This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My steering wheel lock indicator was warning me that it was locked (amber light) ultimately the indicator turned red when trying to start the car and stranded me.
The steering column lock was yellow, then went red and would not start. My mechanic got hit to go back to yellow, took it to BMW and they said the steering column needed to be replaced. Took the car home and to another mechanic who replaced the column, but it did not resolve the issue. Everyone tells me the case needs to be replaced.
The two issues are (1) airbag malfunction and (2) steering wheel malfunction. (1) the first issue occurred while I was driving on ca I-80 towards berkley from davis on 8/17/2012. As I was driving, the car displayed a notification that the passenger air bag was experiencing a problem and shut off. There was a passenger in the car. As of this date, the airbag is still shut off. (2) the second issue occurred while I was driving on ca I-280 from burlingame towards millbrae on 8/30/2012. As I was driving, I noticed a steering wheel lock notification. Luckily, I was at my exit and near home so I drove slowly home. After turning the car off, the steering wheel locked up. Restarting and turning the car off causes the steering wheel to randomly lock/unlock. I have not driven the car after the incident.
Today my BMW 325I was giving me a trouble symbol with a red steering wheel with a lock with the number 1 in it. I was parked at gas station getting gas and when I tried to crank the car back up it would not start. I have been reading hundreds of other blogs about people having the exact same problem. It looks like we are going to have to have a tow truck to take the car 70 miles to the nearest dealer and pay to have it fixed. This should certainly be a recall!!! shame on you BMW for not admitting that this is a major problem. What if the steering would have locked up with my family in the car going down the road?
The vehicles electronic steering wheel lock mechanism has failed and vehicle will not unlock the steering wheel column nor start the vehicle with this problem in place. Hundreds of other complaints across the board with my same particular my (2006) can easily be found by a simple search on any given BMW blog/forum. This should definitely be a recall. What would happen if it had locked up while driving?? not safe at all and will certainly try everything I can to recoup the $1000+ I will be spending from BMW for the labor/repair that it will cost to have this ridiculous issue resolved.
BMW steering lock failure I should be replace by BMW because all this models have this problem is very unsafe but BMW don't want to do a recall in this matter.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 325I. While parked, the contact noticed that the steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. The contact did not experience a failure with the steering while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,000.
As many others have complained, my car now has a yellow steering wheel icon with a lock. I have to turn the steering wheel a few times in order to get the car to unlock and start. I am afraid to drive it as I have read that many people are unable to start the car once the icon turns from yellow to red. This is a known defect to BMW and they have discontinued use of this electronic lock in their 2007+ cars. Why won't BMW admit that their is an issue and fix it? why should I have to pay $500+ to fix something they've known was broken in the first place.
The car constantly displays a steering wheel lock icon when I try to start the car. This issue has been reported by many drivers and it can be fatal if the steering wheel locks while the car is moving. This needs to be addressed right away.
Steering wheel lock warning light illuminated in red on dash. This is a common problem with 2006 325I series. BMW has discontinued this type of steering wheel column when building their 2007 vehicles because its an issue. Why hasn't this been recalled and why hasnt anyone taken action on the incident?
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 325I. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel seized. The driver restarted the vehicle and the steering wheel operated as normal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test and the technician stated that the electronic steering lock would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000. The VIN was not available.
Ever since I purchased this car, it'd display a yellow icon with a steering wheel lock. On this date, the steering wheel lock failed to disengage and the icon was red, leaving me stranded. This same issue occurred to my friend last month as he has the exact same car as me. According to many online sources, many others have had the exact same issue.
My vehicle had the steering wheel lock with the amber light. Apparently, there are numerous 3 series with this issue in us and world. This is common for the E90S. Below is a list of those that have been reported to your Agency. This fault could potentially happen while driving causing the occupants to lose steering control. Reports: 10380778, 10378186 - 330I 10322165 - 325xi 10380077, 10353644 - 325I 10173714,10369685,10341920,10341836,10238977,10181405 and many others. When are you going to hold BMW accountable for this major issue and safety hazard?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Ferndale, MI, USA