NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE10-020: Sticky Steering

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE10-020 on June 28, 2010 and closed it on June 28, 2011. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003–2005 BMW Z4 for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE10-020 (also written PE10020)
Investigation type: Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status: Closed June 28, 2011
Opened: June 28, 2010
Closed: June 28, 2011
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Components: Steering; Steering — Column; Steering — Electric Power Assist System
Vehicles and equipment: 2003–2005 BMW Z4

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-020.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

ODI has evaluated the sticky steering condition, which included reviews of complaints and warranty claims, interviews and surveys of owners of complaint vehicles, road tests of complaint vehicles, and a review of BMW's engineering and test data.

ODI found the sticky steering condition does not result in a significant steering effort, thus the impact on the driver's ability to control the vehicle does not appear to be significant.

A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.

Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.

The agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.

See the attached report for additional information.

In addition, during this investigation, ODI became aware of allegations of failure or loss of electric power-assisted steering on the subject vehicles.

As a result, ODI is separately reviewing this issue to determine whether additional agency action is needed.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-020. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

BMW

BMW Z4
- 2003, 2004, 2005

All BMW recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

BMW VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE10-020

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.