2004 BMW Z4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Z4 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 411 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW Z4. That ranks 2nd out of 21 Z4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (378 complaints, 92%), typically at around 46,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 fires. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 411owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 BMW Z4 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 378 | 92% | 46,000 | “steering column” (21%) | $5,050 |
| Air Bags | 18 | 4% | 57,425 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 3% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 1% | 60,022 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | 135,850 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 0% | 40,395 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 10,700 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | 10,700 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 0% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 BMW Z4 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, under certain environmental conditions, a vapor lock in the fuel pump could occur causing the engine to stall. If this were to happen, the engine would not be able to be restarted for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Risk: If stalling were to occur, the driver would be unable to maintain vehicle speed or accelerate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a resistor in the electrical line powering the fuel pump in order to prevent an occurrence of vapor lock. The recall began may 11, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Sticky Steering (PE10020) — opened Jun 28, 2010, closed Jun 28, 2011.
- Bmw airbag light illumination (EA08001) — opened Jan 4, 2008, closed Dec 31, 2008, led to recall 08V384000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Twice this month, while operating the vehicle, the power steering completely stopped functioning, causing the vehicle to be almost uncontrollable. No prior warning light. When I purchased the vehicle in 2018, the same problem occurred and the dealer replaced the steering column under warranty. In…
Power steering wheel went out of power during a trip at about 70mph. Yellow light at the dashboard went ON then so, car became imposible to drive or so.
Power steering stopped working.
The electric steering gets sticky when very often. It feels locked in its position and requires extra force to unstick, once its past the sticking point it over corrects and causes the vehicle to swerve. This failure seems to be quite common and is well known. It seems to be a manufacturing defect…
When driving the steering is loose or sticky. The problem gets worse when the weather is warm. Sometimes itâs hard to keep the car driving in a straight path. This is scary and dangerous. His occurs whenever the car is driven. Other z4 drivers are having the same problem.
Other BMW Z4 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Z4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 Z4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 Z4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2021 Z4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2020 Z4 | 5 | 6 |
| 2019 Z4 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 Z4 | 4 | 1 |
| 2015 Z4 | 5 | 1 |
| 2014 Z4 | 7 | 3 |
| 2013 Z4 | 7 | 3 |
| 2012 Z4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2011 Z4 | 46 | 6 |
| 2010 Z4 | 10 | 5 |
| 2009 Z4 | 22 | 4 |
| 2008 Z4 | 19 | 2 |
| 2007 Z4 | 33 | 2 |
| 2006 Z4 | 91 | 2 |
| 2005 Z4 | 191 | 0 |
| 2004 | 411 | 1 |
| 2003 Z4 | 414 | 4 |
| 2002 Z4 | 4 | 0 |
See all BMW Z4 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW Z4?
Owners most often report steering, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 378 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 BMW Z4?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 BMW Z4 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Z4 model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.