Recalls: BMW E89 Z4 Roadster
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: BMW E89 Z4 Roadster
Pre-2011 BMW E89 Z4 Roadster: doors may not open and engine may stall
In February 2013, a recall was issued for BMW E89 Z4 Roadsters that were available for sale prior to 28 February 2011. In these vehicles, the plug-in contact of the battery-positive cable on the front power distributor (fitted behind the glove compartment) could be damaged by vehicle vibrations, impairing power supply to the vehicle. As a result, the door locks may not open and it may not be possible to start the vehicle. Furthermore, if the engine were to stall, power steering assistance may be lost and the electrical system may fail – such a situation would be apparent from the flickering of the instrument panel and power loss from the engine (PRA 2013/13476).
2012-13 BMW E89 Z4 Roadster: loss of power braking assistance
In October 2013, a recall was issued for BMW E89 Z4 Roadsters that were available for sale from 1 November 2012 to 31 July 2013. In these vehicles, the vacuum pump may fail due to a lack of lubrication. As a result, the power brake boost unit would not be supplied with sufficient vacuum force, reducing the effectiveness of the brake assistance function. In turn, reduced braking effectiveness posed a hazard to the driver and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, see PRA 2013/13801.
2009-12 BMW E89 Z4 Roadster with I6 engine: VANOS oil leak and ‘limp home’ mode
In June 2014, a recall was issued for BMW E89 Z4 Roadsters that had N51, N52 or N55 six-cylinder petrol engines and were available for sale from 1 October 2009 to 30 April 2012. In these vehicles, the bolted connection on the housing of the variable valve timing unit (VANOS) adjustment units could become loose. If this occurred, the units may develop an internal oil leak and then no longer adjust quickly enough due to the reduced oil pressure. The vehicle’s emergency engine mode would then be activated and the engine warning light would illuminate to warn the driver. If the vehicle was being driven and slowed down or stopped unexpectedly, it would pose an accident hazard to the driver and other road users (PRA 2014/14160).
2009-12 BMW E89 Z4 Roadster: camshaft timing unit bolts could break
In November 2023, recall campaign 0011520700 was issued for 2009-12 BMW E89 Z4 Roadsters. In these vehicles, the bolts connecting the variable camshaft timing unit (BMW’s ‘VANOS’) to the engine may break. If this occurred, the vehicle’s ‘limp home’ safety mode may be activated, the engine warning light may illuminate and the vehicle may lose motive power. A loss of motive power while driving could increase the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005810.
Problems and faults: BMW E89 Z4 Roadster
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
2009-11 BMW E89 Z4 sDrive23i, 2.5si and sDrive30i: rattling noise, loss of power and ‘Service Engine Soon’
In October 2014, BMW issued Service Information Bulletin SI B12 14 10 for BMW E89 Z4 sDrive23i, 2.5si and sDrive30i Roadsters produced from September 2009 to August 2011 that had N52 and N55 engines. According to the bulletin, these vehicles may exhibit the following symptoms:
- A rattling noise from the engine compartment;
- A loss of engine power;
- Illumination of the ‘Service Engine Soon’ lamp; and,
- A range of faults stored in the DME related to VANOS and camshaft position.
The bulletin attributed these symptoms to one or both (intake and/or exhaust) of the VANOS gear assemblies having faulty assembly bolts. As a result, one or more of the four assembly bolts may have loosened or broken. If the VANOS gear assembly bolts were found loose or broken, the affected VANOS gear assembly was to be replaced.
2009-10 BMW E89 Z4 sDrive35i and sDrive35is: N54 fuel pump failure
In December 2010, BMW issuedtechnical service bulletin SI B13 09 10 for BMW models like the Z4 Roadster sDrive35i and sDrive35is that were powered by the N54 engine and manufactured from 28 March 2006 to 26 February 2010. In these vehicles, the driver may experience:
- Extended engine cranking time before start;
- The ‘Service Engine Soon’ indicator lamp may illuminate; and,
- Reduced engine performance due to activation of a ‘Safe Mode’, accompanied by an audible signal and illumination of the ‘Engine Malfunction’ warning light.
Furthermore, the fault code 2FBF (‘fuel pressure on – release injection, pressure too low’) may be stored in the DME.
This condition was attributable to a malfunction of internal components in the high-pressure fuel pump. To fix, an updated DME calibration improved the engine starting strategy and robustness of the HDP high-pressure fuel pump. If required, the high-pressure fuel pump (including the low-pressure fuel sensor) would also be replaced.
For Australia, BMW initiated a ‘technical campaign’ to replace the fuel pumps of vehicles within the affected VIN range. In the USA, however, this service bulletin was issued as part of a recall campaign (Campaign No. 10E-AO2). It is understood that the fuel pump warranty was also extended to 10 years or 120,000 miles (193,000 kilometres).
2009 BMW E89 Z4 sDrive35i and sDrive35is (N54): clanking noise from turbocharger
In February 2009, BMW issued technical service bulletin SI B11 13 07 for BMW models like the Z4 sDrive35i and sDrive35is with N54 engines that were manufactured prior to 1 January 2009. In these vehicles, there may be a metallic, clanking noise that occurs up to six or seven times that is heard from the exhaust system (near the engine or turbocharger area) that is heard:
- During a deceleration from approximately 3500 rpm; or,
- During a heavy application of the accelerator without a drive gear engaged.
According to the service bulletin, the cause of this noise was a failure of the wastegate valve to completely close due to the mechanical tolerances of the wastegate actuator. As a result, the wastegate valve repeatedly clanked against its seating surface.
If the clanking noise was still present after reprogramming the DME, both the turbocharger wastegate actuators were to be replaced.
BMW E89 Z4 sDrive35i and sDrive35is: N54 wastegate rattling
The wastegate rod has some slack at the joint/bearing where it comes off the actuator and meets the wastegate arm. As a result, rattling noises may come from the wastegate actuator arms and the wastegate itself. If the wastegate was rattling, the valve seats may wear and prevent the wastegate from fully closing – this could cause low boost pressure, the on-board diagnostics to issue a 30FF fault code (for low boost pressure) and the vehicle to enter ‘limp home’ mode. For vehicles under warranty with damaged turbochargers, BMW would replace the turbochargers and either added a part to the joint or replaced the joint to remove the slack/play. As a result of a class action in the USA, BMW North America extended its warranty of the turbocharger to eight years or 82,000 miles (132,000 kms) for any failure caused by a defect in the turbocharger’s wastegate. For vehicles that are not under warranty, an aftermarket solution involves:
- fitting a titanium bush through the turbo body for the wastegate arm;
- remanufacturing the actuator rod to the wastegate arm bush; and,
- remanufacturing the wastegate valve.
2009-14 BMW E89 Z4 sDrive18i, sDrive20i and sDrive28i: ‘Service Engine Soon’, ‘Drivetrain Malfunction’ and VANOS faults
In September 2014, BMW North America issued Service Bulletin SI B12 26 14 for BMW E89 Z4 sDrive18i, sDrive20i and sDrive28i Roadsters that were manufactured prior to July 2014. These vehicles may exhibit the following symptoms:
- Illumination of the ‘Service Engine Soon’ warning (Malfunction Indicator Light);
- The engine may enter a reduced power mode with the ‘Drivetrain Malfunction’ message displayed; and,
- One or more VANOS faults may be stored in the DME, even though the engine is mechanically sound and no unusual noises can be heard from the VANOS area. These VANOS faults related to implausible camshaft position (intake or exhaust), the camshaft stuck situation, or the camshaft angle offset relative to the crankshaft being outside the tolerance range.
According to the service bulletin, these symptoms could be due to unfavourable Engine Position Management (EPM) parameters in the DME software. The service bulletin recommended test plans be performed using BMW’s ISTA/D diagnostics system and any VANOS hardware issues were to be corrected. After performing repairs, or if the ISTA test plan was inconclusive, the vehicle’s DME software was to be re-programmed with the latest version of ISTA/P. If further VANOS control faults occurred after the DME software was updated, further diagnosis would be required to identify its cause.
