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Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.
BMW · Convertible

2020 BMW Z4

Gas
Two Seaters
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
63 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 6
Complaints1 crash reported 5
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg
202620252024202320222021202020192016

The 2020 BMW Z4 is sold in the U.S. as a gas convertible with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Z4 sDrive30i, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 5 complaints, most often about the steering.

BMW Z4 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
BMW Z4 · Photo: Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Z4 sDrive30iGasRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo243227$3,050
Z4 M40iGasRWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo243126$3,150

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41642, 41374.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Z4 sDrive30i7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Z4 M40i5 / 10California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleConvertible/Cabriolet
Doors2
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower255 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows1
Seating capacity2 seats

Transmission

TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds8

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: M40i, sDrive30i). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length170.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)73.2 in
Height51.6 in
Wheelbase97.2 in
Track, front63.8 in
Track, rear63.4 in
Curb weight3,296–3,463 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear50/50 to 51/49

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: M40I 2-door Convertible, sDrive30I 2-door Convertible. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 BMW Z4 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

Park outside 199,674 vehicles 60% reported repaired
Problem 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. Risk A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire. Fix 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. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.
NHTSA campaign 25V636000 reported Sep 23, 2025 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Engine

50,024 vehicles 96% reported repaired
Problem 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. Risk Loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash. Fix 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.
NHTSA campaign 21V598000 reported Aug 2, 2021 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

Toyota: 20TB16
49 vehicles 84% reported repaired
Problem 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. Risk The failed weld may allow fuel to leak, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source. Fix 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.
NHTSA campaign 20V700000 reported Nov 12, 2020 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Exterior Lighting

4,265 vehicles 95% reported repaired
Problem 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." Risk 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. Fix 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.
NHTSA campaign 20V516000 reported Aug 27, 2020 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Exterior Lighting

Toyota - 19TA20
245 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Jul 16, 2019 – Aug 20, 2019
Problem 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. Risk Headlight failure can reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V850000 reported Nov 27, 2019 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Back Over Prevention

257,473 vehicles 97% reported repaired built May 24, 2018 – Aug 26, 2019
Problem 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 Risk The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V684000 reported Sep 27, 2019 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Z4

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 BMW Z4, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2020 BMW Z4

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Z4 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
5complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

14 per 10,000 built · BMW reported 3,496 Z4 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Steering 2
Service Brakes 2
Engine 2
Electrical System 2
Structure 1
Suspension 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The engine starter failed on my 2020 BMW Z4 M40i. The vehicle experienced starting failures and the repair shop diagnosed a faulty/shorted engine starter assembly. The symptoms and component failure match the exact defect description of active safety recalls NHTSA 24V-576 and 25V-636 (Starter Motor Fire Risk due to electrical short…
Electrical System Jul 21, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11751896
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.
Service Brakes at 3,000 miles Nov 26, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11376404
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…
Structure at 3,300 miles Oct 7, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11363216
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
Steering at 200 miles Dec 14, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11289091
Engine starter safety recall came out in September 2025, with no remedy or parts existing for fixing it. 5 months later, and no timeframe is provided for a remedy. This is a major fire risk given the amount of rain now that could corrode the starter and lead to a fire
Electrical System Feb 19, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11719116

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by BMW itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 29 per 100,000 built. Every Z4 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 164
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-05-06
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 162 service bulletins, 1 other, 1 warranty extension

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility, Structure.

  • B010324 Warranty extension
    2026-05-06 · Engine
  • The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
  • B062525 Other
    2025-03-26 · Engine
  • Bearing Shell Return
  • B540324 Service bulletin
    2025-01-13 · Structure — Body
  • The convertible top does not open or close.
  • B610321 Service bulletin
    2024-02-28 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Evaporative Emissions — Canister
  • SITUATION BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Recall (effective April 23, 2021) on a certain Model Year 2020 - 2021 BMW vehicles that were produced between August 13, 2019 and December 11, 2020. Do not deliver to a customer, a New, Certified Pre-Owned or Used vehicle subject to an emissions recall, until the vehicle is repaired. Do not use or sell replacement equipment/parts subject to
  • B640422 Service bulletin
    2024-02-16 · Electrical System
  • An interference noise (groaning noise) can be heard from within the heating and air-conditioning unit in thecenter of the instrument panel. The groaning noise always occurs when either a ventilation flap, air stratification flap or the recirculated airflap moves to a different position. Due to the complex design of the heating and air-conditioning unit, the kinematics causing it (top or bottom,l
  • B611305 Service bulletin
    2024-01-11 · Electrical System
  • The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.
  • B360121 Service bulletin
    2024-01-08 · Steering
  • At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21.
  • B160123 Service bulletin
    2024-01-05 · Fuel System, Gasoline
  • A vehicle arrives at your center to be diagnosed for a micro-leak in the fuel evaporative (EVAP) system(NVLD natural vacuum leak detection). For this condition, the following fault is stored in the DME: 190302 - fuel tank ventilation and scavenging air system, micro-leak: leakage more than 0.5mm For: Model vehicles other that the ones listed above, or for EVAP faults related to a “large leak,

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Common questions about the 2020 Z4

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 BMW Z4 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 BMW Z4, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 25V636000, covering Electrical System. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 BMW Z4?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2020 BMW Z4 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (63/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 BMW Z4?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 BMW Z4, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 BMW Z4?

Transport Canada measured it at 170.9 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 51.6 in tall, on a 97.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,296–3,463 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 BMW Z4?

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 BMW Z4, most often about steering, service brakes, engine. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 BMW Z4?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 BMW Z4 runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 BMW Z4?

The manufacturer has filed 164 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 BMW Z4, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-05-06. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls6NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints5NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins164NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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