Problems with 2003 BMW Z4 EQUIPMENT

My name is [xxx] , i just recently own a 2003 bmw z4. it is about 65k clean title. i have just notice something is wrong with the steering. i researched this on multiple forums and it appears that there are numerous examples of similar problems. most relate to issues in hot temperatures and to speed. problem was very noticeable last evening at 70 degrees. here are the symptoms... at low speeds (under 20mph) steering is very light and smooth, no issues at all. as speed increases, the steering gets heavier (as it should) but develops a "detent" at straight center. the faster the speed, the more effort needed to overcome the detent resistance, to the point that it becomes easy to oversteer the car. this can be real scary during avoidance maneuvers and quick lane changes. the hot weather just makes it worse. from what i know from research, the way to fix this is do replace the whole steering column. i m sincere asking for help. i can't afford to have it change on my own when is it more like bmw' engineer problems. i hope you guys can do something about it before it get too serious. thanks in advance. please call or contact me through my email at [xxx] or my numbers at [xxx]. (best to call me) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Two years ago in the summer, i drove my car back on the highway and the steering wheel was very hard to move. it was a sticky steering situation. the weather was also very hot. this problem has continued even when i am driving slowly. the weather temperature seems to be the critical factor. yesterday, i drove the car and it steered perfectly. the temperature was in the 70s. today, it drove fine in the a.m. but in the pm when the temperature reached above 80, the steering was "sticky" again. i have found many posts on line describing this identical problem. the car is a 2004 bmw z4. this problem has happened within the last 2 years but the difference between the drive handling yesterday and today was very obvious. *tr

My 2003 bmw z4 has sticky and/or binding electric power assisted steering control when the temperatures are 75 degrees or warmer, making the car difficult and dangerous to steer. because of this, oversteering results, which causes the vehicle to lunge into the next lane or onto the shoulder. this becomes a serious safety issue when changing lanes or making minor steering corrections. the problem goes away overnight when cooler temperatures prevail and the power steering unit has had a chance to cool down. *tr

I own a 2003 bmw z4 and have had two fuel pumps and filter replacements. the car has approximately 21,500 miles. the first failure was june 2008. the second failure occurred within 1,000 miles of the first replacement. bmw dealer maintains it is ethanol in the premium gas i buy, which is from chervron. the fuel pump is supposedly subject to failure if the ethanol content exceeds 10% or more. i had the chevron fuel tested and it falls within the 10% limit. all fuels in the pacific northwest contain up to 10% ethanol. i find it hard to believe that bmw cannot design a fuel pump to handle the fuels sold in the u.s. i supect the fuel pump design is faulty. anyway i am out about $2000 and i am afraid to drive the car very far from town. *tr

While driving west on i-70 near exit 218 (elev 10,300', west of denver) my 2003 bmw z4 stalled. after numerous restarts, i was able to get if off the road and onto the exit. the car was taken to the hauled to the bmw dealer in denver. they reported to me that a screen on the bottom of the fuel pump had collapsed, cutting off the fuel supply. the replaced the pump. at that time the car had about 5000 miles on it. in early august 2005 i was driving the car west on us 6, crossing soldier summit (elev. 7400'), west of price, ut. again the car stalled, acting like it was a failed fuel pump. after spending about 20 minutes on the phone with the salt lake city bmw dealership, i was able to start the car and drive to the dealership. after checking out the car at murray motors, they thought that the problem was caused by the high altitude and high temperature (it as about 75 degrees on soldier summit.) since the car had not had problems the previous week at home (elev. 8050', temperatures up to 90), i questioned that diagnosis they said that bmw had designed a new fuel pump for the car, and bmw agreed to install a new one, but there were none in slc. they told me to drive on to portland, or, where a new one would be installed. i drove to portland and it was installed. does bmw have problems with the z4 fuel pump? we got no recall notice. my wife is hesitant to drive the car, in case it should stall in heavy traffic, and result in an accident. it seems unusual for a car to replace the fuel pump twice in 40,000 miles. *nm