sold to people like us with no warranty. original owners probably know of the problem and won't mention the problem so not to hurt resale value.
06/14/201119000
 My 2003 bmw z4 automobile has the same problem as numerous other owners of this vehicle have. the steering mechanism sticks or partially locks when driving. on occasion it tends to pull to the left at most speeds causing concern regarding highway driving. there are numerous examples of the exact same problem from other 2003 z4 owners. in some case there were close calls in averting head on crashes when driving on two lane highways due to the steering pull to the left side. this seems to be a problem unique to the 2003 z4 series which has electronic steering. it apparently gets worse with time. my z4 has less than 21,000 miles.
05/18/201158300
 My son and i purchased a used 2003 bmw z4 with only 57,000 miles on it . it had a slight pull to the right so we decided to have an alignment done . the bmw dealership that we took it to said that the alignment was ok and that the electric steering motor was probably going bad. they wanted $ 3,500.00 to repair it. since the pulling to the right was very slight i asked if the car was safe to drive since it my son that will driving the car. they said that the car was safe to drive. after arriving home we did some research and found that this was a common problem with these cars. i called the dealership and spoke with our service adviser and he acted like he was totally unaware of it being a problem and again assured us that the car was safe. on the way home form work my son was driving at highway speeds and had a loss of power steering. the steering had a dead spot at the center position. i then did more research and found that there is an investigation on these cars for the same problem my son is having with his car. i talked to other independent repair shops and they won't even get involved in repairing this because the cars still have problems after being repaired. i then called the bmw dealership and asked him if the problem has been solved or are they just installing a new part that is the same as the old part and will fail again. he said he would get back to me. and surprise he has not. we would not mind so much as to spend $3500.00 to have a potentially deadly problem fixed, but to just have the same problem again it truly unfair. something needs to be done about this. i have found out that they no longer use this type of steering system. i assume that they just want this problem to go away as the cars get older and sold to people like us with no warranty. original owners probably know of the problem and won't mention the problem so not to hurt resale value.
05/18/201170000
 2003 bmw 2.5l z4 steering locks and requires excessive force to move wheel while driving. problem appears to be worse on hot days. no corrective action to date.
06/19/200960000
 2003 bmw z4 sticky steering. when i drive my 2003 bmw z4 during warm weather, the steering wheel sticks. it is hard to turn the steering wheel. this leads to very dangerous driving conditions. it is sometimes hard to turn the steering wheel, as it feels like it is sticky/stuck.
05/18/201170000
 2003 bmw 2.5l z4 steering locks and requires excessive force to move wheel while driving. problem appears to be worse on hot days. no corrective action to date.
06/19/200960000
 2003 bmw z4 sticky steering. when i drive my 2003 bmw z4 during warm weather, the steering wheel sticks. it is hard to turn the steering wheel. this leads to very dangerous driving conditions. it is sometimes hard to turn the steering wheel, as it feels like it is sticky/stuck.
08/20/2010
 The steering begins to feel sticky. it is hard to make steering corrections during normal driving without jerking the wheel either left of right. this appears to happen most often during warm weather. i noticed it last night during the cool of the evening, however. it was under 60 degrees at the time.
06/01/201116
 I own a 2003 bmw z4 that is in excellent condition with has 27,000 miles on it and that i
05/18/201170000
 2003 bmw 2.5l z4 steering locks and requires excessive force to move wheel while driving. problem appears to be worse on hot days. no corrective action to date.
06/19/200960000
 2003 bmw z4 sticky steering. when i drive my 2003 bmw z4 during warm weather, the steering wheel sticks. it is hard to turn the steering wheel. this leads to very dangerous driving conditions. it is sometimes hard to turn the steering wheel, as it feels like it is sticky/stuck.
08/20/2010
 The steering begins to feel sticky. it is hard to make steering corrections during normal driving without jerking the wheel either left of right. this appears to happen most often during warm weather. i noticed it last night during the cool of the evening, however. it was under 60 degrees at the time.
06/01/201116
 I own a 2003 bmw z4 that is in excellent condition with has 27,000 miles on it and that i
05/18/201170000
 2003 bmw 2.5l z4 steering locks and requires excessive force to move wheel while driving. problem appears to be worse on hot days. no corrective action to date.
06/19/200960000
 2003 bmw z4 sticky steering. when i drive my 2003 bmw z4 during warm weather, the steering wheel sticks. it is hard to turn the steering wheel. this leads to very dangerous driving conditions. it is sometimes hard to turn the steering wheel, as it feels like it is sticky/stuck.
08/20/2010
 The steering begins to feel sticky. it is hard to make steering corrections during normal driving without jerking the wheel either left of right. this appears to happen most often during warm weather. i noticed it last night during the cool of the evening, however. it was under 60 degrees at the time.
06/01/201116
 I own a 2003 bmw z4 that is in excellent condition with has 27,000 miles on it and that i
06/15/200410
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while the contact was driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel locked temporarily without any prior warning. the intermittent failure would occur at various speeds whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 10. the vin was unavailable.
08/20/2010
 The steering begins to feel sticky. it is hard to make steering corrections during normal driving without jerking the wheel either left of right. this appears to happen most often during warm weather. i noticed it last night during the cool of the evening, however. it was under 60 degrees at the time.
06/01/201116
 I own a 2003 bmw z4 that is in excellent condition with has 27,000 miles on it and that i
06/15/200410
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while the contact was driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel locked temporarily without any prior warning. the intermittent failure would occur at various speeds whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 10. the vin was unavailable. js
06/02/201195000
 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.
05/26/201148211
 2003 bmw z4 erratic steering when driving. the steering control fluctuates between easy and more difficult in required effort to move wheel.
06/15/200410
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while the contact was driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel locked temporarily without any prior warning. the intermittent failure would occur at various speeds whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 10. the vin was unavailable. js
06/02/201195000
 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.
05/26/201148211
 2003 bmw z4 erratic steering when driving. the steering control fluctuates between easy and more difficult in required effort to move wheel.
06/15/200410
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while the contact was driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel locked temporarily without any prior warning. the intermittent failure would occur at various speeds whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 10. the vin was unavailable. js
06/02/201195000
 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.
05/26/201148211
 2003 bmw z4 erratic steering when driving. the steering control fluctuates between easy and more difficult in required effort to move wheel.
05/10/201145300
 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
06/02/201195000
 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.
05/26/201148211
 2003 bmw z4 erratic steering when driving. the steering control fluctuates between easy and more difficult in required effort to move wheel.
05/10/201145300
 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
04/27/201138000
 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.
05/10/201145300
 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
04/27/201138000
 Tl. the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated while driving 45 mph the steering wheel sticks, binds, and locks up. the contact has to let the vehicle cool off to have the steering system work properly. the contact has taken the vehicle to the dealer to have the steering system diagnose. the dealer can not pull up a code so the dealer can not diagnose the problem. the contact stated when the steering system malfunction it can possibly cause a crash. the failure mileage was 38,000. jo
05/06/201170415
 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.
05/02/2011
 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.
05/06/201170415
 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.
05/02/2011
 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.
05/06/201170415
 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.
05/02/2011
 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.
05/09/20119000
 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.
05/02/2011
 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.
05/09/20119000
 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.
04/27/201156370
 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.
04/28/201160000
 Power steering intermittently goes out while driving the car. car becomes very difficult to steer safely.
05/19/201019881
 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.
05/19/201019881
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while the vehicle was being serviced at an authorized dealer the contact was advised by the mechanic that the air bag light comes on and stays on. the vehicle was not repaired for the failure and no diagnostic was performed. the failure had been on going for approximately one year. while driving approximately 45 mph the steering wheel stuck and was difficult to turn. the contact stated the steering wheel did not move freely. the failure was intermittent. the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer for the failure. the contact had not contacted the manufacturer regarding the failures. the failure mileage was 19,881 and the approximately current mileage was 22,000. vwb
04/03/201162581
 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
03/27/2011118000
 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.
03/19/201128500
 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.
01/01/201045000
 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 comped 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.
01/30/201163000
 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 and the car does not react to the initial steering input. with practice, i have been able to develop the skill to time my corrective input to the steering as the car completes its lane change. even with my getting used to this condition, lane changes are not smooth, but jerky maneuvers instead. this car takes an extra ordinarily high level of skill and alertness to drive safely at moderate to highway speeds and seems outright dangerous to anyone unaware of this condition.
07/01/201039500
 The steering mechanism often becomes sticky and jerky, making the car less predictable to drive. it occurs most often with the tempeture above 80 degrees f. this condition has occured intermitently 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.
01/30/201163000
 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 and the car does not react to the initial steering input. with practice, i have been able to develop the skill to time my corrective input to the steering as the car completes its lane change. even with my getting used to this condition, lane changes are not smooth, but jerky maneuvers instead. this car takes an extra ordinarily high level of skill and alertness to drive safely at moderate to highway speeds and seems outright dangerous to anyone unaware of this condition.
07/01/201039500
 The steering mechanism often becomes sticky and jerky, making the car less predictable to drive. it occurs most often with the tempeture above 80 degrees f. this condition has occured intermitently 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.
01/30/201163000
 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 and the car does not react to the initial steering input. with practice, i have been able to develop the skill to time my corrective input to the steering as the car completes its lane change. even with my getting used to this condition, lane changes are not smooth, but jerky maneuvers instead. this car takes an extra ordinarily high level of skill and alertness to drive safely at moderate to highway speeds and seems outright dangerous to anyone unaware of this condition.
07/01/201039500
 The steering mechanism often becomes sticky and jerky, making the car less predictable to drive. it occurs most often with the tempeture above 80 degrees f. this condition has occured intermitently 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.
01/30/201163000
 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 and the car does not react to the initial steering input. with practice, i have been able to develop the skill to time my corrective input to the steering as the car completes its lane change. even with my getting used to this condition, lane changes are not smooth, but jerky maneuvers instead. this car takes an extra ordinarily high level of skill and alertness to drive safely at moderate to highway speeds and seems outright dangerous to anyone unaware of this condition.
07/01/201039500
 The steering mechanism often becomes sticky and jerky, making the car less predictable to drive. it occurs most often with the tempeture above 80 degrees f. this condition has occured intermitently 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.
07/15/201040000
 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 tempeture above 80 degrees f. this condition has occured intermitently over the last 3 years.
09/20/201076888
 Steering sticks or binds when outside air temperature is very warm.
07/01/201030000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph the steering would pull to the vehicle to the left and was also difficult to turn. this has occurred on a intermittent basis. the vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000. tb
11/30/201027000
 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 manufactuer.
06/08/20047000
 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.
08/12/201067000
 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.
06/08/20047000
 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.
08/12/201067000
 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.
06/08/20047000
 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.
08/12/201067000
 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.
06/08/20047000
 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.
08/12/201067000
 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.
10/25/201062200
 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.
07/01/200954527
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving in hot weather that the steering is hard to course back to the center, making it difficult to drive. the failure is more noticable while driving at 70mph and higher. while driving in cooler weather the failure doesn't occur.the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 54,527. tb
10/26/200860420
 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 obsticles (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.
10/25/201062200
 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.
07/01/200954527
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving in hot weather that the steering is hard to course back to the center, making it difficult to drive. the failure is more noticable while driving at 70mph and higher. while driving in cooler weather the failure doesn't occur.the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 54,527. tb
10/26/200860420
 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 obsticles (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.
10/25/201062200
 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.
07/01/200954527
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving in hot weather that the steering is hard to course back to the center, making it difficult to drive. the failure is more noticable while driving at 70mph and higher. while driving in cooler weather the failure doesn't occur.the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 54,527. tb
10/26/200860420
 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 obsticles (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.
10/25/201062200
 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.
07/01/200954527
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving in hot weather that the steering is hard to course back to the center, making it difficult to drive. the failure is more noticable while driving at 70mph and higher. while driving in cooler weather the failure doesn't occur.the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 54,527. tb
10/26/200860420
 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 obsticles (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.
07/01/200954527
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the contact stated that while driving in hot weather that the steering is hard to course back to the center, making it difficult to drive. the failure is more noticable while driving at 70mph and higher. while driving in cooler weather the failure doesn't occur.the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 54,527. tb
10/26/200860420
 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 obsticles (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.
08/18/2006
 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
10/10/201018100
 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.
05/01/200943000
 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.
10/10/201018100
 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.
05/01/200943000
 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.
10/03/201070000
 My bmw z4, vinxxxxxxxxx, intermitently 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 intermitenly loosing the power assist steering without any warning. this is very unnerving when travling 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.
09/28/201055000
 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 serveral time in the past and it seems to happen predominately on warm days.
10/03/201070000
 My bmw z4, vinxxxxxxxxx, intermitently 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 intermitenly loosing the power assist steering without any warning. this is very unnerving when travling 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.
09/28/201055000
 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 serveral time in the past and it seems to happen predominately on warm days.
10/03/201070000
 My bmw z4, vinxxxxxxxxx, intermitently 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 intermitenly loosing the power assist steering without any warning. this is very unnerving when travling 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.
09/28/201055000
 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 serveral time in the past and it seems to happen predominately on warm days.
07/14/201025000
 Steering gets heavy and sticky at high speeds.
10/03/201070000
 My bmw z4, vinxxxxxxxxx, intermitently 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 intermitenly loosing the power assist steering without any warning. this is very unnerving when travling 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.
09/28/201055000
 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 serveral time in the past and it seems to happen predominately on warm days.
07/14/201025000
 Steering gets heavy and sticky at high speeds.
10/03/201070000
 My bmw z4, vinxxxxxxxxx, intermitently 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 intermitenly loosing the power assist steering without any warning. this is very unnerving when travling 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.
09/28/201055000
 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 serveral time in the past and it seems to happen predominately on warm days.
07/14/201025000
 Steering gets heavy and sticky at high speeds.
07/15/201021500
 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.
06/20/201020000
 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.
07/15/201021500
 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.
06/20/201020000
 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.
07/15/201021500
 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.
06/20/201020000
 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.
09/17/201066000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while traveling 20 mph making a left hand turn the contact noticed that the power steering light had appeared on the dashboard and simultaneously the contact noticed that the power steering had stop functioning in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be determined. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 66000. bml
07/15/201021500
 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.
06/20/201020000
 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.
09/17/201066000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while traveling 20 mph making a left hand turn the contact noticed that the power steering light had appeared on the dashboard and simultaneously the contact noticed that the power steering had stop functioning in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be determined. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 66000. bml
06/20/201020000
 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.
09/17/201066000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while traveling 20 mph making a left hand turn the contact noticed that the power steering light had appeared on the dashboard and simultaneously the contact noticed that the power steering had stop functioning in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be determined. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 66000. bml
05/26/201028000
 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 has not been diagnosed and the contact noticed prior that the failure tends to occur during warm weather. the failure mileages was 28000 and the current mileage was 30000. bml
09/17/201066000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while traveling 20 mph making a left hand turn the contact noticed that the power steering light had appeared on the dashboard and simultaneously the contact noticed that the power steering had stop functioning in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be determined. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 66000. bml
05/26/201028000
 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 has not been diagnosed and the contact noticed prior that the failure tends to occur during warm weather. the failure mileages was 28000 and the current mileage was 30000. bml
09/19/201074000
 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.
05/26/201028000
 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 has not been diagnosed and the contact noticed prior that the failure tends to occur during warm weather. the failure mileages was 28000 and the current mileage was 30000. bml
09/19/201074000
 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.
05/26/201028000
 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 has not been diagnosed and the contact noticed prior that the failure tends to occur during warm weather. the failure mileages was 28000 and the current mileage was 30000. bml
09/19/201074000
 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.
09/04/2010136000
 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.
09/08/200424000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the steering freezes while driving at either slow speed such as 35mph or 65mph and making a left or right turn. the contact stated he has to jerk the steering in either position when it freezes to allow it to move. the vehicle was not taking to the dealer or contacted the manufacturer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 24,000....mw
09/04/2010136000
 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.
09/08/200424000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the steering freezes while driving at either slow speed such as 35mph or 65mph and making a left or right turn. the contact stated he has to jerk the steering in either position when it freezes to allow it to move. the vehicle was not taking to the dealer or contacted the manufacturer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 24,000....mw
08/31/201030000
 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.
09/04/2010136000
 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.
09/08/200424000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the steering freezes while driving at either slow speed such as 35mph or 65mph and making a left or right turn. the contact stated he has to jerk the steering in either position when it freezes to allow it to move. the vehicle was not taking to the dealer or contacted the manufacturer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 24,000....mw
08/31/201030000
 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.
09/04/2010136000
 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.
09/08/200424000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. the steering freezes while driving at either slow speed such as 35mph or 65mph and making a left or right turn. the contact stated he has to jerk the steering in either position when it freezes to allow it to move. the vehicle was not taking to the dealer or contacted the manufacturer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 24,000....mw
08/31/201030000
 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.
07/20/200935000
 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.
08/21/201048500
 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.
08/12/201026000
 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 occurence 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 otherr owners.
01/14/201094000
 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.
08/14/201090000
 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.
08/12/201026000
 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 occurence 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 otherr owners.
01/14/201094000
 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.
08/14/201090000
 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.
08/12/201026000
 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 occurence 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 otherr owners.
01/14/201094000
 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.
08/14/201090000
 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.
01/14/201094000
 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.
08/14/201090000
 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.
06/28/201099000
 My 2003 bmw z4 has a majorsteering problem. there is noise in the steering column area and the steering becomes very stiff and non-responsive at highway speeds. its like driving a car with a power steering pump that is about to fail. the problem is much worse on hot days or after the car has been driven a lot. i took it to the only bmw dealership around here in indianapolis. they told me they couldn't duplicate the problem in the shop but it sounded like a defective steering column. the cost on a new column is $3500 plus many man-hours of labor charges to install it! i went on line and found out that this is a common problem with z4s. so, here i sit with a $13,000 car that i can't afford to fix and i'm afraid to drive more than a few miles from home because the steering is so tight/questionable. this is a safety issue and bmw should be made to recall this issue!
06/01/201015000
 Purchased a like new 2003 bmw z4 3.0i with 15,000 miles with 1 owner last fall from a dealership in va and almost immediately put the car in storage. upon removal from staorgae this month, steering sticks dangerously at all speeds. steering wheel refuses to return to center. when rounding a corner, steering wheel will maintain the turn and not naturally straighten. this creates a highly dangerous situation of oversteer as you over compensate the steering. on a two lane road, it is easy to cross centerline. many, many complaints have been submitted for 2003, 2004, 2005, and some 2006 models. repair seems to be to replace steering column at owner's cost of $3900. however, some owner's have paid for replacement and still experiencing the same issue.
05/01/20101
 Bmw z4 power steering fails when outside temp is above 80 degrees. bmw acknowledges the problem, but will not recall for this issue updated 05/14/10.*jb
04/06/201027000
 Steering wheel is sticky and difficult to handle on warm days (above 75 degrees)
04/01/2010
 My 2003 bmw z4 2.5i has a sticky steering wheel problem in all temperatures. the steering does not self correct while turning and needs to be forcefully returned back to center. this stickyness has a dangerous element in changing lanes or going around corners because smooth operation is not possible. i must overcome the sticky stuck sensation and as a result oversteer back in the direction of travel. this is very disconcerting and a dangerous
03/09/2010400001
 2003 bmw z4: we have noticed a steering issue that occurs in the warmer months of the year. the steering tends to feel 'sticky' or 'gummy' when driving in a straight path. in order to free the sticky steering, one must quickly jerk the wheel to the left or right direction to loosen and free up the steering feel. there have been no accidents as of yet, but the sudden jerk of the wheel and results in an unsafe lane change and/or nearing a side swipe situation when driving in traffic. after a bit of online research, it appears that many other have experienced this unsafe condition. bmw most likely knows about this safety issue since the installation of the updated steering shaft fixes the problem. many of us are out of warranty and the steering defect is not under a current recall, therefore bmw will not cover the fix. many of us consumers cannot afford the $3000 fix, per the bmw service estimate and have to continue to drive unsafely. *tr
02/20/2010250001
 I have a bmw z4 which the steering sticks causing a significant decrease in control of the vehicle. i have nearly collided with other vehicles on the freeway at highway speeds. *tr
07/22/2009420001
 I own a 2003 bmw z4 during warm weather at highway speeds the steering becomes stuck on center. in july of 09 i attempted to swerve to avoid an obstacle on the highway and had the yank the wheel so hard to get it out of the stuck on center issue. i then ran off the road and into the ditch and caused about $1500 dollars worth of damage to the vehicle. fortunately there were no other vehicles in the way. *tr
02/19/2010679001
 Details: steering problem at 45+mph with vehicle, steering is very sticky going straight, constant corrections cause over steering, steering wheel does not return to neutral position on curves leading to dangerous conditions, tested to 75 + mph, gets worse at higher speeds of freeway driving. just took possession of used vehicle. i think its just luck no body has been killed from running off the road or hitting someone. please look at all the complaints with the same trouble. *tr
12/19/200936000108/01/2006
 1. for about 2 years i have noticed that something has been wrong with my 2003 bmw z4's steering. the onset was very insidious. i first noticed a feeling that the steering would stick and require slight extra force to make minor adjustments. this seemed to occur after the car had been out sitting in the sun. at that time it was more of an annoyance than a problem. the steering would soon return to normal. i remember having the steering complaint more often over the 2 year period but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that i knew that this was an issue i needed to resolve. 2. i was making a 250 mile drive back to orlando on the turnpike when the steering problem returned. it was worse than ever. there was a dangerous locked on center feeling at highway speed. minor adjustments required force such that the steering jerked and then required another forceful jerk to correct. the problem is dangerous in that it takes much effort to keep the car in the lane at highway speed. when i exited and drove at low speed the steering returned to normal. i researched this phenomena and found many other z4 owners with the same steering problem. apparently there is a problem with the electronic power steering system on the z4. my problems reflected those of other owners. the locked on center feeling is worse on hot days and at high speeds. the problem occurs every time i drive on the highway and i have since stopped driving that vehicle. i don't feel safe driving it on the highway both for my safety and that of other drivers on the road. 3. the car has yet to be repaired. the other z4 owners suggested i file this complaint, as they have had much trouble convincing their bmw dealerships of the design flaw/failure of the eps system. *tr updated 01/25/10 *bf updated 01/26/10
07/01/2008190001
 2003 z4 3.0i bmw steering locks up while driving in hot weather. problem does not exist in cool weather. my vehicle first experienced the problem in the summer of 2009 with 19,000 miles. the car is unsafe to drive in temperatures above 80 degrees. *tr
09/10/2009540091
 The steering sticks on my 2003 bmw z4, and when i try to compensate, it sometimes causes oversteering to correct. this on 2-occasions almost put me into a head-on collision with an oncoming car. the dealer says this would require an expensive steering column replacement at my cost. *tr
08/17/2009650001
 Sticking steering. *tr
07/15/2006600001
 Warm temperatures, over 80%, steering on 2003 z 4 sticks and causes under and oversteer. *tr
08/01/2009310001
 This complaint involves the steering of the 2003 bmw z4(built 03/03). it seems in hot weather (high 80's and above) the steering becomes very stiff and difficult to make minor adjustments. it feels like it locks in place and when adjustments are attempted to correct the steering, you actually over adjust because it sticks and you have a difficult time remaining in your lane. this occurs when the temperature is 80's or above, and becomes stiffer the hotter the temperature becomes. we contacted bmw and they informed us that there was nothing they could do for us. we feel that this is definitely a safety problem that should be addressed by bmw, as well as repaired for free by them. another problem that we have encountered is the airbag lights (both in the dash and on the console) were on. we found recalls for 2004-2005 bmw's for this problem, but they would not address our vehicle since it is a 2003, and not covered in the recall. it is the exact same problem that the recall was for which was the passenger sensor mat part #66-77-6-927-893 and the control unit airbag part #65-77-6-965-146. we had to pay out of pocket for the diagnostic, repairs and parts, totaling $1226.20. again we felt that this was a safety issue since we purchased this car because it had side,front and knee airbags for safety. with the airbag lights on, we didn't know if they would or would not work in an accident. we requested the old parts be returned to us, but they were not. after doing much research on the internet, both of these items seem to be very common problems with these vehicles and we feel that bmw should address them both and make the vehicles safe to drive. *tr
08/07/20091
 2003 bmw z4 has a glitch in the steering that our dealership does not know what is causing. on hot days especially the steering becomes so jerky it is hard to drive the car. you can turn the steering wheel and there will be a pause before the steering catches and turns the car. we took the car into the bmw dealership and they had two other cars, same model and year with the same complaint. if you google it, you receive many pages of people having the problem so bmw is definitely aware of it but to this point has done nothing. these cars have low mileage, 15,000 to 20,000 range so it is not something that has worn out; it is design flaw that has caused on going problems that bmw has chosen to ignore to this point. we have not been in any accident, we have quit driving in hot weather, but, i am sure the steering has caused some accidents for others. i assume bmw figures it is cheaper to pay the law suits since there are not that many z4s made than to have a recall and fix the problem. it is an ongoing problem that affects not only the drivers of the cars involved but everyone sharing the road with a car with steering problems. *tr
07/01/2008290001
 I have finally decided to file my complaint after experiencing this problem for two consecutive summers. i have put off filing a complaint in hopes that the numerous complaints on this very same issue by other z4 owners would result in some remedial action on the part of bmw. this does not appear to be happening. when the outdoor temps hit the high 80's the steering in my 03 z4 begins to stick under normal driving conditions. this has caused me to come close to over-correcting on several occasions when turning the steering wheel to unstick il. it is extremely dangerous on interstate highways where there is little margin for error. this sticking problem is not only unsafe but it detracts from what otherwise is a beautiful piece of machinery. the vehicle is out of warranty and i can't see where z4 owners should be responsible for covering the cost of repairing a manufacturing defect which, surprisingly, has not resulted in any fatalities. *tr
07/29/2009313501
 When the weather gets hot or the car gets hot just sitting in the sun the steering gets sticky and difficult to turn. it feels like there is a notch in the steering on both sides of dead center and it is difficult to steer to the right or the left. this is not a new problem with these cars as documented in puma case number 5387507 and others. *tr
07/16/20091
 Steering is sticking on my bmw z4 when the weather is warm. i live in the mountains of north georgia and do not feel safe driving under these conditions. based on looking at the online information into this problem this seems to be a defect in the z4. why would this not be recalled? the dealership immediately asked at what temperature this occurs. the dealership has quoted $3200 to fix the problem. this is not acceptable when it looks as if there are alot of z4 owners with the same problem. the car is out of warranty and the mileage is low. please help us who own these cars to get something done before someone gets seriously hurt or even killed. *tr
05/01/2009385001
 Car is 2003 bmw z4 3.0 litre engine. at temperatures above approximately 78 degrees, the electronic steering feels as if it is binding, and feels disconnected from the car. when you return the wheel to center position it feels as if there is a lag before the car responds. this affects the cars handling in traffic, as the car will not handle as it should. this effect is not evident at lower temperatures. *tr
05/17/2009355001
 If the car is left in the sun or is used on a hot day (seems to be above 85f degrees), the steering wheel is very heavy and sticky +/- 5 degrees off center. the car will not travel straight without constant correction and the steering wheel feels locked without extra effort to move its position. driving the car in this state is unnerving and unsafe. it has led to multiple overcorrection on public roads when attempting to turn the wheel due to the extra effort. bmw na has not acknowledged a defect and will not attempt to correct it.*tr
04/28/2009700001
 2003 z4 3.0i has become unsafe with increases in steering sticking and notchiness. to make matters worse the symptoms vary with ambient temperature so the overall steering feel will vary from morning to noon to night. *tr
12/18/200841000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving 60mph his vehicle shut off in traffic. the road conditions were not a factor. the vehicle was accelerating at the time the engine shut off. he was able to maintain control of the vehicle but there was no power steering and the brakes failed. it became was very difficult to steer the vehicle. there were no warnings prior to the failure. he was able to operate the vehicle normally after 20 minutes. the following day when the vehicle started there was a bubbling noise in the engine area that lasted for approximately 2 minutes. no problem. the dealer and manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was not a part of the recall. he was also advised that he would have to pay $152 for a diagnosic check. the failure mileage was 41,000.
02/22/20046000111/01/2003
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. while driving 70 mph in hot weather, the steering binded and made it difficult to switch lanes on the highway. also, there was a possibility that the contact could lose control of the vehicle. he had to make sudden maneuvers to avoid potentially losing control. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer advised him to take the vehicle to the dealer. the current mileage was approximately 48,000 and failure mileage was approximately 6,000. updated 10/14/08 *bf updated 10/23/08. *jb
03/14/2008450001
 Vehicle has electric power steering. intermittently, and without warning, power assist unit fails. consequently, driver must use a firm grip and substantial force to control vehicle, especially at slower speeds. unit fails either at engine start or while driving. vehicle has only 45,000 miles. steering torque fault was cleared during diagnostic check by independent bmw technician but fault has since recurred. nearest authorized bmw service center also has checked vehicle. owner was informed that fix would require replacement of upper steering column at cost to owner of $2,360 plus diagnostic fee. bmw north american contacted for assistance. they, in concert with the dealer, declined to offer any financial assistance to owner to replace defective components. problem remains unresolved. owner feels this vehicle has a defective part which creates a significant highway safety risk, especially to those unsuspecting of the potential fault. date of incident below is first occurrence of problem, while owner was pulling into a parking spot. *tr
08/03/2008240001
 My vehicle is a 2003 bmw z4. the
07/06/2008320001
 Sticky, grabby, tight steering. no correction to center. heavy feel and notchy. this problem occurs on hot days, especially after the car sits in the hot sun for a couple hours. most noticeable driving at highway speeds. after sitting overnight, in the morning when it is cool, the steering is fine. *tr
04/24/200612600109/01/2003
 The steering is sticky when driving with interior heater on full/hot. if car interior temps cool down the problem goes away. i have to over steer to get the car to move in the direction i want and this causes a safety concern as the car will move too far in that direction. this issue is known to bmw and other owners. *jb
03/28/2006200512509/26/2003
 Auto was exhibiting a knocking sound when approaching a full lock position. dealer upon second complaint replaced the lower steering column joint assembly part # 32-30-6-769-265. after the parts replacement the steering of the car has been noticeably impaired and exhibits steering that is very vague and exhibits a looseness on rough roads or during sharp turns such as parking or a u-turn. dealership states that there are appropriate technical bulletins but chose not to release information in them. *jb car is parked awaiting bmw regional technical service inspection. *jb
10/20/2005250001001/20/2004
 Growing steering difficulties with 2003 bmw z4 purchased new. dealership acknowledges there is a problem and says bmw is trying to determine a fix (this was months ago). bmw says sorry - refer to dealership, i believe this is a serious potential safety hazard which should be investigated for possible re-call. *jb
08/30/200510150107/29/2003
 I previously submitted a complaint with confirmation number 10135197. since submitting that complaint, i have been on bmw related message boards and discovered the problem with high temperature sticking steering on 2003 bmw z-4 roadsters is not only well known to bmw, but they have come up with a repair. unfortunately, bmw is not recalling, not notifying and they are insisting that a car owner wait until a complete part failure that can be verified at the dealer to take any action under the car warranty. this problem comes and goes with outside heat. a dealership is not always around to verify the issue. i have talked with bmw usa headquarters in new jersey and they throw me back to the dealer. if you took what bmw usa says at face value, they have no control over this issue. that is not turning out to be the case. unfortunately, the dealer says they cannot act without bmw authorization and that requires the replacement of a verifiable failed part. the dealer is caught in the middle. there has been nothing but double talk from the people in new jersey at bmw headquarters. the internet postings on this problem indicate how severe the issue is. the problem is world wide on 2003 z-4's. it occurs in high outside temperatures and can, according to some postings, come on with no notice at high speeds. one driver described how he narrowly averted putting his car into the center divider of a highway. feel free to check these boards, one of them is roadfly.com where a whole thread exists to discuss this problem. another is z4um.com. apparently the entire steering column must be replaced with one updated from original specs. the part number is 32-30-6-766-486. it is dangerous, unsafe and a risk of life for people to be driving these cars when the steering wheel handling hardens and control of the car is placed in jeopardy. bmw should be required to recall all of these cars and replace the defective part with the improved one. *jb
08/30/200510150107/29/2003
 Car sat in hot sun all day. entered car to drive home and noticed steering was hard as speed increased upwards to 30 mph. as speed increased steering became very hard, requiring torque on steering wheel. at a stop the steering was normal, wheel could turn as always. at higher speeds up to 55 mph, when car wheels turned, the action was choppy or in increments rather than smooth and with the precision car normally had. it almost seemed like heavy weight on front of car. checked run flat tires. no problem. parked car at home. two days later took vehicle to dealer and steering was normal. dealer recognized a problem. had same year and model with similar problem occurring daily. could not duplicate the problem. told me factory service bulletins said do not replace parts unless problem duplicated! dealer suggested i drive car until problem returned and then bring it in. they would do nothing until they could duplicate problem to perform diagnostic. dealer not open 24 hours a day, other cars at same dealership with problem. car was unsafe to drive when problem recurred. according to dealer, manufacturer is aware of problem, has technical bulletin out, but no parts replaced until failure occurs at dealership. car being parked in sun by dealer to see if problem will duplicate. car unsafe to drive!!! other cars there, same model and year with same problem. *ak
06/14/20053800510/07/2003
 Car was parked uncovered for about eight hours each day during a one week period and upon retrieval of the vehicle steering was noticeably malfunctioning. it was stiff and required excessive pressure to turn. a couple of days it had more of a notchy feel and would turn in increments with additional pressure. *jb
07/12/20051388510007/06/2003
 In the heat the steering on my 2003 bmw 4 becomes erratic and i lose proper control of the vechile
06/26/200533900207/20/2003
 Steering sticks and resists turning briefly in hot temperature. 90f+
06/28/200510654506/26/2003
 1. hot ambient temperatures (roughly plus 85 degrees fahrenheit) with the car outside in the sun all day preceding my drive home after work. this has happened on 5 occasions. the last occasion, prior to filing this report, is the date used below as the incident date. the previous occasions were each of the preceding 4 business days. 2. steering control is difficult and uneven causing problems keeping car on intended course of travel. 3. appointment scheduled with dealer for 7/11/05.
06/01/200380006002/17/2003
 When subject to heat of a hot day, steering becomes less responsive, sluggish, and difficult to control.*ak
06/09/200410700101/06/2004
 I have a 2003 bmw z4 2.5i on wednesday june 9, 2004 the ambient temp in ct was in the mid 90's while driving my car the steering felt like it was binding, was stiff to turn and did not automatically return to a center position. the steering lost the smooth gradual rotation as i turned the wheel the following day when the temperature was cooler the problem did not repeat itself. *ak
112/13/2002
 The vehicle was turned off to fill with gas, when the vehicle was turned back on, the steering had gone out. the dealer had replaced the steering column gear and reprogrammed the eps and the lws with the cip v 7.0. mr scc
STEERING - COLUMN
08/15/200515000106/28/2003
 When vehicle is in the sun and heats up the steering becomes sticky, making it difficult to maintain correct alignment on roadway. over steering occurs and gives impression of weaving while crossing into oncoming traffic. near miss of other vehicle occurred. this sticking has occurred on several occasions each summer in warm to hot weather.*ak
STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
01/01/19011
 2003 bmw z4 with power steering failure. consumer states that the power steering was going out intermittently but the dealer did not see any problem. now the power steering only works intermittently and has to be replaced. *kb
08/08/2007512471802/09/2007
 Steering locks, resist, jerks, and stiffens up on hot days. this day my steering almost completely locked while changing lanes on the highway. i was across two extra lanes before it let go. *jb
07/21/200631990101/31/2003
 During hot weather (90 degrees and above) the steering becomes very heavy a sticky making it difficult to accurately steer the vehicle. the dealer states that the factory is aware of the problem but has not determined a solution even though the problem has been recognized for over a year. i don't feel that the car is entirely safe to operate when the problem occurs and the dealer a factory have been non responsive in correcting it. *jb
07/12/200524510606/19/2005
 2003 bmw z4. the steering binds when the outside temperature is above 80 degrees. this is dangerous when i have to overcorrect to keep the car on the road. the dealer says that this is a know problem, but not a safety issue and there is not a fix available. this is definitely a safety issue.
06/25/200510002002/10/2003
 We have a 2003 bmw z4, 3.0l, auto. ever since it was new, it has exhibited an irregularity in the (electric) steering. it only manifests itself when the outside temerature is fairly hot, say over 85 degrees. the issue is that the steering exhibits a sticking or notchiness that may be or become a safety issue for drivers if the car no longer responds to steering inputs in the same manner it does when this issue is not present. to-date this issue has been experienced and documented by owners throughout the country on an owners forum at http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e85/. after 2 trips to the dealership for service, where this issue was brought to their attention,we've been informed that bmwna has not recognnized that there is an issue and therefore there is no fix' in the works.
05/18/20047300104/15/2003
 1. steering defect occurs during high ambient temperatures. 2. steering wheel becomes heavy to turn and has a locked on center feel. 3. dealer replaced power steering system. this did not fix problem.*ak
06/14/20044000706/22/2003
 Steering problem - steering binds and locks requiring excess effort to maintain direction resulting in overcorrection and loss of control of vehicle. *ak
06/16/200410000511/07/2003
 When my vehicle is parked in ambient temperatures exceeding roughly 85 degrees, for periods of an hour or more, the car's power steering begins to malfunction. the steering takes on an extremely heavy feel, and is often difficult to turn. additionally, in a gentle turn, the wheel does not automatically return to the center position when it is released. the car contiunes to turn indefinitely. as long as temperatures remain high, the problem persists.*ak
06/18/20048300410/07/2003
 During exposure to high temperatures in the mid 1990's farenheit the steering becomes stiff, unresponsive with a tendency to stick where it is set. only seems to occur after vehicle has sat in direct sunlight on hot days.*ak
06/06/200415500206/15/2003
 When my vehicle has sat out in the 90f+ temperature for a few hours, the steering becomes almost uncontrollable in that the steering sticks and is no longer smooth in its rotation. to get the steering to go the other way after turning or changing lanes, you literally have to use excessive force for it to happen. my entire steering column/electronic power steering system has already been replaced and the problem still exists. i've confirmed this issue with z4 owners across the country and am beginning to feel this is an overall design issue. again, this is a temperature dependent issue as the car drives normally again at night or when it's not over 85 f.*ak
STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
1
 The vehicle lost power steering, the mechanic stated the steering gear box needed to be replaced. *jb
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
12/01/20101
 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
08/05/2005100002511/25/2003
 I have had the same problem for the past two summers regarding the steering when the car sets in the heat all day (except that it was worst this past summer, it now happens at about 85 f, instead of 90 f). the problem is that the car resists turning from center and when it does it will not return to center on its own; you must turn it back. this is a fairly dangerous problem if you are not aware of it and do not pay close attention. *nm

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