I have a sticky steering problem on my '04 z4. I took my z4 to an independent mechanic who specializes in bmw's, I asked him to look at the steering problem. He took the steering column apart and found a bearing that is anything but good engineering. There is a bearing in the middle of the steering column that is not sealed. With time and with heat the lubricant gets dry and cakes up. He told me this is what is making the steering sticky. He cleaned out the bearing and put in new lubricant and my z is fun to drive again. Now for the bad news: he told me it is a temporary fix, the result of lousing engineering/design. The bearing is in the middle of the steering column. It is not a sealed bearing. The bearing is not replaceable. Bmw does not list it as a part - you have to buy the entire steering column assembly (parts and labor over $3500). I have read hundreds of blogs on this subject in which other z-4 owners are having the same exact problem. Several things that I noticed while reading these blogs: anyone that contacted the dealership were told that they have never heard of the problem before. It is funny that each blog stated the exact same statement from the dealerships. The second thing was that they recommended that the steering column be replaced. If they have never heard of this problem before then how can they assume that replacing the steering column is the correct repair for the problem, bmw should step up and take responsibility for this problem and recall all z-4?s before someone gets killed, or seriously injured. Bmw cannot deny the existence of this problem.
2004 BMW Z4 steering complaints
Page 7 of 14: complaints 161 to 190 of 378, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The steering on the car becomes 'notchy' and 'twitchy' especially at higher speeds and warm weather. The steering wheel will intermittently stop responding to input for a short range of input, then suddenly start working after a limited range. While driving at high speeds in a straight line, the steering will suddenly pull to one side requiring that the steering wheel is held straight very firm or the car will lunge to the side. The issue was diagnosed by two different bmw repair shops. Both concluded the electronic power steering is failing and the entire steering column needs to be replaced. Estimated repair cost is just under $4,000.
The vehicle tugs on uneven road or when turning n highways at high speed. It is difficult to keep the car steering straight. Just bought this as a used vehicle with no crash history.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw z4. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and the steering wheel could not be turned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure was reported to the manufacturer. The VIN was not available.the failure mileage was 60,000. The current mileage was 62,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw z4. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle would pull from side to side. The contact stated that the failure would only occur during extremely high temperatures. The dealer advised that the entire steering column needed to be replaced. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer for a full diagnostic test. The failure mileage was 37,000. Updated 7/26/13
The steering would take a "set" meaning it would take effort to move the wheel. The temp that day was above 80 degrees (this has been ongoing with this vehicle). No smooth motion to compensate for steering adjustment. Continual compensation with both hands as not to over correct. This is a dangerous situation and bmw needs to address it asap.
Driving at highway speeds when the temperature was above ninety degrees the steering became 'catchy' meaning when I tried to do normal corrections it would 'stick' like it was stuck in some kind of groove, requiring me 'force' it past the sticking point, which would result in an over correction, which in turn would require me to correct in the other direction - resulting in a weaving in the lane. The issue continued and on occasion, seemingly related to temperature, was bad enough to force me off the highway and on to surface roads where the speed was less. I mentioned it to the dealer and he said he cold not repeat the problem. This occurs every year when it gets hot and the last time I was at the dealer he said the electronic assist steering in the steering column needed to be replaced at a cost of $4,000. I researched this problem on the internet and it seems there are quite a few other people who have the same issue with the steering with this car and other z4's from 2003 on, some with mileage less than the 29,000 miles I had on my vehicle when it first occurred. I find it interesting that the dealer discovered what the issue was after my vehicle was out of warranty.
My wife was passing through a toll booth when the steering suddenly pulled to one side, she was able to correct and avoid hitting the concrete barrier. This issue has happened on multiple occasions and is always the same. Car will pull to one side or the other and you have no control over the situation. It has happened on various road surface types from smooth to grooved. We have the factory tires on the car and no modifications to the car. Front end alignment is correct. We purchased the car used from a dealer with 58,789 miles in mar 2013.
When temperature reaches above 75 degrees, the steering sticks when driving. It sticks to which it makes it hard to steer the wheel left and right. Almost had two accidents on the way home.
Your question about the incident date only allows for one date. The knotchy ,sticking steering wheel happens all the time when outside temperatures hit 75 degrees. This steering malfunction has been documented many times online in bmw z4 forums. All you have to do is pull up z4 steering online to read a multitude of concerns and examples of bmw stonewalling. This steering issue on 2004 z4s is very serious!!! The correction needed when this happens calls for a quick jerk of the steering wheel to stay straight. Unusual effort is needed to keep the car in it's lane.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw z4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH the power steering failed and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the steering column was replaced. Six months after the vehicle was repaired the failure recurred. The recent failure was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 48,000. Updated 6/25/13*cn updated 7/1/13 *cn the consumer stated the steering would not return to center by itself. Updated
The steering is very sticky and jolts left and right. I have found through some research to be a common problem among 2003-2005 bmw z4 owners. It is not safe to be cruising down the highway jolting back and forth.
Steering has a rubbing and scraping noise when car is barely moving, such as in driveway or parking lot. At speed, steering becomes sticky and jerky. I just bought the car in march 2013 and it has 50,000 miles on it. Does not seem to be caused or affected by temperature. I am too concerned about this issue to let my wife or daughter drive the car. I have had the steering shaft lubricated, but that did not help anything.
Steering became somewhat unresponsive while driving at highway speeds. It was as it the steering wheel was sticking. Reducing speed did not seem to help, temp outside was 71 degrees and sunny. Checking web forums, this is a problem with this car. Bought this used approx 4 weeks ago, concerned that if steering continues to function this way, could cause an accident as you try to over compensate for sticking issue.
While driving on the freeway, it became difficult to make small adjustments to the steering wheel. Once this abnormally high resistance was overcome, the intended adjustment would become excessive and require immediate correction. This correction would in turn be excessive, resulting in zigzagging while simply trying to maintain a straight line. Also, the steering wheel would remain in its rotated position upon release when exiting a turn, rather than naturally returning to center, thus requiring deliberate effort to bring the car straight again. This behavior is unnerving under ordinary conditions and could be quite dangerous, particularly in situations involving skids or emergency manoeuvers. Soon after the initiation of the 2010 the federal safety agency investigation into this issue, I brought the car to a local bmw dealer who claimed to know nothing about this prevalent issue and who was reportedly unable to replicate the issue. Since then I figured out it can replicated simply by setting the heater to full blast and leaving the windows rolled up for 20-30 minutes to allow the heat to soak into the electric-assist steering column: this issue occurs if the steering column gets warm by any means: park in direct sun on a hot day, park in shade on a very hot day, run the heater on high for a while, etc. I took the car to a different bmw dealer on a moderate day in march 2013 and replicated it using the heater while their service foreman drove it; he was astonished by its perverse handling characteristics and immediately made the diagnosis: faulty steering column requiring complete replacement. Bmw north america has declined to cover any of the cost to resolve this factory defec because the 4yr/50k mi warranty is expired. My z4 still has under 40,000 miles and it is abundantly clear that this issue is not caused by "wear and tear".
My 2004 bmw z4 exhibits severe steering issues when driven during warm (=> 75 degrees) temperatures. Under these conditions the ability to steer the vehicle can become very unpredictable to downright dangerous. During the summer of 2012 and as recently as this week I've experienced incidents where the inability to effectively steer this vehicle has LED to several 'close calls' which nearly resulted in a collision with other vehicle. While this is a known issue that plagues hundreds if not thousands of bmw z4s produced in the early to mid 2000s, bmw has never issued a recall. It also appears the while the federal safety agency has investigated this problem they ruled that a 'safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted'. How can this be?! How can a manufacturer assume no responsibility for vehicles with a potentially life-threatening issue? Has there ever been a more applicable case for a recall?! Further, how can the federal safety agency, an organization that's supposed to be 'dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety' permit this to happen? This very well-known defect has rendered my z4 unsafe to drive and I feel it's bmw's responsibility to correct the problem so that it no longer exists. I would also urge the federal safety agency to reexamine this potentially life threatening issue based on the number of vehicles (and drivers) if effects.
Loss of electrical assisted steering/steering wheel very sluggish.
At high ambient temperatures the steering sticks. It sometimes is just a distraction, when it is at it's worse I believe it is dangerous, not so much on wide open roads, but very much so on narrow roads. When it is at it's worse the car may dart as much as two feet.
Steering wheel / response feels "sticky and notchy" when steering column is hot. Have to fight steering wheel when traveling at high speeds. Does not happen in cooler temps. I have read that this is an internal bearing issue with the steering column. Dangerous!
Bought used 2004 bmw z4 in aug 2012, steering seemed fine, it had 39k miles on it. Now at 44k miles the steering has become notchy, wobbly feeling and the car darts around. Had alignment done in jan 2013 but still a problem. Looking at the number of complaints filed already, I am not alone. I would be happy to pay out a small amount to fix this but it seems to be a 3k-4k fix from what I've read. Bmw needs to recall or else come up with a fix that doesn't involve replacing the whole steering column. What do you say bmw?
Sticky steering problem, this was replaced in 2006 under warranty by bmw, at about 2000 miles. Now feb,2013 I have the same problem. I have less than 12000 miles on vehicle. I feel this is unsafe because it will cause you to jerk the wheel think you need to steer hard.
The steering wheel gets stuck while driving and car doesn't stay in lane infact needs constant significant adjustments to keep it from accidentally getting into another lane. The issue has occurred multiple times and was an inconvenience so I didn't pay a lot of attention but it's more like a safety issue now with controlling the car becoming more and more difficult on freeways. The federal safety agency has identified this issue pe10020 as not significant and I sincerely hope they investigate it further and take some serious action before it causes irreparable loss. Bmw needs to own up to a manufacturing defect as its not wear and tear and fix this.
While driving the steering light comes on and the steering locks in place. When u try to force it the car stalls out and the steering stays locked .. Extremely dangerous!!!
For some time my bmw z4 2004 has been having a "notchy" feel to the steering. Today it came to a head as the steering completely locked on me. I was 2 blocks from home after just exiting a main high way I drive every day to and from work. I am so lucky I was already off the main road or a major accident would have happend. No steering, completely locked. I have done many internet searches and aparently I'm one of many that have had this issue. Fix the issue bmw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently bought this car and the dealer talked about a steering issue with the z4 models where they don't feel like the steering will center. I didn't have a chance to put miles on the car until today where I found out what he was talking about and had time to research it. This is a very well known issue and it looks like you have investigated it previously but it still is a very real problem and makes the car unsafe to drive. While driving after the car is warmed up the steering will feel as though it sticks as you try to drive a straight line. At around 40+MPH the car will pull right or left with the steering nearly impossible to adjust to center. You can have the car pulling to one side, say traveling at 60mph, it will pull you to the right at a rate of 2 feet for every second. You have to nudge the steering wheel as it is not fluid (feels like it is stuck) back to the left and then it will pull left at the same rate. It is a battle of constant adjustment to fight in trying to center the car. If you have traffic around you it could be an accident waiting to happen. I request that this issue is re-opened as a safety recall. I have reviewed the information you received from bmw regarding steering warranty claims and with just over 12,000 bmw z4's produced and nearly 10% (1,1xx) of them having a filed claim regarding steering issues, one would see that this is a major flaw. Warranty work is not always requested, thus why there are still more on the street that need high cost repairs and causing unsafe driving conditions for the driver/passenger as well as surrounding vehicles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw z4. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact had to wiggle the steering wheel back and forth in order to correct the failure. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was advised that the steering power assist for the steering needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 31,000. Updated 12/11/12*lj updated 12/12/12
While driving at normal speed the steering became sticky and made it difficult to maintain control of the car. Minor steering adjustments are near impossible without jerking the car from side to side. This car is extremely unsafe to drive with this condition.
I have a 2004 z4 that I purchased last august used. I rarely drove the car and kept it mainly for leisure until this past july. This july, on the drive from warner robins, ga to hilton head, sc, I noticed the steering would stick and I had to use force to get it back aligned with the road. Since that time each day when I leave work after the car has been parked all day in the heat it does the same thing. Its almost as if the car is tracking. Normally my speed does not exceed 40 MPH. I have had the tires checked, they are new run flat tires, no problem, I have had it aligned and I am still having problems with steering when temperatures exceed 85 degrees. It does not do this in the morning when the temperature is below 80. It is sometimes so hard to steer that it creates a hazard as I have to fight to correct and than it pulls radically to the right to overcorrect. This has at times put me in a very hazardous and dangerous condition with traffic.
I bought this car brand new. It currently has only 39k miles on it right now (2012) so one can easily see that I drive the car only for leisure/pleasure. I live in upstate ny so can only drive the car seasonally. I initially thought the sticking/notching was due to the poor run-flat tires (which always seemed to set off the dashboard sensor that there was not enough air in them and then perhaps an alignment issue. This is my first bmw, so I thought that it might be attributed to being more difficult to control (even at lower speeds like 35-40mph) because it was a performance car. I complained to the dealer but they claimed they had "never heard of such a problem," and it "wasn't happening" for them. So yet another year would pass and the car would be stored for the winter. With such limited time to drive the car, I overlooked the "notching" of the steering.... Until this year when there were no more possible excuses! I replaced all 4 run flat tires with all-season radials, had the car completely aligned, convinced that this would solve my problem. I was very wrong! I was and am shocked that bmw would allow 14+ pages of complaints dating back to 2005 without doing a recall on this matter!! Does a life or lives have to be destroyed due to something catastrophic happening with the steering before bmw takes action? This is the supposed "ultimate driving machine" that I dreamed of having for decades. I'm outraged to learn that the prestigious bmw company does not seem to care much about its customers safety and well being. I would like to be contacted by the federal safety agency as well as bmw and will continue to pursue this matter until I and all of us that are experiencing these problems are given the recall and resolution to the mechanical problem that we deserve.
Ever since I bought my 04 bmw z4 at 42,000 miles the steering I notchy, and sticky took back to dealer and they dont admit there is a problem. Have looked up on internet and it seems to be a common well known problem with the car.
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