I had this car built and am the only owner. Initially, still under warranty, the car needed a new convertible top. After that, for years, I had a 'sticking' when I would steer the car making the car very difficult to control or turn. This deterred me from driving the car as much as I wanted, and certainly from taking it on any distance trips....basically enjoying the car. Initially I thought the car may need new tires or an alignment, but it was diagnosed as the electronic steering column. From reading BMW chats and forums, I found this was a very common problem. I tried to contact BMW directly, but to no avail. I finally had to pay for the repairs myself, costing over $3000. The other problem that has continued is the ABS brake light will illuminate for no apparent reason. I have had my mechanic look at it, but can't seem to find a definitive cause. Often when the car is turned off, and then restarted, the light goes off...but will sometimes, not all the time, come back on again, both at higher speeds and also during city, low speed driving. I baby this car so much, only drive it seasonally, and it seems to spend more time in the shop being repaired or maintained. I think it was a 'lemon' from the onset. BMW was negligent in helping cover some expenses that many others have reported!

- Webster, NY, USA

Power steering is intermittent. Almost never works when first started but after driving for 20-30 minutes, if I turn the car off and back on again, it works and the dash light goes out. I can even do it while driving, shifting to neutral, turn car off and then back on and the power steering comes back on. Very frustrating to drive like this... and dangerous too!

- Harpers Ferry, WV, USA

1)it keeps pulling to the left, or to the right. It requires constant adjustments so that I could keep the car aligned, or centered. 2)I experience sudden jerks to the left, or to the right when the road surface is slightingly uneven. I can never predict which way the car pulls me. I struggle a lot to keep the steering centered when stopping at any red lights. 3) sometimes, the steering feels like it is stuck. After review online, this seems to be a very common problem.

- Titusville, PA, USA

This is a reoccurring problem which I have attempted to address through both local mechanics and BMW with no results. Essentially, while moving at slow speeds or stop and go traffic, the electrical system "shudders", all instrument lights illuminate, the transmission shifts to neutral, and the engine shuts down then restarts. The failure occurs on an irregular basis, affecting primarily the eps light, but may also affect all lights in the instrument cluster. Likewise, it may or may not move my transmission to neutral and if that happens, may or may not allow my to place it back in drive without shutting the vehicle down for several minutes. To date, both the alternator and the ignition switch have been replaced, no results. A brief search of popular BMW forums finds similar descriptions from other owners.

- Riverview, FL, USA

After starting car, eps light comes on and steering is very tight, near impossible to turn or maneuver in parking lots, etc.

- Harpers Ferry, WV, USA

When driving at highway speeds and more so when the temp is warm or steering column has warmed up the steering becomes "sticky", in that it takes an effort to overcome the spot it is in as opposed to smoothly moving/steering left or right. It is uncomfortable to steer with one hand (6 spd manual transmission) as it feels like you are going to over correct the steering when trying to make minor adjustments to maintain driving down the center of your lane. Especially when driving in heavy freeway traffic! I35W minneapolis,

- Solon Springs, WI, USA

Sticking steering when warm while driving

- Carnegie, PA, USA

The vehicle has intermittent loss of power steering which makes it very difficult to drive, steer and control when in motion. I was able to avoid serious accidents by literally crawling along the side of the road with flashers on so other drivers would stay clear. This has happened on more than one occasion.

- Novi, MI, USA

When going straight particularly at highway speeds, but other times as well, the steering is "sticky". the wheel wants to remain in the same position and it requires some extra effort to move left or right.

- Haverhill, MA, USA

I have 2004 BMW Z4 and have been experiencing "sticky" steering. It is especially unnerving when driving on highways. It appears to be a very common problem with this model. It is difficult to drive. I am deathly afraid the stickiness of the steering will cause to to over correct and cause an accident.

- Chippewa Falls, WI, USA

I have a BMW 2004 Z4 with only 21000 miles. I started to developer a steering problem, . while driving the steering becomes difficult and choppy.hard to remain centered on the road and the wheel is unresponsive. I looked online and found many other owners with the same problem. I called corporate BMW. They do not acknowledge a problem exists. On line and on your site it shows hundreds with the same problem. Someone is going to get hurt or die. BMW should own up to the problem and fix it.

- Wexford, PA, USA

Bought this car in May 2016 with 58000 miles. Almost 2 yrs later and less then 5000 more miles, steering is sticky! we bought an extra warranty, so we took it to an authorized BMW mechanic. He told us that the steering column is bad. And since it seems to be a common problem the warranty won't cover it. They want $4000 to repair it. Hundreds of complaints on this problem and BMW won't issue a recall!

- Monroe, WA, USA

Steering sticks while driving. Happens at different speeds. Takes effort to "free up the steering wheel" very annoying and dangerous.

- Masontown, PA, USA

When driving with air temperature above 80 degrees the steering becomes sticky/notchy making it difficult/dangerous to keep the vehicle in the travel lane at any speed.

- Florence, MA, USA

Sticking manly when hot out side but also with the heater on, at hi way speeds it takes more effort to make small corrections needed to keep the car in the lane.

- Pasadena, MD, USA

In the spring of 2018 the power steering started to fail becoming stuck, notchy and quickly terrifying to drive. The lack of response, over correction once engaged, overall jumpiness and unpredictability caused me to stop highway driving immediately. Non highway driving ceased within days for the same reasons and it has been in the shop since waiting for a used steering column to become available for $800 instead of $3500 plus install. I bought the car in 2011 with 110,000 miles and it failed at 130,000. My understanding is the engine should be good for another 100,000 easily. This steering failure appears to be common in this car with many garage kept low mileage cars yet to be impacted.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

Takata recall.....steering notches and locks....unsafe to drive....when car is is in warm weather the steering is very sticky

- Santee, CA, USA

My 2004 BMW Z4 with fewer than 50,000 accummulated miles has been experiencing significant "sticking/dedent" steering problems under highway driving conditions that result in unsafe steering responsiveness. This problem appears to be common to us and european BMW Z4 model years 2003 through 2005 and has been extensively reported on the internet and to BMW itself. BMW technicians have indicated that the problem can render a vehicle "unsafe to drive" and have further indicated that the problem can only be corrected by replacing the electric power steering unit at a cost of several thousand dollars. The prevalence of this identical problem in hundreds, if not thousands of BMW Z4S clearly points to an engineering design flaw. Even so, BMW refuses to take resposibility for this problem and have rejected any assistance to BMW Z4 owners who have sought such assistance. Considering the significant negative impact that this steering control problem may have on safe vehicle operation, the manufacturer should be forced to undertake a recall of all the vehicles affected by this manufacturing defect.

- Sandy Hook, CT, USA

The electric steering is notchy- it seems to fixate in the center and gets hard to steer from the center position. It happens mostly when we are on the open road going over 35 miles per hour. It seems to get stuck in the middle- and you get the feeling that it is stuck there. It is hard to move the steering wheel away from the center which results in over steer and over correction. I have taken it to the sewickley pa BMW dealer and they said there is nothing wrong but it seems to be getting worse. The car only has 60,000 miles on it. It is hard to keep the wheel straight when this happens and I have read online that others have also had this problem.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Electrically assisted steering is very sluggish when the air temperature is above 80 degrees. 2011 and 2012 models have got the same problem and they have a recall for that issue

- Tulare, CA, USA