2007 BMW 328XI Steering Problems

DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300.

FUEL PUMP IS BURNING OUT AND LIQUID ISN'T PASSING THROUGH THE TANK PROPERLY. THE CAR IS OVERHEATING ANF FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO START FIRE.

Mileage: 150,000

BMW WOULD NOT START CAUSING ME TO JUMP START MY CAR. UPON STARTING MY CAR, MESSAGE ON SCREEN SAYS THAT STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTION. THIS HAPPENED TODAY, MAY 18,2018 AT 3:30. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

Mileage: 122,000

I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE PARKING LOT BUT MY CAR WOULDN'T START, I HAVE THE CAR JUMP START, NO GO, STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED THEY HAD TO TOW THE CAR AND GET A TOW TRUCK THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR LIFTED BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. THIS WAS DUE TO FAULTY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCKS UP AND DRAINS THE BATTERY. DEALER SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEELS LOCK UP AND EVENTUALLY EATS UP THE BATTERY LIFE.

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.

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.

Mileage: 10

BATTERY DIED. GOT A CHARGE AND RED STEERING LIGHT WITH A LOCK TURNED ON. LOCKED STEERING AND UNABLE TO START CAR AFTER CHARGING.

Mileage: 117,000

ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCITON. VEHICLE CANNOT START. STEERING WHEEL COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND SOFTWARE UPGRADED.

Mileage: 70,000

DROVE TO MALL. PARKED CAR. CAME BACK OUT TO A RED STEERING WHEEL WITH A PADLOCK ON THE DASH. I PUT THE KEY IN THE CAR. PRESSED THE BUTTON, CAR WOULD NOT START. TRIED TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL BUT IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I SEARCHED THE SYMBOL TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM "INTERMITTENT IR IMMEDIATE STEERING WHEEL LOCKOUT". I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT BMW SAID WAS THE ONLY OPTION. DIAGNOSIS NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN. NO WARNING. NO STEERING ISSUES. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. JUST AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED OUT AND LEFT STRANDED.

Mileage: 133,000

STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND CAN'T START THE VEHICLE. I SEE NOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE TO DEAL WITH THIS NOW. *JS

Mileage: 68,000

VEHICLE HAS A CONSTANT STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT ACTUALLY LOCK, BUT THE WARNING IS CONSTANT. DEALER HAS STATED THAT THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED AND STRANDED CONSUMER. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE IN THE 2007 328XI AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS DONE NOTHING OTHER THAN FORCE THE CONSUMER TO MAKE EXPENSIVE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING/ENGINEERING FLAW. *JS

Mileage: 110,000

I HAD JUST EXITED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A LIGHT WHEN THE STEERING "LOCKED UP". I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO STEER AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY, THE CAR "COAST" TO THE SIDE OF THIS NON-BUSY ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITHOUT ANY ISSUES A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER. HOWEVER, THIS INCIDENT HAS ME AND MY FAMILY FREAKED OUT AS WE FREQUENTLY TRAVEL WITH OUR CHILDREN. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES IF THIS LOCK UP WERE TO HAPPEN ON A FREEWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60MPH. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FOLKS COMPLAIN OF THIS ISSUE AND AM AFRAID IT MAY RESURFACE ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. I'LL HAVE MY CAR TAKEN TO A SERVICE SHOP NEAR MY HOME AND HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE, BUT HAVING READ SO MANY COMPLAINTS IT APPEARS TO BE ALONG SIMILAR LINES OF THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUE. HAS BMW OWNED UP TO THIS AND ARE THEY ISSUING A RECALL? *TR

Mileage: 75,200

THE CAR FORTUNATELY WAS NOT IN MOTION HOWEVER THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK IS NOT ALLOWING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE AS WELL AS PREVENTING THE CAR TO START. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON INHERENT PROBLEM WITH BMW. IN WHICH COSTS THE CONSUMER ~$1800 TO FIX EVEN THOUGH IT'S A MOST LIKELY A SOFTWARE ISSUE AND NOT A PARTS ISSUE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. *TR

Mileage: 94,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ELV) IN THE STEERING COLUMN MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING COMPONENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

Mileage: 46,000

UPON TRYING TO START CAR, CONTROL MESSAGE CAME ON SAID STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, ENGINE WILL NOT START. TURN WHEEL TO START ENGINE. THIS DID NOT WORK, MANY TRIES!. CAR IS NOT RUNNING. IN CHECKING THE INTERNET, FOR A SOLUTION, I FIND MANY WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME MODEL & EVEN YEAR BMW. SOMETHING SOUNDS FISHY. THERE WAS JUST A RECALL ON THE 3 SERIES FOR SOME SHORT INVOLVING FUSE BOX TO BACK OF CAR WRITTEN UP IN MY LOCAL NEWSPAPER. BMW SAID MY CAR IS NOT INVOLVED. COULD THESE TWO ISSUES BE RELATED? I HAVE MAINTAINED MY CAR PER RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE! BMW OF NORTH AMERICA SAID THE WHEEL LOCK PROBLEM IS NOT WARRANTEED NOR IS IT A RECALL ISSUE. SOUNDS LIKE TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM FOR THIS NOT TO BE A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY BMW AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE! *TR

Mileage: 10,000

A RED STEERING WHEEL AND LOCK APPEARED ON THE DASH OF MY 2007 328XI WHICH DISPLAYS "STEERING WHEEL LOCK" ALERT AND READS THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE TURNED OFF OR ENGINE MAY FAIL TO START. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL WHICH IS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO FIX. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT AS IT IS QUITE COMMON IN THIS MODEL AND THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

ON THE WAY TO WORK THAT MORNING A RED WARNING LIGHT "STEERING WHEEL WITH A PAD LOCK ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER" CAME ON, AFTER PARKING AT WORK I GOT THE MANUAL OUT AND FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRIC STEERING-WHEEL LOCK FAULT , THE CAR MIGHT NOT START IF SHUT OFF. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER A FEW DAYS LATER, AND THEY CLEARED THE CODE SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. GOT THE WARNING AGAIN IN DECEMBER, WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND NOW THEY SAY A SENSOR IS BAD. THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN FOR $1000.00. *TR

Mileage: 25,000

MY 2007 BMW 328XI COMPLETELY POWERED DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS FORCED TO "COAST" INTO A SIDE LANE ON A BUSY ROAD DURING THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. SINCE THIS FIRST INCIDENT MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE - RECENTLY, MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY. I FEEL AS IF THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ISSUE SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON INCREDIBLY BUSY STREETS AND I COULD HAVE EASILY GOTTEN INTO SOME FORM OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

DASHBOARD DISPLAYS "ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK" ALERT. NO OTHER OUTWARD SYMPTOMS. CAR IS DRIVABLE. DEALER SAYS WHEEL COULD LOCK UP AT ANY TIME AND SAYS A STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT ($1400) IS REQUIRED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY PERVASIVE PROBLEM ON MANY BMW MODELS. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS SO BAD THAT BMW REPLACES THE STEERING COLUMN WITH ONE WITHOUT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK. THEREFORE, THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM WITH THE PART. MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO AN INHERENT AND PERVASIVE PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURERS WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. BMW SHOULD MAKE THIS REPAIR AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. *JS

Mileage: 37,000

DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300. *TR

Mileage: 53,500

CAR DIED OUT OF NO WHERE WHO NOT START WOULD NOT JUMP START HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FOR BIG MONEY ON A FLAT BED WITH SKATES. I WAS HOURS AWAY FROM HOME. STEERING COLUMN AND A NEW BATTERY OVER $1600. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

RED STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ONE DAY. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR STARTING EVEN WITH THE WARNING LIGHT ON. I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. NOT BECAUSE IT WAS BAD, BUT BECAUSE THE SENSOR WAS BAD AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WAS REPLACING THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. TOTAL COST WAS OVER $700. MY CAR WAS 3 MONTHS AND 5,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WARNING LIGHT SENSOR IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND BMW RECALLS THIS PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK, CAUSING HIM TO HIT A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FILED A REPORT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION WHICH WAS INCONCLUSIVE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300. *TR

Mileage: 72,000