2007 BMW Z4 problems

“CASE NUMBER [XXX] FROM FARS 2012 DATABASE. CAR RAN OFF RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY WHILE NEGOTIATING CURVE IN ROAD AND HIT A TREE. SOLE-OCCUPANT DRIVER PERISHED IN SUBSEQUENT FIRE. SIX MONTHS BEFORE ACCIDENT, VICTIM REPORTED THAT CAR "OCCASIONALLY POPS AND/OR SQUEAKS WHEN CORNERING" IN REQUEST FOR SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH STEVENS CREEK BMW. PLS NOTE THAT LAT/LONG IN FARS CONTRADICTS REPORT THAT ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON CENTRAL EXPWY EASTBOUND IMMEDIATELY EAST OF BERNARDO AVE. *TT *TT”

“The contact owns a 2007 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”

“'AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED ACCORDING TO CARFAX HISTORY. I WAS COMMUTING HOME, WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT, WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD POP. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD FALLEN ON TO MY CAR BECAUSE THE DASH DID NOT EXPLODE. REVERALING THE AIRBAG. I STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NOTICED THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I WASN'T ABLE TO START THE CAR GIVEN THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL DISENGAGED. I AM LUCKY THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, OR EVEN DEPLOY WHILE I WAS DRIVING.”

“WHILE IN MOTION THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS PERIODICALLY ON HIGHWAY AND IN CITY. WHILE IN MOTION AT LOW SPEED AND WHEN STATIONARY AFTER DRIVING ONLY A FEW MILES THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. WHILE IN MOTION AT HIGH SPEED THE VEHICLE ENGINE STUTTERS BADLY BUT DOES NOT TURN OFF. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS TO BE TUNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, AND THEN THE ENGINE TURNS OVER AND I'M ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT. BOTH VALVE COVER GASKETS LEAK OIL ONTO THE ENGINE. THE WORST WAS FRONT OF THE ENGINE WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE: SEATBELTS DON'T RETRACT AUTOMATICALLY AND ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, GET CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. BOTH E-KEYS HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND NOT ABLE TO BE REPROGRAMMED FOR EN. THE HORN DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES. THE CIG LIGHTER AND SEAT WARMERS ARE WORKING FINE. THE THERMOSTAT WARNING COMES ON BUT IN GAUGE IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGN OF TROUBLE. BOTH THE HEAT AND THE AC WORK FINE WHILE IN MOTION AND STATIONARY.”

“LOW BATTERY SITUATION OVER THE WINTER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO "TRANSPORT MODE" WHERE THE AC, DEFROSTER, AND FAN SPEED WILL NOT WORK. THIS CREATES A HAZARDOUS VISIBILITY SITUATION DUE TO THE DEFROSTER NOT WORKING. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE TRANSPORT MODE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DISABLED WHEN THE CAR IS DELIVERED TO THE US BUT SOME DEALERS MISTAKENLY TURN IT OFF RATHER THAN DISABLE IT. TO DISABLE IT YOU MUST RETURN IT TO THE DEALER AND PAY FOR A HIGH SERVICE VISIT FOR A FEW MOMENTS OF PROGRAMMING. *TR”

“DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT QUIT WORKING WHEN IGNITION WAS TURNED ON. HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING FINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. BLOWN LIGHT INDICATOR ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER APPEARED. WHEN CHANGING OUT THE LIGHT I DISCOVERED ALL THE WIRES INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ENCLOSURE WERE DAMAGED DUE TO HEAT. ALL OF THE WIRES INSULATION WAS DRY ROTTED , SECTIONS OF THE INSULATION BROKEN OFF OF THE WIRES AND SHORTED OUT TOGETHER. I HAVE MANY YEARS OF VEHICLE WIRING TROUBLESHOOTING AND DESIGN. THE WIRES IN THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE JACKET RATING FOR THE HEADLIGHT LOCATION WHERE THEY WERE INSTALLED BY BMW. I BELIEVE THE HEAT FROM THE HEADLIGHTS DRIED OUT AND MADE THE WIRE JACKET BRITTLE. AFTER INVESTIGATION OF THE LEFT HEADLIGHT HOUSING BOTH HEADLIGHTS REQUIRE THE INTERNAL HARNESS OF EACH HEADLIGHT TO BE REPLACED DUE TO HEAT AND DRY ROT. THE SHORTING OF THE WIRES ONLY BLEW MY HEADLIGHT BULB AND NOT THE FUSE IN THE SYSTEM. THIS COULD BE THE REASON FOR THE OTHER PERSONS COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR HEADLIGHTS TURNING ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. IF LEFT UNCHECKED THIS COULD CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS IN THE CARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND BE DANGEROUS IF THE LIGHTS SHORTED OUT DURING A NIGHT DRIVE.”