THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ON THE CAR IS DANGEROUS. THE STEERING IS ERRATIC AND VERY TWITCHY. THE PROBLEM IS NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS BUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS OUT STIFF, LIKE AN OLD CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING, BUT THEN THE ELECTRIC MOTOR SUDDENLY PROVIDES TOO MUCH POWER ASSISTANCE. THE ELECTRIC ASSIST RESULTS IN A SHARPER TURN THAN YO…
2005 bmw Z4 steering problems
moderate 172 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
172
Recalls
0
Crashes
1
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 17 most recent
THIS BMW Z4 HAS 26,000 MILES AND HAS FAULTY STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BIND UP. THIS LEADS TO FORCING THE WHEEL TO OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE. THE RESULT IS AN OVER CORRECTION CAUSING ERRATIC STEERING. THIS CONDITION IS TEMPERATURE RELATED AND IS MADE WORSE WHEN HOT. IT IS PRESENT AT ALL TIMES...WHILE TURNING OR DRIVING OR STRAIGHT AHEAD. ANY LOSS OF STEERING IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF IMPORTANCE. …
INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF POWER STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS (ABOVE 75 DEG F). STEERING BECOMES SLUGGISH AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE MAY OCCUR. SEVERE OVER/UNDER STEER OF VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS HAVE OCCURRED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 BMW 3.0 W/AUTO TRANSMISSION. MY CAR HAS HAD TWO RECURRING ISSUES FROM TIME TO TIME STARTING WITH THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LIGHT ENGAGING WITH THE POWER STEERING GOING DEAD AT IDLE OR AT CORNERS. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT MY CAR HAS STALLED WITH THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN THRICE ON I-95 AND ON LOCAL ROADS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION TWICE WITH MY GIRLFRIEND SWEAR…
While driving the vehicle will loose all power steering, and becomes very difficult to steer, warning lamp comes on with a steering wheel and a exclamation point. Has been diagnosed as needing a steering wheel column assembly.
VEHICLE WOULD RUN FINE IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE DAY HEATED UP. AT NOON, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD STICK AND MORE FORCE THAN USUAL HAD TO BE APPLIED WITH BOTH HANDS TO OPERATE THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, THERE ARE TIMES THE CAR WILL JERK LEFT OR RIGHT UPON BREAKING. IF THE ROAD IS SLIGHTLY UNEVEN, YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN CASE THE CAR JERKS IN ANY DIRECTION. I HAVE TRIED UPGRADING THE VEHICLES SUSP…
STEERING STICKS WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICED THIS SEVERAL TIMES. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED ON 11/2/11, IT HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. ON DRIVING HOME FROM PURCHASE, NOTICED THAT THE STEERING STICKS WHILE TURNING AT TIMES. INITIALLY THOUGHT THIS MIGHT JUST BE TRIM PARTS RUBBING ON EACH OTHER, BUT IT TAKES SOME SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO GET THE WHEEL TO TURN WHEN IT IS IN A STUCK POSITION. WHEN T…
ORIGINAL OWNER NEW 2005 Z4 BMW 18475 MILES STEERING STICKS WHILE DRIVING FEELS LIKE IT MAY NOT COME BACK WHEN YOU TURN WHEEL KIND OF LIKE FLAT SPOT ON COLUMN HARD TO EXPLAIN. *TR
I HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY 2005 BMW Z4 3I, PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED CAR FROM A BMW DEALER. IT HAD ABOUT 11K MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM DESCRIBED BELOW. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENT WITH IT, BUT THIS IS A COMPLAINT THAT THERE MAY ME A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OF THE CAR. 1)IT KEEPS PULLING TO THE LEFT, OR TO THE RIG…
STEERING COLUMN EXPERIENCE SUDDEN JERKS TO THE LEFT, OR TO THE RIGHT RANDOMLY MAKING THE CAR REALLY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY. IT'S WORSE WHEN DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. ALL TIRES PSI ARE NORMAL AND TIRES JUST BRAND NEW. CAR WAS ALIGNED TO DISCARD EVERYTHING. EVEN WITH MANY SIMILAR ISSUES FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS BMW IS NOT ACCEPTING THIS FAILURE AS ONE TO RECALL. BUT WHEN I GETS INTO THE DEALERSHIPS THEY …
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2005 bmw Z4?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 172 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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