10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,153 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #77

Jun 012017

328

  • 110,000 miles
110000 miles. 2007 BMW 328I. Sterring wheel lock fault. Car will not start and wheel will not turn. This is a "common" issue with this car. This should be a recall issue.

- Richmond, TX, USA

problem #76

Jun 012017

328

  • 83,000 miles
The electronic steering wheel is malfunctioning and preventing the car from starting.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #75

May 062017

328

  • 109,000 miles
I was out with my kids and went to park at the restaurant and when I turned off my car a steering wheel lock sign in red popped up on the dash. This was the first time I had seen this, so I turned the car back on and kept flashing. I took the manuel out to see what this was and it was the steering wheel lock. Well I figured ok I will read more about it after I had dinner with my kids. I had forgotten about it after dinner so I get in my car just like normal and then I see the red sign still. Went home and the light is still on. I had been searching for this online and I have seen so many other people with this problem. I'm afraid to drive my car now since it's what I use to take my kids to school and pick them up. I just hope the dealer can fix this since this is the first time I have seen it. It never even went from yellow to red it was just red.

- Port Neches, TX, USA

problem #74

Apr 172017

328

  • miles
I have a 2007 BMW 328I. In 2010, I got in the vehicle and there was a steering wheel lock warning on the dash. Car will not even turn over...everything is locked up.. told that the whole steering column will need to be replaced ($1500). According to many references, this is a common problem and BMW is aware of it. Also, according to several references, there is no warning or prediction when the steering wheel lock will fail in the locked position. If you are first getting into the vehicle and the steering wheel lock has failed in the locked position, it will not allow you to start the engine. The question that I have is whether the steering wheel lock can fail in the locked position while the vehicle is being driven. Apparently, this question has been raised by numerous people. I have asked this question to the dealership as well as several BMW websites. The results are, they don't know or the answers have been inconsistent and often contradictory. Aside from this particular problem being far too frequent to ignore by BMW, this appears to be a very real safety concern. BMW continues to ignore this problem.

- Scio, NY, USA

problem #73

Mar 282017

328

  • 108,000 miles
Steering wheel lock (red symbol on the notification screen). Vehiclecle will no longer start. Nothing seems to work.

- Frederick, MD, USA

problem #72

Jan 282017

328

  • 10 miles
I had the red steering wheel lock on my car about 2 week ago. I been driving with it on for about 2 weeks, because I was not able to get into the dealer. It always started for me, but I feel my steering getting hard. And I see on BMW form that car need to get replace the steering column. And my car isn't covered under warranty, and would have cost about 1K otherwise. And I see a lot of cars with this problem.

- Yonkers, NY, USA

problem #71

Feb 042017

328

  • 104,000 miles
Since I got this car my oil was leaking. I had to replace the val cover. I can't remember how much that cost me. My steering lock module was replaced and it cost me $1,181.07. I had my belt tensioner replaced because it was bent. It cost me $327.04. This was done 3/6/2015. A recall on SRS air bag. I still have the air bag warning light. BMW recommended to replace of exhaust lifters and roller drag levers with updated unit to eliminate ticking noise at idle which will cost me $1,466.40. I need to replace alternator, belt, battery and the car won't start. I fixed the battery problem and as I was driving to work and parked the car would not start. My battery connection need to be replace. Common issue with all BMW. I will spend about 1,518.7 to fix the problem.

- Vancouver, WA, USA

problem #70

Feb 042017

328

  • miles
During normal cruise, the yellow steering lock appeared randomly once....pulling in to the driveway of my home the steering locked in a fix position. I was going less than 5 mph, maintain control but almost impacted my home. In doing research on this fault, there are a lot of complaints regarding the random results of steering wheel lock on BMW vehicles. I believe that if I was not behind the wheel of this car, it could have had very negative results ( if my wife or daughter were driving-and could have cause injury to others or property). BMW needs to take ownership of these faults that have the potencial to loose control of the vehicle while in motion, and when not in motion the ridiculous amount of charges the company wants to pass to consumers for a potential faulty design or quality deficiency that can cause injury or worse.

- Grapevine, TX, USA

problem #69

Jan 132017

328

  • 130,000 miles
While driving the car the car gave me an elv lock error and locked the steering wheel.

- Lawrence, MA, USA

problem #68

Nov 292016

328

  • 117,000 miles
Battery died. Got a charge and red steering light with a lock turned on. Locked steering and unable to start car after charging.

- Slc, UT, USA

problem #67

Oct 162016

328

  • 90,000 miles
Wheel sterring lock malfunction, essentially there steering no longer works and car shuts down.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #66

Sep 292016

328

  • 170,000 miles
Elv electronic steering lock faulty red indicator lamp: Engine will not start in Jan 2013 my car (mileage 128,575)was repaired by reeves BMW in tampa, fl for faulty steering lock (A112 cas elv fault and A116 cas critical status). They replaced the steering lock (steering column) at cost of $664.17 parts and $547.88 labor = $1212.05 + taxes. I didn't realize there were hundreds of similar complaints on the internet for this same issue. Now its 9/29/16 and I have the same exact issue with the lamp indicator and my car will not start. Stranded over 1 hour from my home. BMW parts have a warranty of 2 years, so there is nothing that the service department will do. I have to pay for the same repair all over again, plus the cost of a tow. How is this ethical or even safe? with all the complaints for this BMW elv issue, there should be a recall by BMW. This is a safety issue and something should be done to hold BMW accountable for these repairs. Obviously, there must be a material defect and/or design flaw where this keeps happening to hundreds of owners and on multiple occasions.

- Apollo Beach, FL, USA

problem #65

Jul 292016

328

  • 52,600 miles
My 2007 BMW 328I is having red steering wheel warning displayed on dash. I have read around the internet and this seems to be a common problem with BMW. Requires the entire steering column be replaced. This is a major safety issue if a person needs to start the car and is unable to start it because of a faulty latch and lever. A simple google search of "BMW steering wheel lock" brings up hundreds of pages and videos of people having issues with their vehicles. The light on my car is a steering wheel lock red. I checked my battery and it works perfectly fine. The problem is a faulty steering lock. The certified BMW dealer that sold the vehicle said this is normal of bmws. Normal meaning they know it will eventually go bad and the steering column has to be replace to correct it. What, the steering column has to be replaced. At some point the vehicle will go into a no start mode per BMW to prevent a steering wheel lock from engaging while operating. This is unethical and cost the consumer around 1500 us dollars to correct.

- Albany, GA, USA

problem #64

Jul 232016

328

  • miles
Steering wheel lock is on. It appears this is a known issue. This is a safety issue. The car can stall or in case of an attack, a person cant get away. I walked to my vehicle one day and it was on, with no warning. It was never yellow. Went straight to red. Never seen it before.

- Queens, NY, USA

problem #63

Jun 252016

328

  • 120,000 miles
My 2007 BMW 328I is having steering wheel lock issues. I have read around the internet and this seems to be a common problem with BMW. Sometimes when I start the car it will work, other times it will not turn on unless I try pulling the key fob out and putting it back in and clicking the push to start several times. This is all because of a lever that pushes a latch the unhooks the steering column so the car can start. BMW does not sell the faulty latch and lever alone but requires the entire steering column be replaced. This is a major safety issue if a person needs to start the car and is unable to start it because if a faulty latch and lever. A simple google search of "BMW steering wheel lock" brings up hundreds of pages and videos of people having issues with their vehicles. The light on my car is yellow and not red. I checked my battery and it works perfectly fine. The problem is a faulty steering lock. Ever since I purchased the vehicle it made this locking and unlocking noise and the certified BMW dealer that sold the vehicle said this is normal of bmws. Normal meaning they know it will eventually go bad and has to be replaced. This is unethical and a scam by BMW.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #62

Feb 102016

328

  • miles
After parking at store steering wheel lock displayed on car dash board and vehicle will not start.

- Whiteville, TN, USA

problem #61

Apr 072016

328

  • 78,568 miles
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 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.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #60

Mar 212016

328

  • 107,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328I. While driving 15 mph, the steering wheel locked up and the vehicle stalled. Various warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering column failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 107,000.

- Orlanda, FL, USA

problem #59

Jan 302016

328

  • 0 miles
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

- Export, PA, USA

problem #58

Jan 022016

328

  • 120,000 miles
No star no light no power only light for steering lock

- La Puente, CA, USA

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