NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 BMW Z4. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
WHILE DRIVING WITH TOP DOWN IN COLD WEATHER WITH HEAT ON HIGH, STEERING BECAME STICKY/NOTCHY. I COULDN'T MAKE SMOOTH STEERING CORRECTIONS, ONLY COURSE ONES. AFTER CAR WAS ALLOWED TO COOL OVERNIGHT, PROBLEM WENT AWAY. *JB
MY BMW Z4 YR. 2004 DURING HOT WEATHER SEEMS TO HAVE A STEERING PROBLEM. YHE STEERING STICKS AND FEEL NOTCHY, ON THE HIGHWAY IT ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT DUE TO TRY ING TO STEER AND OVER COMPINSATING. THANK YOU
IN HOT WEATHER OR AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT IN SUN FOR A FEW HOURS STEERING BECOMES STICKY AND JERKY. MUST APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE AND CONSTANTLY OVERCORRECT TO KEEP CAR ON COURSE. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ENTER AND EXIT SLIGHT TURNS, CHANGE LANES, ETC. *JB
STEERING STICKS, USUALLY DURING WARMER WEATHER, 70 AND ABOVE. *TR
IN VERY HOT HOT WEATHER THE STEERING BECOMES DANGEROUSLY OFF-CENTER.
THE Z4 HAS AN POWER STEERING PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO HAVE ISSUES AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHERE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING THE CAR AND DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE KEEPING THE CAR IN THE LANE. SOMETIMES THE STEERING FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK. I THINK THAT THE CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR SINCE I AM A WOMAN AND MAY NOT HAVE THE PROPER UPPER BODY STRENGTH TO CONTROL THE CAR! *TR
I HAVE A 2004 BMW Z4. I AM WRITING TO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WAY THE VEHICLE STEERS. WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS, YOU HAVE TO USE MORE FORCE THAN SHOULD BE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS THEN CAUSES OVER-STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. I ALSO WROTE A COMPLAINT TO BMW OF AMERICA ABOUT THIS CONCERN. *TR
PROBLEM: EPS STEERING GETS VERY STICKY AFTER CAR HAS SAT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR A FEW HOURS. MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. PROBLEM CLEARS UP AFTER CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND ALLOWED TO COOL. THIS PROBLEM MAKES THE CAR FEEL VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I AM CONSTANTLY WORRIED IT MIGHT FAIL ENTIRELY AT SOME POINT -- HOPEFULLY NOT WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED AT THE END OF SUMMER LAST YEAR (2004). CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JULY. THIS YEAR, IT HAS BEGUN ALREADY (SINCE MID-APRIL 2005).
2004 BMW Z4 3.0. THE STEERING IS STICKY WHEN AMBIENT TEMP OVER 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE. DEALER STATES NO PROBLEM. READ THE NEWS AND SAW THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING. YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO DRIVE MINE TO SEE THE PROBLEM IN ACTION. WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE (AS IT OFTEN IS IN JACKSONVILLE, FL) THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE BECAUSE OF THE "STICKY STEERING." *TR
POOR VISABILITY OUT OF CONVERTIBLE CONCELLED DURING TEST DRIVE. CAR HAS LIMITED SIGHT ON RIGHT WITH TOP UP. *AK
I OWN A 2004 BMW Z-4 WITH 18,648 MI ON THE ODOMETER. I HAVE THE SAME STEERING PROBLEMS AS MOST OTHER OWNER'S. THE STEERING IS OVER REACTIVE, THE PROBLEM IS MORE PRONOUNCED IN WARM/HOT WEATHER. AT TIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER STEERING IS SLUGGISH OR NOT WORKING. WHEN TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT I CAN FEEL A CHATTERING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I WENT TO THE, HE TOLD ME HIS MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AND THERE WASN'T ANY THING HE COULD DO ANY WAY. I HAVE CHECKED ON LINE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF UNHAPPY OWNER'S OUT THERE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS SAFETY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MY WIFE IS THE PRINCIPLE DRIVER OF THE CAR AND SHE HAS COMPLAINED OF STEERING CONTROL PROBLEMS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HER SAFETY AND OTHER DRIVERS OF Z-4. CAN YOU HELP ME!! *TR
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026