NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
15 reportsClear category filter125,000 miles · Nov 14, 2017
EngineSteeringVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
POWER STEERING PULLEY COMES INTO CONTACT OF AXLE CARRIER, IT'S A CLEAR DESIGN FLAW AND THIS CAR HASN'T HAD MUCH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DONE, THE COMPANY KNOWINGLY PUT AN UNSAFE BETA CAR ON THE MARKET. MY BELT BROKE BECAUSE OF THE PULLEY TO FRAME CONTACT AND STALLED ON THE 405 FREEWAY AND ENDED UP GETTING INJURED WHEN THE CAR W…
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POWER STEERING PULLEY COMES INTO CONTACT OF AXLE CARRIER, IT'S A CLEAR DESIGN FLAW AND THIS CAR HASN'T HAD MUCH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DONE, THE COMPANY KNOWINGLY PUT AN UNSAFE BETA CAR ON THE MARKET. MY BELT BROKE BECAUSE OF THE PULLEY TO FRAME CONTACT AND STALLED ON THE 405 FREEWAY AND ENDED UP GETTING INJURED WHEN THE CAR WAS REAR ENDED AT 60MPH. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN WITHIN BMW'S SYSTEM DESCRIBING THIS ISSUE AND THEY WANT CONSUMERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS. I SPOKE TO CORPORATE AND THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THE COLD SHOULDER SO FAR. MY MISSION IS TO GET THIS ESCALATED TO A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT.
NHTSA ODI #11046022
83,000 miles · Jun 1, 2017
Steering
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL IS MALFUNCTIONING AND PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING.
NHTSA ODI #10992687
108,000 miles · Mar 28, 2017
SteeringWheels
STEERING WHEEL LOCK (RED SYMBOL ON THE NOTIFICATION SCREEN). VEHICLECLE WILL NO LONGER START. NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK.
NHTSA ODI #10969116
78,568 miles · Apr 19, 2016
Steering
THE STEERING LOCK WARNING LIGHT IN RED DISPLAY. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY RECOMMENDED ME TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK "ELV" AND PROGRAM NEW CONTROL MODULE. IT COST $1,975.00 TO REPLACE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS THIS MIGHT BE KNOWN PROBLEM TO BMW, BUT YET, I HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT, UNTIL THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ME…
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THE STEERING LOCK WARNING LIGHT IN RED DISPLAY. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY RECOMMENDED ME TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK "ELV" AND PROGRAM NEW CONTROL MODULE. IT COST $1,975.00 TO REPLACE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS THIS MIGHT BE KNOWN PROBLEM TO BMW, BUT YET, I HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT, UNTIL THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ME. WHEN THE WARNING SYMBOL DISPLAYED, IT DISPLAY EVERY TIME EVEN WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR.
NHTSA ODI #10860414
Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2016
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
RED ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ICON ON SCREEN AND CAR WILL NOT START OR TURN OVER. RADIO WORKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT CAR WILL NOT START. WHEN BATTERY DIED, AND I CHARGED IT FULL, THEN WENT TO START THE CAR AND THIS RED ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK CAME ON. HAD TO GET CAR SERVICED
NHTSA ODI #10823314
120,000 miles · Jan 14, 2016
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or Other
NO STAR NO LIGHT NO POWER ONLY LIGHT FOR STEERING LOCK
NHTSA ODI #10820249
54,000 miles · Sep 26, 2015
Steering
I PARKED MY VEHICLE AND WHEN I WENT TO START IT IT WOULD NOT START. I GOT A RED ELV STEERING COLUMN LOCK ERROR, BMW CC-ID 186. CAR WILL NOT START.
NHTSA ODI #10777843
75,000 miles · Sep 17, 2015
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
BATTERY DIED. JUMPSTARTED, DROVE FOR A BIT. TURNED OFF, TURNED BACK ON DROVE HOME. PARKED THE CAR. TRIED TO RESTART AND THE RED ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK INDICATOR WAS ON. PLENTY OF JUICE IN THE BATTERY, CAR WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO TURN OVER. CAN NOT GET INTO NEUTRAL TO TOW OUT. CAR IS DEAD WHERE IT SITS BECAUSE OF THE ELE…
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BATTERY DIED. JUMPSTARTED, DROVE FOR A BIT. TURNED OFF, TURNED BACK ON DROVE HOME. PARKED THE CAR. TRIED TO RESTART AND THE RED ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK INDICATOR WAS ON. PLENTY OF JUICE IN THE BATTERY, CAR WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO TURN OVER. CAN NOT GET INTO NEUTRAL TO TOW OUT. CAR IS DEAD WHERE IT SITS BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. THANK GOODNESS WE WEREN'T IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
NHTSA ODI #10764851
74,800 miles · Mar 10, 2015
Steering
YELLOW WARNING LIGHT INDICATED WHEEL IS LOCKED; CAR WILL NOT START. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEREAS IT DID NOT AFFECT MY DRIVING, IT AFFECTED DRIVEABILITY. HAVE BEEN FAR FROM HOME LATE IN THE DAY -WORK RELATED. DEALERSHIP SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHAT IF WHEEL LOCKS WHILE DRIVING? SHAME ON BMW. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10693239
93,000 miles · Feb 18, 2015
Steering
STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM. ITS BEEN REPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF OWNERS BUT BMW DOESN'T ISSUE A RECALL BUT WILL REPLACE AND REPAIR FOR 1500.00. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10684129
Official recalls
1Mar 2, 2022
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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