2019 BMW Z4 G29

Overview

Engines

2.0L turbo four-cylinder

Came as

• Roadster

On record

4 warnings, 6 recalls

What changed for 2019

• The new Z4 returns after a three-year gap as the sDrive30i, with a soft top and an eight-speed automatic only. Edmunds

Compare 2019 with 2020

Colors

No paint color is recorded yet.

Specs

Badges

• sDrive30i: 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, Rear-wheel drive Edmunds

Engines

• 2.0L turbo four-cylinder B48 engine page Edmunds, a published reference

  255 hp and 295 lb-ft

Transmissions

• Eight-speed automatic Edmunds

Drivetrains

• Rear-wheel drive Edmunds, a published reference

Body styles

• Roadster Edmunds, a published reference

Packages

• M Sport Package CarGurus, Edmunds
• Track Handling Package CarGurus, Edmunds
• Convenience Package Edmunds
• Driving Assistance Package Edmunds
• Premium Package Edmunds
• Executive Package Edmunds
• Shadowline Package Edmunds

Figures for the whole G29

• Built: By Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria Edmunds, a published reference
• Developed with: The fifth-generation Toyota Supra CarGurus, a published reference
• Trunk: 10 cu ft, the same with the roof down CarGurus
• Roof: Opens or closes in 10 seconds A published reference

Watch out

Faults owners and the press report, and how to spot each one.

• A notchy dead spot in the steering All years

  Check: On a long straight drive, once the car is warm, feel for a notchy or dead spot either side of center. Ask whether the steering column or its bolts have been renewed.

  Three owners in two threads on a British owners' forum report the steering going vague or notchy around center when warm, one after a new steering rack did not cure it, and another poster found a BMW service bulletin for a steering wheel that sticks in the center. Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Stones caught behind the front brakes All years

  Check: Listen for a loud squeal when slowing to a stop, which usually means a stone is caught between the disc and its shield.

  Three owners in two threads on a British owners' forum report stones lodging behind the M Sport front brakes and squealing, one of them four times in their first 800 miles, and another says rocking the car backwards clears it. Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Soft top faults All years

  Check: Run the roof up and down several times, look at the edge of the rear window for black lifting away from the glass, and check the seals for cracks.

  On a British owners' forum, three owners in one thread had the rear window start to come away from the roof after about four to six years, which BMW would not cover, and two owners in two more threads had the roof stop working, from a switch and a stuck side flap. Euro Premium Parts says the roof's seals harden and shrink with age. Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

• Water on the floor All years

  Check: Feel the carpet on the passenger side and behind the seats for damp, and make sure water poured in at the roof drains runs out in front of the rear wheels.

  Two G29 owners in one thread on a British owners' forum found water on the passenger-side floor from blocked roof drains, and another poster in it traced the same problem to a damaged panel under the windshield. Euro Premium Parts says hardened roof seals can let water in at the windshield pillars. Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

Recalls

Newest first. Ask the seller for proof the work was done, or check the VIN with NHTSA.

• 2019–2022 Recall 25V636000

  The starter relay can corrode, overheat and short-circuit. Owners are told to park outside and away from buildings until dealers replace the starter. NHTSA

• 2019–2021 Recall 21V598000

  When the engine starts, its software may cause a loss of brake assist, though the brakes still work without it. Dealers update the engine software. NHTSA

• 2019–2020 Recall 20V516000

  The headlights can be adjusted sideways, which the federal lighting standard does not allow. Dealers inspect and correct the adjustment plugs. NHTSA

• 2019 Recall 20V355000

  In heat and on rough roads a steering tie rod can be damaged and may break. Dealers replace the tie rods. NHTSA

• 2019 Recall 19V732000

  The needle roller bearings of the engine's balance shafts may have been fitted wrongly, letting a shaft come loose. Dealers replace the engine. NHTSA

• 2019–2020 Recall 19V684000

  The backup camera's display settings can be adjusted so that the rear image no longer shows, and the setting is kept the next time the car is put in reverse. Dealers update the camera software. NHTSA

Owning

What owners and buyers say

No source singles out this year, for good or bad.

Maintenance

• Engine oil and filter All years

  Replace every 10,000 miles, per a parts seller. Euro Premium Parts says every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, sooner than the car's Condition Based Service allows A seller's guide (unofficial)

  Ask the seller: Ask for oil change records.

• Brake fluid All years

  Replace every 2 years, per a parts seller A seller's guide (unofficial)

• Spark plugs All years

  Replace every 60,000 miles, per a parts seller. Euro Premium Parts says every 40,000 to 60,000 miles A seller's guide (unofficial)

• Automatic transmission fluid All years

  Replace every 60,000 miles, per a parts seller. BMW calls it a lifetime fill; Euro Premium Parts says most specialists change it at 60,000 miles A seller's guide (unofficial)

Warranty when new