Z4 explodes on freeway sending schrapnel flying into cabin

[Dr Stig 2]

I bet that caught your attention.

Yes. It was my Z4.

No. Its not as bad as it sounds.

Photos below.

Had the top down. Just hit 100kph on the free way and heard a crack sound and something hit my passengers shoulder.
Looking around the cabin, we found a piece of schrapnel.
It looked like BMW plastic, so we exitted and checked over the car.

Found a hole in the rear bulkhead, that matched the schrapnle perfectly.
Its a clean and new break.
Buggered if I can figure out how and why this piece would suddenly explode and go flying up and then hit my passenger.

The hole is on the drivers side exterior - next to the big speaker cover and just below the rear deck lid level.

It flew up - must have been caught in the airflow, and flew back down onto my passenger's arm.

Will be sitting on the door of the dealer Monday to try and get an explanation!

[Z4Andy]

That's not a hydralic fluid stain on the plastic in the first pic is it?

[jparnes1]

News flash....Al Qaeda takes responsibility for stealth BMW Z4 attack. Aussies fear the worst is yet to come.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Z4Andy

That's not a hydralic fluid stain on the plastic in the first pic is it?

Ya, what is that?

Is it possible a rock hit the plastic and it broke off?

Luckily your passenger didn't get hit in the eye. That's worrisome. Subscribed for update.

[Alext]

That's not good, glad no serious injury!

I wonder if that piece of plastic is under stress or not to begin with.

As said above a small object / rock might have hit that and caused it to break off. It is suprising what flying debris can do...in my Lotus Elise I remember I was often concerned about small stones hitting the rear glass with the top down as that could shatter it, sending pieces flying into the cabin (more common than you imagine). The glass was a stressed piece, I think, and some owners eventually replaced them with perspex. Sometimes I would find small stones rolling around the rear parcel shelf!

[az34]

very bizarre!

[Z4@Phuket]

I hit a pot hole at 100kph , a small rubber o-ring dropped from somewhere near sun visor.
Don't know where that was from, car still intact, no abnormal noise from that area

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

I bet that caught your attention.

Yes. It was my Z4.

No. Its not as bad as it sounds.

Photos below.

Had the top down. Just hit 100kph on the free way and heard a crack sound and something hit my passengers shoulder.
Looking around the cabin, we found a piece of schrapnel.
It looked like BMW plastic, so we exitted and checked over the car.

Found a hole in the rear bulkhead, that matched the schrapnle perfectly.
Its a clean and new break.
Buggered if I can figure out how and why this piece would suddenly explode and go flying up and then hit my passenger.

The hole is on the drivers side exterior - next to the big speaker cover and just below the rear deck lid level.

It flew up - must have been caught in the airflow, and flew back down onto my passenger's arm.

Will be sitting on the door of the dealer Monday to try and get an explanation!

Glad to see that you and your passenger sustained no injuries. I'm sure your dealership can explain and or straighten this out.

On my first Z4 (a 2008) the plastic housing around the rear view mirror kept falling off on me. The first time this happened was when I went thru a minor pothole. The roof was up so both half sections of the mirror housing ended up on the floor, still it gave me quite a fright when it happened

[Ramjet]

Wow, looking forward to hear what the dealer has to say...

[Jayda]

Originally Posted by Ramjet

Wow, looking forward to hear what the dealer has to say...

Ditto on other posts... I'm glad no one was hurt and I'd sure like to know what the response is from BMW.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

I bet that caught your attention.

Had you just watched the F1 race and were trying to emulate the front straight - tough race for Mark, but best finish yet in Oz. Looks like your hydraulics done blowed up, from the oil stain. Have you tried to put up the top?

[Dr Stig 2]

Update:
The top still works fine.
No error codes.
The piece of plastic was not under stress (or normally isn't - the other side isn't)
There is no other damage (impact mark or otherwise) on the bit that broke off, so it doesn't look like anything hit it.
The wet mark is apparently the lubricant they have been applying to stop my rattles and squeaks (most of mine come from the area of the broken trim).
My seat is always way back (almost touching - I am careful not to make the seat and trim rub to protect the leather and not be a cause of squeaks). So it would have been almost impossible for anything to hit the spot as it is protected by the seat.
The windows were up anyway when it happened - making it even harder for any projectile to reach the spot.
There was no hostage in my boot at the time who was trying to fight their way out.

Dealer is mystified and will be ordering a new trim piece.
We will be going in for a more detailed examination soon (pulling it apart to see if anything from behind caused it)

[tranquility]

^Wow, that is strange.

[Ramjet]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

Update:
My seat is always way back (almost touching - I am careful not to make the seat and trim rub to protect the leather and not be a cause of squeaks).

man I know what you mean, I am really careful about this too, but my wife always insists on pushing the seat back through the boot. There are big rub marks on the back of the seats as a reasult, and the squeak always bugs me when I first get in and have to adjust (mostly on the passenger side - no memory seat function there).

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Ramjet

man I know what you mean, I am really careful about this too, but my wife always insists on pushing the seat back through the boot. There are big rub marks on the back of the seats as a reasult, and the squeak always bugs me when I first get in and have to adjust (mostly on the passenger side - no memory seat function there).

Won't it affect the mechanics of the seat over time since it's squeezing against the back? I always make sure that there's a gap between the seat and the rear bulkhead.

[cdeslandes]

Originally Posted by Ramjet

man I know what you mean, I am really careful about this too, but my wife always insists on pushing the seat back through the boot. There are big rub marks on the back of the seats as a reasult, and the squeak always bugs me when I first get in and have to adjust (mostly on the passenger side - no memory seat function there).

Same here!

[ManiacGT]

Well I suppose there's a silver lining to this particular cloud.. if there's no trim there, it can't squeak!

[baldguyj]

Originally Posted by Ramjet

man I know what you mean, I am really careful about this too, but my wife always insists on pushing the seat back through the boot. There are big rub marks on the back of the seats as a reasult, and the squeak always bugs me when I first get in and have to adjust (mostly on the passenger side - no memory seat function there).

I wish I could have a gap, but being 6'6" my seat is crammed to the back, and I don't hear squeeks since my top is down 90% of the time!

[juhap]

Is that supposed to look like that? Looks like it's been hit by something on the other side. Didn't happen to see any ninjas hanging from the trees above you?

[Dr Stig 2]

Originally Posted by ManiacGT

Well I suppose there's a silver lining to this particular cloud.. if there's no trim there, it can't squeak!

Only a 4cm square hole - still plenty of trim to squeak.

Originally Posted by juhap

Is that supposed to look like that? Looks like it's been hit by something on the other side. Didn't happen to see any ninjas hanging from the trees above you?

Yes, its just remnant injection plastic from the molding process. There must be a join/seal in the mold right there and plastic is forced into it under pressure. Being on the inside of the trim they done bother to clean it off.

Ninjas?
Trees?
This is Australia Baby, wide open spaces and blue skies all the way!

[tranquility]

Is it possible that the lubricant could've caused some weird chemical reaction and made the trim fall off?

[richard in NC]

I'm thinking more that a rock kicked up from a tire and sheered the piece off.