Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 BMW Z4, most frequently naming the steering, driver assistance and other / unspecified categories. 23 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2010 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 2013 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2014 | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 2017 | 1 | 4 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW Z4. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY LOST POWER ASSISTED ABILITY. STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT, BACK TO THE OLD MANUAL DAYS.. NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK WHY..BUT VEHICLE ALWAYS HAD A DETENT QUIRK SINCE 2003..JUST THOUGHT IT TYPICAL FOR HOW A SPORTS CAR WAS DESIGNED. AFTER CHECKING OTHERS SIMILAR PROBLEMS I GUESS I'VE BEEN MISLED INTO BELIEVING THAT WAS TYPICAL AFTER ALL THIS TIME.TAKING IT TO THE DEALER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO SERVICE PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS DETENT THING GET IT CHECKED OUT BEFORE A BAD SITUATION REALLY HAPPENS. *TR
BUT BOUGHT WITH LESS THAN 12,500 MILES, THEY FOUND TURNED UNSTABLE SITUATION, HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND WHAT THE REASON, AT TIMES ALMOST A MAJOR ACCIDENT WHEN DRIVING, THE TIRE DOES NOT FEEL STICKY, BUT ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE PLACE (LIKE A DRUNK DRIVER), THE STEERING FEELS VERY LOOSE, NOT TOO SENSITIVE. IF I DO ANYTHING MORE THAN A SLIGHT ROTATION, DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM HAS BEEN STARTED, IF THE CURVE WENT TO THE RIGHT, I HAD TO "JERK" TO GO STRAIGHT TO RECTIFY THE SAME, IF IT WENT. WHEN A STRAIGHT ROAD, IT WILL FEEL VERY STICKY, MOVING WHEELS. THIS IS VERY SCARY, BECAUSE IT CAN NOT BE DIVERTED AT ANY TIME, I WILL LEAVE THE ROAD AND DOWN MILES OF CANYON CREEK. THIS SITUATION WILL NOT OCCUR AT LOW SPEEDS. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 BMW Z4 STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSTABLE. FOR EXAMPLE: 1) TO MAINTAIN PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. IT REQUIRES CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT, SO THAT I CAN KEEP THE CAR ALIGNED OR CENTER. 2) I MET A SUDDEN TWITCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN THE ROAD CONTEMPT IMBALANCES. I CAN NEVER PREDICT THE ROAD THE CAR PULLED ME. I STRUGGLED FOR MANY CENTERS TO STOP AT ANY RED LIGHTS KEEP TURNING. 3) SOMETIMES, THE STEERING FEELS LIKE BEING STUCK. 4) I BELIEVE THAT IF ELDERLY PEOPLE TRYING TO DRIVE THIS CAR, SUCH A PROBLEM, THERE WILL BE A CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE. THIS IS MAINLY BECAUSE THE DRIVER MUST BE A LOT OF ATTENTION TO KEEP THE CAR CENTERED FACT. OTHERWISE, ANY SECOND, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF SOMEWHERE OFF THE ROAD, OR UNDER A TRUCK. 5) I'VE BEEN READING ON THE INTERNET, MANY Z4 OWNERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR PROBLEMS, I DO. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO HANDLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ELECTRONIC SENSOR FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,419.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
AIR BAGS
BMW SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP (AWL) IS ILLUMINATED, TOGETHER WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG STATUS LAMP (POL). THE PROBLEM MAY BE INTERMITTENT. MICROCRACKS IN THE OC3 SEAT MAT. *PE UPDATED 9/30/11. *PE
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
BMW: A GRINDING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL DURING SLOW CORNERING. WHEN TURNING A SLIP/STICK EFFECT IS CREATED ON THE LINING AND STEEL DISCS INCORPORATED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL CLUTCH CAUSES A GRINDING NOISE. *RM
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.