2008 BMW Z4 Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS FLASHING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2008 BMW Z4. AFTER A WEEK OF OWNERSHIP THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. FAULT CODE POINTS TO THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR OC3. BMW ISSUED A 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY TO MANY BMW MODELS INCLUDING THE 2006 AND 2007 Z4 WITH COMFORT SEATS, BUT NOT TO THE 2008 MODEL. THIS REPAIR COSTS UPWARDS OF $1500 AND IS SAFETY RELATED. BMW NEEDS TO STEP UP AND COVER ALL AFFECTED MODELS!

VERY ERRATIC STEERING. CROSSING THE CROWN OF A ROAD WILL PULL ONE WAY AND THEN QUICKLY PULL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. ALSO SAME EFFECT WITH TRYING TO STAY IN LANES WITH ANY COMMON DEVIATION. THIS IS WORST AT HWY SPEEDS BUT DOES OCCUR AT LOWER SPEEDS AS WELL.

JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 Z4. CANNOT DRIVE STRAIGHT LINE, CAR GOES ALL OVER THE ROAD. STEERING HAS "STICK-SLIP" EFFECT. CAR WANDERS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND LEFT TO RIGHT. GOT RUBBER ELEMENTS IN FRONT AXLE REPLACED, 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, ..., NO CHANGE. APPEARS TO BE A POWER STEERING ISSUE. *TR

The contact owns a 2008 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet 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 confirms parts not available.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE RECALL PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT

WHILE TURNING ON A CONSTANT RADIUS CLOVER-LEAF ON-RAMP (RIGHT OR LEFT), A SUDDEN CHANGE IN STEERING ANGLE WAS REQUIRED TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE. AS THE ELECTRICALLY-ASSISTED STEERING WAS QUICKLY ADJUSTED, A FLAT SPOT (OR A HEAVY SPOT OR A DELAY IN BOOST) IN THE STEERING WHEEL/FEEL WAS ENCOUNTERED. IN OTHER WORDS, MORE FORCE WAS REQUIRED THAN EXPECTED TO QUICKLY CHANGE THE STEERING ANGLE. IF THIS IS NORMAL, IT COULD INTERFERE WITH EMERGENCY MANEUVERS TO AVOID OBSTACLES. PERSONALLY, I FIND IT TO BE UNSAFE AS THE STEERING FEEL IS UNPREDICTABLE. THIS UNPREDICTABLE STEERING FEEL OCCURS ANYTIME I NEED TO MAKE AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN STEERING ANGLE. *TR

AFTER STARTING UP THE CAR (BUT DURING IGNITION, THE KEY SLIPPED IN MY FINGERS CAUSING A MISSED START, I THEREFORE HAD TO TURN THE KEY AGAIN TO GET ENGINE TO TURN OVER.) AND DRIVING FROM MY DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE STEERING ASSIST WHICH CAUSED EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STEERING/CORNERING. I PULLED OVER, THINKING IT HAD TO DO WITH THE MISSED START, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED IT; STILL NO POWER ASSIST. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO A COMPUTER RESET WHICH RESTORED POWER ASSIST, BUT TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT SAY IF OR WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. I COULD OPT FOR COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $3500! I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AND MAYBE PUT 400 MILES ON IT? THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS A THING TO LET GO, I DON'T THINK THIS IS SAFE. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

IDLING IN GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AT A DRIVE THRU. CAR SUDDENLY TRIED TO ACCELERATE. PUT CAR IN PARK AND ENGINE CONTINUED TO INCREASE TO MAX RPMS. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AT THE IGNITION. RESTARTED ENGINE AND IDLED NORMALLY.

RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2008 BMW Z4. AFTER A WEEK OF OWNERSHIP THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. FAULT CODE POINTS TO THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR OC3. BMW ISSUED A 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY TO MANY BMW MODELS INCLUDING THE 2006 AND 2007 Z4 WITH COMFORT SEATS, BUT NOT TO THE 2008 MODEL. THIS REPAIR COSTS UPWARDS OF $1500 AND IS SAFETY RELATED. BMW NEEDS TO STEP UP AND COVER ALL AFFECTED MODELS!

ALL FOUR RIMS ARE BENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF-ROAD, NOR HAS THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED MAJOR POTHOLES. A LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR THIS OCCURRENCE IS SHODDY MANUFACTURING. BENT RIMS POTENTIALLY CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

This complaint is regarding a large number of 2008 BMW cars exhibiting the ABS failure light. Mine is a Z4 with @ 65K miles and was diagnosed by a certified mechanic as the ABS module failure - a high ($3000-$4000) cost repair. If you use this search term - "how common is bmw 2008 ABS module failure?", you will see that a multitude of cars from 2008 (and in other years and models using the same module) are affected by and exhibit this dangerous issue. What has to happen for BMW to be forced to repairing this chronic, safety-compromising, and widespread issue? This is not something that happens to other cars as a result of age. This is a design flaw that directly affects safety. Now I would like to sell the car, but I can't afford to fix it and, in good conscience, I cannot sell it if it is dangerous.