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2019 BMW Z4 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2019 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.
- 6safety recalls
- 5owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 10%fail the UK MOT
5 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 2019 BMW Z4?
The components named most often in the 5 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2019 BMW Z4 been recalled?
6 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Electrical System: Starter Assembly: RelayPark outside BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.
Risk: A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.
Engine BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 M340i, M340i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, X3 M40i, 2020-2021 X4 M40i, 745Le xDrive, 2019-2021 Z4 M40i, and 2020-2021 Toyota Supra vehicles. During engine start, the engine management software may cause loss of braking assist. Full mechanical braking (without assist) remains available.
Risk: Loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Exterior Lighting: Headlights BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The headlamps are able to be adjusted horizontally. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Should the headlamps be adjusted horizontally, there could be increased glare and reduced visibility for oncoming drivers, or reduced visibility for the vehicle operator, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlamp vertical and horizontal adjustment plugs, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. BMW owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Steering: Linkages: Tie Rod Assembly BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 Z4 sDrive30i, 2019-2020 330i xDrive, M340i and M340i xDrive, 2020 X3M and X4M, and Toyota Supra vehicles. In certain driving conditions, such as high temperatures and rough road surfaces, a steering gear tie rod may become damaged, possibly resulting in a fractured tie rod.
Risk: A damaged or fractured tie rod may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW and Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear tie rods, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Engine BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 330i, 330i xDrive, and 2019 Z4 vehicles. The needle roller bearings of the counterbalance shafts may have been improperly installed, potentially causing the counterbalance shaft to loosen.
Risk: If the counterbalance shaft loosens, severe engine damage could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Is the 2019 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 DVSAOn affected vehicles there is a possible failure of the fuel tank welding joint which could lead to leakage
Risk: On affected vehicles there is a possible failure of the fuel tank welding joint which could lead to leakage.
Fix: Replace the fuel tank
UK DVSASteering tie rod can become broken in the 'kink' groove area of the rod
Risk: A steering tie rod with an earlier design configuration can become broken in the kink groove area of the rod.
Fix: Both of the steering tie rods will be replaced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSAThe pressing force of the bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification
Risk: The engine counterbalance shaft bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification
Fix: Replace the engine of affected vehicles
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
EU Safety GateThe fuel tank may not have been manufactured in accordance with the specifications.As a result, in the event of an accident, fuel could leak from the tank and/or the welded joint could split, increasing the risk of fire.
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
EU Safety GateA vibration fatigue failure of the track rod may occur due to to an exceptional bending load.Such a failure would lead to a loss of wheel control on one side of the vehicle, increasing the risk of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateThe headlight control unit may have been damaged in the course of the supplier’s production process.This could result in a short circuit in the control unit, causing the headlights, headlamp illumination or the turn-signals to fail, increasing the risk of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateThe press-in force of the counterbalance shaft’s bearing shells may not have met the specifications, which could cause the counterbalance…The press-in force of the counterbalance shaft’s bearing shells may not have met the specifications, which could cause the counterbalance shaft to become loose. As a result, the engine could be damaged and locked in motion, increasing the risk of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateOwing to a fixture missing on the accelerator pedal module, a cable could cause the pedal to get stuck in the kick-down position.This could lead to accidents.
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 2019 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 2019, 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 2019 BMW Z4 owners report?
5 of the 5 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 2019 BMW Z4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Reporting premature part fail. -The 2019 BMW has 14,300 miles. The vehicle recently failed VT state inspection for "Play in control arm ball joints" Normal ball joint replacement is usually in the 60,000 mile range. The 1st recommended check of steering components per BMW service manual is is "6th engine oil service (approx 60,000 miles)". There was no warning of the premature fail. The failed parts will be replaced and used parts preserved for inspection if needed.
My grill shutters are faulty and the problem has been persistent and the vehicle is only at 30,000 miles. This is the same part that was issued an extended service contract by BMW for various other models. I believe my model is rare enough to not be included but it should. The existing recall/warranty is “SIB 01 12 19 FRONT GRILLE UPPER/LOWER ACTIVE AIR FLAPS: LTD WTY EXT TO 15 YEARS/150,000 MILES” and I believe mine should be included in this as it is the same engine as these various models. The grill shutters are experiencing the same fault and they do not open and close properly as the…
The automatic emergency did not engage the brakes as described to by the dealer, BMW genius and the BMW website. The car was in a collision at low speed (under 35mph) with the car in front of me which put me at risk. BMW sent an engineer from N.J. to inspect the car. The is under warranty and it was in perfect working order. The engineer determined that the system did not engage because the accelerator was depressed, I was told that the system does not work when the accelerator is depressed but that is not how the system is advertised and it is not how it was described in ALL of the BMW…
MY NEW CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND I HAVE BOUGHT IT INTO SERVICE APPOX 5 TIMES. THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND WHEN I GET IT HOME IT GOES ON AGAIN WHEN I START THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. HOWEVER IT CAME ON AGAIN AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT.
2019 BMW Z4: questions owners ask
Is the 2019 BMW Z4 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 BMW Z4; the most common categories were engine (2, 40%), air bags (1, 20%), electrical system (1, 20%). There are 6 safety recalls. 1 complaint mentions a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 BMW Z4?
Across 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (40% of complaints), air bags (20% of complaints), electrical system (20% of complaints), forward collision avoidance (20% of complaints), steering (20% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2019 BMW Z4 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2019 BMW Z4; the most recent (campaign 25V636000, 2025-09-23) concerns Electrical System: Starter Assembly: Relay. 1 recall carries a "do not drive" or "park outside" warning from the manufacturer. 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 2019 only.