2020 BMW Z4

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

6RecallsNHTSA Verified3ComplaintsNHTSA Data2InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

This 2020 model shows concerning reliability, primarily driven by 6 recalls—above the BMW average—centered on the exterior lighting.

Key Factor:elevated exterior lighting issues

📋Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Given this model year's elevated concern level, budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Focus Area:general reliability
📊

Expert Analysis

The 2020 Z4 analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Critical Component: Noise

Safety & Reliability Score

42/100
Poor

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-48
Complaint Impact-0.15
Investigation Impact-10

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 BMW Z4

Model Year2020
MakeBMW
ModelZ4
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more →
Dec19
ISSUEFirst Report
Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Dec20
RECALLRecall Issued
Feb21
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

1 complaints (33% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
✅

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 3 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟡Medium
1(33%)
🟢Low
2(67%)
✅Good News: No critical or high-severity complaints reported for this vehicle.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

EXTERIOR LIGHTINGBACK OVER PREVENTIONFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEENGINEELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Official Safety Recalls (6)

Campaign: 19V850000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Summary

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 Z4 M40i, Z4 sDrive30i, 330i and 330i xDrive vehicles as well as 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The headlight control units may fail causing a loss of one or both of the headlights.

Consequence

Headlight failure can reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlight control units, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

Campaign: 19V684000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Summary

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."

Consequence

The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

Campaign: 20V700000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

Summary

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Z4 and 2020-2021 Toyota Supra vehicles. The weld between the fuel tank halves may have been insufficiently welded, causing the weld to fail.

Consequence

The failed weld may allow fuel to leak, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

Campaign: 21V598000

ENGINE

Summary

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.

Consequence

Loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

Campaign: 20V516000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Summary

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."

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

Campaign: 25V636000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY

Summary

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.

Consequence

A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

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. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners will receive a second notice as remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 14, 2025.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

NHTSA Investigations

2 investigations

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2020 Z4.

INV-2020-1000🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Z4 performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 49,952
INV-2020-1001🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Z4 performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 48,128

Consumer Complaints

3 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 Z4.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Noise33%
Squeak33%
Grind33%
Acceleration Issues33%
Brakes🔵 Low
STEERING,SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES

DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. THERE IS MAJOR SQUEAKING/WHINING/GRINDING NOISE IF EVEN A TINY BIT OF WATER GETS IN THERE AND LAST COUPLE DAYS AFTER THAT. AND WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT THE SQUEAKING/WHINING GETS LOUDER. AND WHEN DOES DO THIS THE SUSPENSION IF YOU HIT EVEN A SMALL BUMP WILL BOTTOM OUT AND MAKE GRINDING NOISES. BMW HAS LOOKED AT THE CAR COUPLE TIMES FIRST TIME THEY SAID THERE WAS RUST. SECOND TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.

Nov 26, 2020Resolved
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE

WAS IN A DRIVE THRU ON 9/6/2020 WAITING OUR TURN. APPROX. 7 CARS IN FRONT OF US. AS WE ARE SLOWLY MOVING UP TO ORDER, CAR IN IDLE, FOOT ON BRAKE. AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, WHEN WE WERE UP TO 3 CARS, STILL IDLING AND FOOT ON BRAKE, THE CAR HAD FULLY ACCELERATED, BRAKE NOT HOLDING THE CAR, INCHING FORWARD DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE ACCELERATION. TRIED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, WENT INTO REVERSE. TRIED AGAIN TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, WENT INTO DRIVE, STILL INCHING FORWARD, AT THIS TIME I PUSHED THE OFF BUTTON TO STOP THE CAR. RESULT OF COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. WE HAVE PHOTOS BUT NOT ON THIS COMPUTER.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #21V598000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Oct 7, 2020Resolved
Steering/Suspension🔵 Low
STEERING

BMW'S LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM ACTUALLY PULLS THE CAR'S STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT, AND COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE OR RUN OFF THE ROAD. I EXPERIENCED THIS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM ALMOST PULLED MY VEHICLE INTO THE ADJACENT LANE.

Dec 14, 2019Resolved

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 BMW Z4?

Yes, the 2020 BMW Z4 has 6 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY.

Is the 2020 BMW Z4 safe to drive?

The 2020 BMW Z4 has 6 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 BMW Z4 has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local BMW dealer.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Exterior lighting

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm exterior lighting recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all exterior lighting recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaigns:19V85000020V516000
2

Back over prevention

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm back over prevention recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all back over prevention recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:19V684000
3

Fuel system, gasoline

Issue: presents fire risk under certain conditions

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm fuel system, gasoline recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all fuel system, gasoline recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:20V700000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your BMW dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 6 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your BMW dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
🛒

If You're Buying Used

  • Request full service history and documentation of all recall completions.
  • Consider whether adjacent model years (2019 or 2021) show better safety metrics.
  • Budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on known problem areas.
⚖️

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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.