2006 BMW 325I steering problems

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Vehicle Steering Lock Malfunction - Car does not start and stuck in Park. Cannot move steering wheel which is locked. This is a design defect that needs to be addressed. Vehicle is rendered inoperative! Cannot move or start it! approx. mileage 105k. This is a new problem besides the current recall which has not been available yet. I've also been locked out of this vehicle and had to climb out of the window, thank God it was not a fire or flood! I was able to fix that problem myself. note: Steering Lock Malfunction is a widespread problem! Dealers want to replace the entire steering column in these cases at a very high cost. Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11475609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL BMW, THE ELV CONTROL /STEERING WARNING LOCK IS FAULTY. BMW ISSUED A TSB TO DEALERS THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE AND SHOULD ONLY BE FIXED IF A CUSTOMER BRINGS IN THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE AND CAN ONLY BE FIXED AT A DEALER. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED, IF THE CONTROL CANNOT BE UNLOCKED THE CAR CANNOT START. SINCE BMW HAS RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE WITH A TSB, I AM UNSURE AS TO WHY A RECALL AS NOT BEEN ISSUED. THIS ISSUE IS STRICTLY RELATED TO THE BMW COMPUTER SYSTEM AND THE OWNERS CAN DO NOTHING TO PREVENT THIS FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #11327286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING COLUNM

NHTSA complaint #11192183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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ENGINE SUDDENLY SHOT OFF COMPLETE STALL - LOST POWER STEERING ON FREEWAY WHILE GOING 70 MPH

NHTSA complaint #11140467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR ENTERING THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE WHILE WAITING FOR MONTHS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE DEALERS BMW OF BOWLING GREEN (325 THREE SPRINGS RD, BOWLING GREEN, KY 42104, (270) 745-0001) AND BMW OF LOUISVILLE (4 AUTOCENTER DR., LOUISVILLE, KY 40299, (502) 287-1501) HAD BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE REMEDY PARTS WOULD BE PROVIDED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE REMEDY PARTS WOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE DEALERS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11081285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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CAR WAS DRIVING WHEN YELLOW STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON STREET. MALFUNCTION OF INTEGRAL LOCK SENSOR IN STEERING COLUMN ELV ECU HARDWARE STEERING LOCK ERROR STEERING COLUMN LOCK YELLOW COLOR LEADS TO RED WHICH TOTALLY RENDERS CAR UNABLE TO START BMW HAS KNOW BULLETIN SIB-32-04-07

NHTSA complaint #11065502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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THE VEHICLE WON'T START, AND STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR INITIALLY, BUT 20 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I TESTED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY, BUT STILL NOT ABLE TO START OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. UPON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, IT SEEMS TO BE THE AN ISSUE WITH THE ELV LOCKING SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #11057253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TENSION BELTS.OVER HEATING.ALIGNMENT.TRANSMISSION. I'VE LOST JOBS DUE TO THESE ISSUES THE CAR AGAIN IS BROKE

NHTSA complaint #11001397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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MY WIFE PARKED HER 2006 BMW 325I AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO START THE CAR THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOOK MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR, MOVE THE CAR OR TAKE IT OUT OF PARK TO HAVE IT TOWED. THIS IS EITHER A BAD DESIGN BY BMW (IT ONLY HAPPENS IN 2006-7 MODELS) OR SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10985929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WHEEL LOCK LIGHT IS ON ENGINE DOES NOT START STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE IS LOCK

NHTSA complaint #10861428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WHEEL LIGHT COMES ON VEHICLE DOES NOT START STEERING WHEEL LOCKS I HEAR FROM A FORUM THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE CAN BE A REASON FOR A FATAL ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10861430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK.

NHTSA complaint #10859786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WHEEL LOCK HAS MALFUNCTIONED RENDERING THE CAR UNSTARTABLE..CAR WAS PARKED WITH WHEELS FACING STRAIT AHEAD AND UPON RESTART THE LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND HAS BEEN STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION.

NHTSA complaint #10845912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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BELT TENSIONER BOLT BROKE OFF CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT TO SLIP OFF CAUSING ENGINE TO FAIL. CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION YET BECAUSE CAR HAS JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED AND IS IN REPAIR SHOP NOW. I FOUND ONLINE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AS WELL.

NHTSA complaint #10795200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING ENGINE LIGHT WARNING. STARTED WITH A SMALL RED LIGHT WHEN TURNING CAR OFF. THE FLASH OF RED WAS SO QUICK COULD NOT TELL WHAT SYMBOL IT WAS. THIS THEN TURNED INTO YELLOW WARNING WITH WRITTEN DESCRIPTION IN NAVIGATION/COMPUTER DISPLAY. STEERING ENGINE LOCK. TURN STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT. DO NOT TURN CAR OFF WILL NOT RESTART. TOOK CAR IN TWICE NOT ANYTHING SHOWING ERROR OR PROBLEM. CALLED BMW N. AMERICA HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS ILLUMINATED SYMBOL MEANT, CONNECTED ME TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD NO IDEA. TOWED TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER AND DRIVER). CAR HAS 44950 MILES. DEALER CALLED TODAY AND SAID STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE YELLOW ILLUMINATION STAYED ON WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY, IN MOTION AND TURNING WHILE ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY. RED ILLUMINATION CAR WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA complaint #10794947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WHEEL LOCK PREVENTS THE STARTER FROM WORKING. THIS PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH WILL COST OVER ONE THOUSANDS DOLLARS. BMW HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA complaint #10781405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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MY VEHICLE IS IN STORAGE FOR THE WINTER I START IT ONCE A WEEK THEN RECENTLY IT JUST STOP WORKING AND A STEERING WHEEL LOCK APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD I RESEARCH IT AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BMW 325I HAD THE SAME ISSUE . I FEEL BMW SHOULD REPAIR THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10695466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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VEHICLE HAD A YELLOW STEERING WHEEL AND LOCK DISPLAY ON THE DASH WHEN I TRIED TO START MY CAR. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR IN EVERY POSSIBLY WAY, IT STILL DID NOT START. PUT KEY IN, PULLED IT OUT MULTIPLE TIMES; LOCKED CAR, UNLOCKED CAR; WIGGLED STEERING WHEEL WHILE TRYING TO START THE CAR (PUSH START). NOTICED WHEN KEY IS PUSHED INTO KEY HOLE, IT LATCHES, BUT DOES NOT GIVE ANY ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE CAR, OR RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL. STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. CAR HAS NO POWER TO OTHER FUNCTIONS IN CAR. CAR CAN'T BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL TO MOVE CAR. THE CAR IS PRETTY MUCH UNUSABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10661017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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I ONLY HAVE 65K MILES ON MY BMW 325I 2006 IT AND MOSTLY DRIVEN ON HIGHWAYS. A FEW DAYS BACK MY BMW WOULDN'T START WITHOUT ANY RHYME OR REASON. IT HAD A RED STEERING WHEEL WARNING LIGHT ON AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START AT ALL. THE BOOK DIDN'T HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS EITHER BUT TO TAKE THE CAR TO DEALERSHIPS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE ALSO HELPLESS AND HAD NO IDEA. I HAD TO TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. ULTIMATELY DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS SOME MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SOUNDED CRAZY AS MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WITH ANY ACCIDENT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A CAR WITH ONLY 65K MILES NEEDS A WHOLE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED. IT COST ME ~$1500 TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. ON SEARCHING GOOGLE IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME MANUFACTURING ISSUE WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JAM AND CUSTOMERS NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. I EMAILED AND CALLED THE BMW SERVICE AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION AND TOLD ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA IF I WISH TO DO SO. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN START UNTIL THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN IS REPLACED. PLEASE TELL BMW TO OWN THE MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND STOP CHEATING NAIVE CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA complaint #10644096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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JUST HAD CAR SERVICED AND LOOKED OVER ON WEEK LATER STEERING WHEEL LOCK CAME ON WHEN I USED IT DAY BEFORE. HAD NO WARNING, WOKE UP IN THE MORNING TO GO TO WORK AND STEERING WHEEL LOCK SYMBOL CAME UP AND CAR WILL NOT START.

NHTSA complaint #10574850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK AS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA complaint #10513876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WHEEL LOCK JAM LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR AND I WAS ABLE TO RESET IT. HAPPENED AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 15 AND THIS TIME IT WILL NOT RESET.

NHTSA complaint #10498385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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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.

NHTSA complaint #10473274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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I NOW HAVE THE "STEERING LOCK" YELLOW CAUTION LIGHT ON.

NHTSA complaint #10472890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TRIED TO START CAR, PUT KEY IN, PRESSED START BUTTON AND AN AMBER PADLOCK ICON APPEARED OVER A STEERING WHEEL ICON - CAR WON'T START.

NHTSA complaint #10472820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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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?

NHTSA complaint #10469243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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STEERING WAS LOCKED AND I CAN'T START THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS AFTER I TRYING SO MANY METHODS GOT FROM ONLINE.

NHTSA complaint #10466932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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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.

NHTSA complaint #10465436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TL* 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.

NHTSA complaint #10461210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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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.

NHTSA complaint #10453757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.