2004 BMW Z4 Airbags Problems

THEY DO NOT WORK

NHTSA ID

11343502

Incident

Sep 15, 2019

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT HAS A DEFECTIVE SENSOR. IT INDICATES THAT A CHILD'S WEIGHT IS IN THE SEAT AND THEREFORE WILL NOT PERMIT THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. THE FAULT CODE CAN BE RESET, THE LIGHT GOES OUT; STAYS OUT FOR WEEKS AND LIGHTS UP AT RANDOM AGAIN! CLEARING THE FAULT CODE IS BURDENSOME AND DISABLING THE AIR BAG INAPPROPRIATELY IS A SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11170587

Incident

Jan 11, 2018

Mileage

68,257 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE ULTIMATE AUTOWERKS DEALER (LOCATED AT 2538 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29414; 843-406-8955) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SEAT MAT SENSOR/ PASSENGER SEAT DETECTION MAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ID

11020554

Incident

Aug 9, 2017

Mileage

52,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. AFTER THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPENED, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT A DIAGNOSIS WAS NOT DISCLOSED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000. UPDATED 03/07/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10946500

Incident

Jan 10, 2017

Mileage

69,000 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG MODULE SEEMS TO BE DEFECTED.

NHTSA ID

10861019

Incident

Feb 5, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND SEATED IN THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10836990

Incident

Aug 15, 2015

AFTER CRANKING MY 2004 Z4 IN THE DRIVE WAY, MY WIFE IN THE CAR WITH ME AT THE TIME, THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. HAD JUST PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE TO BACK IT UP AND THEN "POW" SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT GOING OFF. I LOOKED OVER TO SEE MY WIFE PANICKED AS SHE WAS STUNNED THAT THIS WENT OFF RIGHT IN HER FACE. IT SCUFFED HER ARM A BIT AND GOT THE POWDER RESIDUE IN HER FACE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN VERY LITTLE, ONLY ABOUT 6000 MILES A YEAR ROUGHLY. THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. THE CAR HAD NOT EVEN MOVED IT WAS JUST PUT INTO REVERSE AND THEN IT UNEXPECTANTLY EXPLODED. I HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN THE CAR IN TO CHECK ON A RECALL THEY HAD ON SOME VEHICLES FOR THE AIRBAG MAT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE, WAS TOLD THAT MY MODEL WAS NOT EFFECTED. I THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A LIE, AND IF WAS NOT A LIE THEN IT CLEARLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10777939

Incident

Sep 27, 2015

Mileage

57,425 mi

TAKATA AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AND MAKES A TICKING NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10653432

Incident

Apr 28, 2014

Mileage

63,000 mi

PASSENGER AIR BAG EXPLODED AND BUSTED WIND SHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652492

Incident

Oct 31, 2014

Mileage

18,835 mi

MY PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG LITERALLY "EXPLODED" AS I WAS WALKING UP TO MY CAR THIS MORNING. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS UNTIL I UNLOCKED MY CAR AND OPENED THE DOOR. THE AIRBAG WAS EXPOSED AND THERE WAS "SMOKE" IN THE CAR. IT APPEARS WHAT HAPPENED IS THE EXACT REASON GIVEN FOR RECALLING THE 3 SERIES VEHICLES DUE TO THE TAKATA AIRBAG PROBLEM, THE REASON GIVEN ARE INCIDENTS SUCH AS THIS OCCUR IN FLORIDA AND PUERTO RICO DUE TO THE HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY. SEE USA TODAY ARTICLE: HTTP://WWW.USATODAY.COM/STORY/MONEY/CARS/2014/07/16/BMW-TAKATA-SHRAPNEL-NHTSA-RECALL/12729929/ !....UPDATED 07/31/14 *BF

NHTSA ID

10615403

Incident

Jul 22, 2014

Mileage

97,684 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 09/02/14*LJ UPDATED 09/17/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10611241

Incident

Jul 5, 2011

Mileage

70,000 mi

PASSENGER'S AIRBAG INDICATION LIGHT IS MALFUNCTIONED. THE INDICATION LIGHT OF PASSENGER'S AIRBAG SHOWS ALWAYS OFF. THEREFORE IT CAN'T TELL THE AIRBAG IS ON OR OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575069

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

47,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITH AN ILLUMINATION OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MALFUNCTION WAS CONTRIBUTED TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10524065

Incident

May 20, 2013

Mileage

67,000 mi

AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. 9/27/2012 APPROX. 6:20PM HAD ONE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED, NO STRIKING CURB, NO POTHOLE...NOTHING UNTOWARD. BMW DEALER NOW HAS VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF MALFUNCTION. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING CAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION AND TO PASS ALONG HIS FINDINGS TO THE APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS AT BMW. HAD ONE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS MALFUNCTIONED AND DEPLOYED WHILE THIS VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN CATASTROPHIC! *TR

NHTSA ID

10477419

Incident

Sep 27, 2012

Mileage

38,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10454143

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK TODAY MY CAR EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING ISSUE WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD "FREEZE" OR "STICK" IN ONE PLACE. I HAD TO EXERT A LOT OF FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE BUT WHEN IT "BROKE FREE" IT TURNED A LOT WITH THE HELP OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP BECAUSE I WAS PUTTING SO MUCH FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET IT TO MOVE. I HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING THE CAR IN MY LANE. THE POWER STEERING WAS DOING THIS THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME OF 20 MILES. THE CAR WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED SINCE IT IS A HAZARD. IF THE POWER STEERING WAS JUST NOT WORKING AT ALL, IT WOULD BE OKAY BECAUSE THEN AT LEAST THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO MOVE ALL OF THE TIME SO I COULD CONTROL HOW MUCH I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ACCURATELY. SINCE THE POWER STEERING WORKS "INTERMITTENTLY" BUT ONLY AFTER I APPLY A LOT OF FORCE ON THE WHEEL TO GET THE WHEEL TO BREAK FREE, THE CAR VEERS VIOLENTLY WHEN THE POWER STEERING ACTUALLY DOES WORK. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON PER THE WEBSITE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS FAILURE IS REPORTED TO THE NHTSA ON CARS RANGING FROM 15,000 MILES UP TO OVER 100,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM FROM WHAT I WAS READING, IS MORE EVIDENT IN COLD OR HOT TEMPERATURES. IT WAS 102F OUTSIDE TODAY IN PHOENIX ON MY DRIVE HOME. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR WAS FLASHING ON AND OFF WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER. THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT TURNED ON AFTER THIS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL INFLATE IF THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR OR NOT. BMW STATES MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL ACCORDING TO THE VIN BUT THE CAR FITS THE MODEL, MAKE, AND YEAR OF THE PRESENT RECALL. HOW CAN MY CAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL DESCRIBES, BE THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR, BUT NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

NHTSA ID

10426364

Incident

Sep 19, 2011

Mileage

91,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE CONSTANT FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SEAT MAT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

10424703

Incident

Sep 8, 2011

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE "AIR BAG" WARNING WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE PASSENGER SEAT AND AIR BAG SENSOR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,400. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10303810

Incident

Jan 18, 2010

Mileage

41,400 mi