Before you buy a used BMW Z4 (E89).
Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.
The essentials.
- 6 documented, sourced faults across its 2 engines.
- 1 of them depends on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
- We have no official recalls on record for this model; ask anyway, with the chassis number (VIN).
- According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the sDrive23i / 30i / 35i (Petrol).
Typical faults by engine
The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.
All versions
Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.
- BMW petrol electric water pump, leaks and VANOSCooling / leaks / VANOS
- Period mentioned
- 2004–2016
- Mileage mentioned
- 95,000–160,000 km
- Corrupted FRM3 module (lights and windows)Electrical and electronic systems
- Period mentioned
- 2004–2015
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
- ZF 8HP oil level, leaks and harsh shiftsAutomatic gearbox
- Period mentioned
- 2009–2026
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: Only if fitted with the automatic gearbox described in the record.
sDrive18i / 20i / 28i (N20, desde 2011)
Petrol
- Broken plastic chain guidesTiming system
- Period mentioned
- Approx. 2012–2015
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
- Oil filter housing gasket leakOil leaks
- Period mentioned
- 2011–2017
- Mileage mentioned
- 80,000–130,000 km
- N20 judder in hot weather caused by the wastegate pressure converterInjection / turbo
- Period mentioned
- Approx. 2012–2015
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
sDrive23i / 30i / 35i
Petrol
We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.
Which engine has the fewest documented faults?
| Engine | Documented faults |
|---|---|
| sDrive18i / 20i / 28i (N20, desde 2011)Petrol | 61 with conditions |
| sDrive23i / 30i / 35iPetrolFewest documented | 31 with conditions |
According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the sDrive23i / 30i / 35i (Petrol).
We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.
Official recalls: ask before you pay
We have no official recalls on record for this model. Our list is not complete: ask anyway, with the chassis number.
- Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
- Ask an official BMW dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
- Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
On the test drive: what to look and listen for
Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.
0 of 6 checked
Timing system
Look out for: High-pitched whine from the engine that rises with revs, rattle on a cold start.
Ask them to check: Check the guides through the oil filler opening and listen for the whine with the bonnet open.
Oil leaks
Look out for: Oil leak at the front of the engine, oil on the auxiliary belt (squeal or burning smell), sometimes oil and coolant mixing.
Ask them to check: Visual inspection of the filter housing area, the belt and the bottom of the engine.
Cooling / leaks / VANOS
Look out for: Temperature warning and limited power with no prior warning (water pump); burning oil smell or smoke from leaks onto the exhaust or belt; rough idle and VANOS codes (2A82, 2A87).
Ask them to check: Check the water pump and thermostat history, look for leaks at the valve cover and oil filter housing, and read VANOS codes.
Electrical and electronic systems
Look out for: After a flat battery, a battery change or disconnection, or a jump start: lights, indicators or windows stop working, side or dipped lights stay on and diagnostics cannot communicate with the module (for example code 00A3C1).
Ask them to check: Check the battery and charging and try communicating with ISTA. If the module does not respond, it can be repaired by rewriting its EEPROM (specialist services or programmers) instead of being replaced, then coded. Use a voltage maintainer when working on the car.
Injection / turbo
Look out for: Repeated judder or surging when accelerating between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm in hot weather, with no engine light and no stored fault codes.
Ask them to check: Tell the garage it only happens in hot weather and between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm even with no codes; ask them to check the wastegate pressure converter (next to the oil filler cap) before replacing coils, injectors or the turbo.
Automatic gearbox
Look out for: Harsh shifts (especially engaging D and 1st to 2nd), slipping or jerking; oil leaks from the pan, the mechatronic connector sleeve or the seals.
Ask them to check: Check the oil level with the official procedure (correct temperature and engine running), look for leaks at the pan, connector sleeve and seals, inspect the pan for impact damage and review adaptation values with ISTA.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.
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