Possible Z4 vehicle recall - Steering
- Thread starter bmwangler
- Start date
If anyone wants to experience what the Sticky Steering syndrome is like, just stick your heater on hot into the footwells and drive around for an hour - chances are it'll happen.
Not just a loss of assistance, but feeling like someone's fighting against you steering where you want to go!
You guys with the real problem will know what I mean
Not just a loss of assistance, but feeling like someone's fighting against you steering where you want to go!
You guys with the real problem will know what I mean
The only thing I have noticed with my steering after 6k miles is i was slowing down/shifting onto an on ramp when i had a bad shudder in my steering column.
I checked it out myself, couldnt find anything. I had it up on the rack geting an oil change, and they couldnt find anything. Maybe it was a fluke, but it was something.
I checked it out myself, couldnt find anything. I had it up on the rack geting an oil change, and they couldnt find anything. Maybe it was a fluke, but it was something.
I've had zero problems with steering going from over 130 degrees F down to 20 degrees F, but as others have said, If I can get a new steering rack out of this on an Old 03 car then hell yeah! 8) 
Of course the mechanic in me is a strong believer in "If it ain't broke don't fix it" I've been really blessed with my 03 model car....part of the reason why I'm so scared to start modding anything.
Of course the mechanic in me is a strong believer in "If it ain't broke don't fix it" I've been really blessed with my 03 model car....part of the reason why I'm so scared to start modding anything.
AlanJ said:
my E28 1987 535is had a broken spring after 200,000 + miles now that I call a great car never will sell it
koolchris99
Active member
will the recall (if i happens) be worldwide?
Aebous said:
Can't agree, I'm afraid. As cars get older and parts begin to wear then some generic faults may come to light.
I feel sure that if enough of these older cars prove to have steering (i.e. safety) issues then we'll see a recall at some point.....
.........and bear in mind the longer BMW can leave it potentially there will be less of them around to fix :wink:
BobZ4 said:
VOSA's primary role in the vehilce recall scheme is administering the database which records recalls. By their own admission 85% of recalls are initiated by manufacturers. I seriously doubt that they would force a recall for this issue as it is not an immediate threat to road safety in our climate.
bmwangler said:
The largest percentage of vehicle recalls (32.9%) occur within 12 months of manufacture. The figures for vehicles over 5 years old amount to 0.9% of total recalls.
Both my statements above can be verified at the following link:
http://www.cbr.cam.ac.uk/pdf/wp295.pdf
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but It seems that the chance of a UK recall for sticky steering is incredibly slim.
might be worth nothing but i will say it anyway, i remember the days of the Audi TT dashpod issue, a £700-800 replacement that people were paying until watchdog became involved and then the dealers were refunding those who paid out, and changing them for free.
just an idea.
just an idea.
Does anyone know if the steering controls for sport/non-sport are stored in the main ECU, or in a separate one in the steering column?
I've often wondered if it would be possible to make the sport button just turn off any assistance at all, since it doesn't feel massively important at speed anyway (if you turn the ignition off and coast along you can happily steer around)
Hmmm
Is the problem the unit just overheating then, and trimming back assistance to cool itself down, generating non-linear levels of assistance (and it thus feeling a bit weird?)
Dave
I've often wondered if it would be possible to make the sport button just turn off any assistance at all, since it doesn't feel massively important at speed anyway (if you turn the ignition off and coast along you can happily steer around)
Hmmm
Is the problem the unit just overheating then, and trimming back assistance to cool itself down, generating non-linear levels of assistance (and it thus feeling a bit weird?)
Dave
Dave,
Yes, the problem IS overheating, but manifests itself as being very stiff to start turning then operating pretty much normally once you get it to move. It affects the ability of the steering to self-centre, too.
In practice, paradoxically, when negotiating lots of windy bends you are constantly turning the wheel and you can just about put-up with it, but along long straights - motorways for example - minor corrections are almost impossible to do, so you end-up over-correcting one way, then the other.
As I've described before, it almost feels as if there's someone fighting against you steering the car - horrible! :thumbsdown:
Yes, the problem IS overheating, but manifests itself as being very stiff to start turning then operating pretty much normally once you get it to move. It affects the ability of the steering to self-centre, too.
In practice, paradoxically, when negotiating lots of windy bends you are constantly turning the wheel and you can just about put-up with it, but along long straights - motorways for example - minor corrections are almost impossible to do, so you end-up over-correcting one way, then the other.
As I've described before, it almost feels as if there's someone fighting against you steering the car - horrible! :thumbsdown:
I have just seen this on Google news, Mazda who received 33 complaints are going to recall their Mazda 3 and 5 cars dated 2007 - 2009. The results of the Z4 investigation are still out at the moment, the article says that a rust build up in the steering motor car cause the steering to shutdown to prevet overheating. The article doesn't say if it is only the US or if it is worldwide.
Check it out:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-17/mazda-recalls-two-models-to-fix-power-steering-defect.html
Check it out:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-17/mazda-recalls-two-models-to-fix-power-steering-defect.html
