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2016 BMW Z4 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 BMW Z4 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 4owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 16%fail the UK MOT
4 complaints, against an average of 4 for the other 8 BMW Z4 model years.
Every BMW Z4 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 BMW Z4?
The components named most often in the 4 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2016 BMW Z4 been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System: Pump 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.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Is the 2016 BMW Z4 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAReplace the Engine Starter Motor
Risk: For affected vehicles there is a concern involving water ingress and corrosion to the starter motor for where a short circuit cannot be ruled out. It is strongly recommended to park the vehicle outdoors and not in the immediate vicinity of buildings until the repair has been carried out.
Fix: Replacement of the starter motor.
UK DVSAPlug in contact cable may malfunction
Risk: It is possible that the connection between the B+ cable and the Power Distribution Box can become damaged by wear and heat which is caused by high current flow and high contact resistance. Normally this will result in a non-start situation after parking the vehicle. However it is possible that this could in extreme cases occur whilst the vehicle is in motion. The driver should be made aware of the issue by flickering of the instrument cluster (dash) or an engine mis-fire; but if the driver does not then the engine could cut-out without warning.
Fix: Recall all affected vehicles with petrol engines and replace the cable/connection with a more robust item.
EU Safety GateWater may come into contact with the starter relay and gradually cause corrosion.This could affect the electrical connection inside the relay and make the engine difficult to start. It may also result in a short circuit and could cause the starter to overheat leading to a fire when the vehicle is in motion or when it is parked with the ignition off.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2016 BMW Z4 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2016, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2016 BMW Z4 owners report?
4 of the 4 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
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.
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.
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…
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…
2016 BMW Z4: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 BMW Z4 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW Z4; the most common categories were electrical system (1, 25%), engine and engine cooling (1, 25%), seat belts (1, 25%). There is 1 safety recall. 1 complaint mentions a crash, 1 injury was reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW Z4?
Across 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (25% of complaints), engine and engine cooling (25% of complaints), seat belts (25% of complaints), vehicle speed control (25% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 BMW Z4 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2016 BMW Z4; the most recent (campaign 24V608000, 2024-08-13) concerns Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System: Pump. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Z4
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only.