Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
4USBT53473L••••••2004 Bmw Z4
This build draws 2.2× more complaints than the average 2004 Bmw Z4 build (19 vs 9).
19on this build
368on the model
43builds in total
Most reportedSteering 15Engine And Engine Cooling 2Air Bags 2
What owners of this build wrote
SteeringApr 2022
Car has 15,000 miles and always stored in climate controlled garage. Drove it today and within 1/2 mile the electronic power steering failed making it very, very hard to steer. Shut vehicle off and restart and the problem goes away but only for a minute or two and then returns
Air BagsJun 2012
The contact owns a 2003 bmw z4. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the front passenger mat needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was then notified and…
Engine And Engine CoolingFeb 2011
2003 bmw, z4-car started fine, then it shut off, tried to restart and wouldn't. Had vehicle towed, they told me there was a defect in the head gasket of the engine
SteeringAug 2017
At highway speeds on warm days (80 or above) the steering does not return to the neutral position when small adjustments are made. The steering feels "sticky" or "notched" requiring the driver to re position the steering wheel to stay on the road. Tire pressures are in spec as…
SteeringApr 2017
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…
Read all 19 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 43 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 4USBT53473LU03918 · decoded Sep 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.