Photo: Michael Gil from Calgary, AB, Canada / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2016 BMW Z4: common problems and reliability
· E89An average Z4 year.
4 owner complaints, most about engine and engine cooling. 1 recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Z4?The 2016 BMW Z4 has 4 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are engine and engine cooling and electrical system. Owners most often flag retractable hardtop electrical harness wires fatiguing and breaking at the joints.
Safety record for the 2016 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2016 BMW Z4 vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Z4 years only. How we score it
Is 2016 a good year for the Z4?
Across the 20 Z4 model years we track, complaint volume runs from 1 (2022) to 414 (2003). With 4 complaints, the 2016 Z4 sits below the model's median of 19.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2016 Z4
engine and engine cooling:cooling system:pump
Campaign 24V608000BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
What owners report on the E89 Z4
Owners of the E89 Z4 generally regard it as a beautiful, distinctive roadster that has held its value unusually well for a BMW, with the retractable hardtop and the DCT transmission drawing particular praise.
- RecurrentRetractable hardtop electrical harness wires fatiguing and breaking at the joints
- RecurrentHardtop tray and roof mechanism repairs
- RecurrentSqueaks and creaks from the dash, center console, steering column, behind the seat, and the hardtop
- RecurrentCracked or fractured wheels
- RecurrentHigh-pressure fuel pump failure
Owner insights for the E89 Z4. Read the full E89 owner report.
Typical used price
Used Z4 listings typically run $13,934–$38,487.
Other Z4 model years
Compare every Z4 year side by side to see how 2016 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Z4 against its rivals
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