I got my car serviced at BMW of Tucson in 2022 and they ruined the electrical in my car. Additionally, they might have created another key. I also noticed that my software was downgraded by them and the alarm stopped working correctly.
The worst 2013 BMW Z4 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Brakes2
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Brakes2
- Engine1
- Steering1
- Wheels1
Recalls 3
Electrical system: wiring: connectors/plugs/receptacles
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
- Risk
- An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 24V608000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V‑454.
- Risk
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 14V627000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
- Risk
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1‑800‑525‑7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Recall number 13V454000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2013 BMW Z4
Defect investigations
Loss of power assist braking
In a letter dated September 26, 2013, BMW Group submitted a safety recall notice to the federal safety agency identifying a defect condition in the vacuum pump oil supply that may result in loss of power assist braking in 76,191 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, X1 SAV, X3 SAV, and Z4 vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines (the federal safety agency Recall 13V‑454).According to BMW, movement of the seal disk within the camshaft may result in blocking of the oil supply to the vacuum pump, resulting in improper pump operation and loss of power assist braking.On July 11, 2013, BMW initiated a change to the camshaft geometry that prevented the seal disk from blocking the oil port.BMW has not received any braking complaints related to loss of power assist after the design change was implemented in production.The owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer who will install a locking ring into the camshaft to keep the seal disk in its proper location.BMW expects to begin dealer and owner notification in November 2013 and complete dealer and owner notification in December when the remedy is expected to be available.Based on the actions taken by BMW, this investigation is closed.
PE13030
Technical service bulletins for the 2013 BMW Z4 145
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been...
- The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been...
- While performing a 12-Volt battery jump start, disconnect, or replacement, Vehicle test, and/or...
- While performing a 12-Volt battery jump start, disconnect, or replacement, Vehicle test, and/or...
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few...
- Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may...
- For the above-referenced vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty...
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil...
- With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide...
2013 BMW Z4 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | RWD | 22 | 32-33 | 26 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | RWD | 17-19 | 23-26 | 19-21 |
What 2013 BMW Z4 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System ); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. No further information was available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirm parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW Z4. The contact stated that upon the start of the vehicle, the vehicle failed to reverse without warning upon depression of the accelerator pedal while in the reverse(R) position. The contact stated that the vehicle resumed normal operation upon restart of the engine. A few days later while the contact's husband was driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle continued to accelerate upon depression of the brake pedal. The brake pedal was depressed multiple times but to no avail, as a result, the contact's husband crashed into another vehicle. The air bags did not upon impact and no injuries were reported. A police report was not filed. Despite the failure, the vehicle was able driven to the contact's home but was later towed to a dealer. The contact was informed by the dealer that the manufacturer would be sending an investigator to inspect the vehicle. The manufacturer later informed the contact that no fault codes were found on the vehicle; the contact disputed the investigator's finding. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 52,954
Water leaked into floor from air conditioning evaporations pan.
S10 appropriate handling - copy of an email to bmw regarding cracks in the wheel. *ld the consumer requested to be reimbursed for expenses incurred and new set of wheels.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 bmw z4. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator and "passenger side seat belt not on" indicator illuminated. When the passenger exited the vehicle, the indicators dimmed. The contact also stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated two other times. The dealer diagnosed that the map sensor needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Just purchased a used bmw z4 and realize that the steering is sticky. In researching this problem found that this had been a a safety issue that resulted in a recall. My car was manufactured in 2012 when there was a safety recall on a steering issue. While my car is a 2013 it was manufactured as noted during the time of the steering recall. It appears that my problem may not be just a coincident. The sticky steering occurs whenever the speed is above 30 MPH and feels as if the steering is trying to stay in a direction contrary to the direction in which I'm trying to steer.
Compare the 2013 BMW Z4
Other model years
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Questions about the 2013 BMW Z4
Is the 2013 BMW Z4 reliable?
Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 2013 BMW Z4, close to a typical Z4 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 BMW Z4?
Electrical system, with 3 complaints. Next is airbags (2).
How many recalls does the 2013 BMW Z4 have?
3 recalls, covering electrical system and service brakes, hydraulic.
Was there a recall on the 2013 BMW Z4 electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 24V608000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the BMW Z4 have the most electrical problems?
The BMW Z4 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2004 (14 complaints), 2003 (13 complaints) and 2006 (13 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2013 BMW Z4 get?
Official estimates for the 2013 BMW Z4 range from 19 to 26 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 22 city and 32-33 highway.
VIN decoder
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