NHTSA vehicle safety data

2016 BMW Z4 Recalls & Complaints

The 2016 BMW Z4 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2016 BMW Z4. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2016 BMW Z4 owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW Z4, describing incidents dated September 20, 2016 to October 1, 2024.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Seat Belts 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 4 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11643614 · Filed February 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for…
ODI #11610174 · Filed August 22, 2024
The air conditioning system has a very very foul musty smell when you first start the vehicle after sitting for a few hours. It will go away after a few minutes, but the dealer nor repair shops can fix the issue. System was cleaned, new micro air filter was installed, but still have the musty odor…
ODI #11317890 · Filed March 13, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS STOPPED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AN UNKNOWN NOISE WAS HEARD AS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF…

Read all 4 complaints

Water Pump Connector May Short Circuit

NHTSA #24V608000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Pump · NHTSA notice

Reported August 13, 2024 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 720,796 vehicles

Repair completion: 38.8% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified March 28, 2025

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.

Safety consequence

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

2016 BMW Z4 C RWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW Z4.

Engine and Engine Cooling; Electrical System

ODI #11643614

Incident: October 1, 2024 · Filed: February 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11610174

Incident: August 1, 2022 · Filed: August 22, 2024

The air conditioning system has a very very foul musty smell when you first start the vehicle after sitting for a few hours. It will go away after a few minutes, but the dealer nor repair shops can fix the issue. System was cleaned, new micro air filter was installed, but still have the musty odor. Even the a/c drain was cleaned, all to no avail. This seems to be a class thing with all BMW vehicles according to the many BMW owners I have spoken with. But no one can fix the problem.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11317890

Crash 1 injury

Incident: February 28, 2020 · Filed: March 13, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS STOPPED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AN UNKNOWN NOISE WAS HEARD AS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF IT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONTAL AND KNEE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR FACILITY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE BMW OF TEMPLE DEALER (6006 S GENERAL BRUCE DR, TEMPLE, TX 76502) AND WAS TOLD TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AS THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE REPORT FROM THE EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED AS HE WANTED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE TO BE DIAGNOSED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Seat Belts

ODI #10908777

Incident: September 20, 2016 · Filed: September 22, 2016

ABOUT 20% OF TIME, DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMS, WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RECESS/RETAINER BEHIND SEAT WITHOUT USING MY HAND FOR COUPLE MINUTES TO JIGGLE ENOUGH. NO PROBLEM ONCE I GET IT TO RELEASE. THEN FITS IN CONNECTOR AND ALSO RELEASES OK. TWO LOCAL DEALERS UNABLE TO FIX. ONE EVEN REPLACED ENTIRE MECHANISM, STILL JAMS. MANAGER SAID THIS MODEL SEEMS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS AT A STAND STILL, BEFORE PUTTING CAR IN GEAR, SOMETIMES WITH MOTOR ON, SOMETIME BEFORE I START THE ENGINE. SOMETIMES JUST OPENING THE DOOR CAUSES THE RELEASE. OTHER TIMES, I HAVE TO PUT MY HAND UNDER THE BELT AND MANEUVER THE BELT UNTIL IT RELATES FROM THE RETAINER INTO WHICH THE BELT RETRACTS. NO PICTURES INCLUDED. JUST A STANDARD SEAT BELT. HAD A BMW 3351 FOR 7 YEARS. NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM ONCE.

Other BMW Z4 model years

Check your 2016 BMW Z4 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW Z4 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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