repaired · 2024 Q2
Emission control: crankcase (pcv)
Risk. 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.
2006 BMW Z4Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 91 owner complaints about the 2006 BMW Z4, most often about the steering. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-119 the manufacturer reports only 27% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 20, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 BMW Z4 has problems
91 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
55Steering1 crash/fire/injury
14Air bags
13Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
5Engine
4Engine and engine cooling
4Exterior lighting
3Seats
2Vehicle speed control
1Structure
44 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 55 | 1 |
| Air bags | 14 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 2 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 |
| 4 other systems | 4 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2006 BMW Z4 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Emission control: crankcase (pcv)
Risk. 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.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
52kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 48 steering complaints. 94% were reported before 100,000 miles.
7under 30k miles45under 100k miles3100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other Z4 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Z4 median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'19'20'21'22'23'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 BMW Z4 safety ratings
2006 BMW Z4 Roadster w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 BMW Z4, and the recalls they led to.
- BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATIONLed to recall 08V-384
In owners' words
What Z4 owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The electronic steering has failed several times while driving. This makes it very difficult to maintain a lane and avoid other vehicles. This problem continues intermittently. Thousands of Z4 owners have reported the same issue in online forums.
In hot weather, the steering binds, making keeping the car in the correct lane extremely difficult. The car will dart from one side to the other. The car will be nearly impossible to keep in the correct lane.
When the car gets hot (parked in the sun) the steering becomes knotchy or sticky and the car becomes difficult to control. No problems whatsoever when the car is cool or on a cooler day. This problem has been witnessed by a BMW technician and there are no warning lights. This appears to be a fairly…
Own a 2006 Z4?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.