2008 Bmw Z4: complaints, problems and recalls

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

Owner-reported narrative. 35,129 miles reported. Look up ODI 10424631 at NHTSA ↗

STEERING FAILURE WITH DTC FAILURE AND BRAKE YELLOW WARNING LIGHTS. MUST FIGHT WITH CAR TO DRIVE STRAIGHT WANTS TO VEER TO THE LEFT WITH SHAKY STEERING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 52,010 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467893 at NHTSA ↗

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,899 miles reported. Look up ODI 10525558 at NHTSA ↗

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. T…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10643740 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662646 at NHTSA ↗

LIGHT INDICATING PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS DISABLED BEGAN COMING ON WHILE PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF NOTICING THIS, PASSENGER AIRBAG ALWAYS INDICATES OFF. MANY 08 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG MAT FAILURES, BUT NOT THE Z4 (TOO FEW CARS MADE?) I CALLED BMW-USA AND A CASE AGENT CALLED ME BACK. BMW WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10822054 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 89,858 miles reported. Look up ODI 10838080 at NHTSA ↗

TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG LIGHT ON AT ALL TIMES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. A SCAN OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION SENSOR. RESETTING THE LIGHT WITH THE SCAN TOOLS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THE LIGHT GOES BACK ON IMMEDIATELY AND STAYS ON WHETHER THERE IS A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE VEHICLE OR NOT. IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR MOVING. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED ON MAY 7TH 2016 AND THE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10884703 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2017-10-30 (October 30, 2017)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Consequence: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Reported: 2022-03-02 (March 2, 2022)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Consequence: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.

Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.