2007 BMW 3 Series Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAR WOULD NOT START, THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PARKED THE CAR. VERY EXPENSIVE TO GET IT FIXED
STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKING UP WHICH CAUSES THE CAR NOT TO START. BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BMW 328I MY STEERING WHEEL, IT IS BLOCKED AND I CAN NOT TURN IT ON OR MOVE AND I THINK THAT IS BMW PROBLEM BECAUSE THOSE PARTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CUSTOMERS HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS DEFECTIVE OF FABRIC
THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN AN OVERNIGHT GARAGE FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS WHILE I WAS TRAVELING. WHEN I RETURNED AND TRIED TO START THE CAR, I GOT AN ELV SYMBOL (BASICALLY LOCKED THE VEHICLE AND KEPT IT FROM TURNING OVER). IT ESSENTIALLY DRAINED THE BATTERY WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF OCCURRENCES OF THIS HAPPENING TO BMWS. BMW KNOWS THAT THIS IS A FAULT ON VEHICLES MADE FROM 2006-2008. THE COST TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN IS AROUND $1600. BECAUSE THE COMPANY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH VEHICLES IN THESE YEARS, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT SHOULD BE LISTED AS A RECALL.
WHILE DRIVING BMW, 328I, 2007 ON A HEAVILY USED HIGHWAY, I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN TO AN OFF RAMP WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. FORTUNATELY DUE THE ANGLE OF THE WHEELS I MISSED A RETAINING WALL AND AN ISLAND SEPARATING ON-COMING TRAFFIC. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I FINALLY STOPPED I IMPEDED TRAFFIC UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED (2 HOURS). THIS OCCURRED AT THE TURN-OFF OF BELT PARKWAY (QUEENS, NY) AND VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY (ENTRANCE TO JFK AIRPORT). ON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE OTHER BMWS HAVING THE SAME DEFECT.
WHEEL STEERING LOCK LIGHT COMES ON. BMW IS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THIS FLAW IN THEIR CARS, BUT SINCE NHTSA HAS NOT STEPPED IN TO FORCE THEM TO FIX THIS ISSUE AS A RECALL THEY KEEP CHARGING PEOPLE FOR THE REPAIR UNDER A TSB.
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 WAS DRIVING THE WHOLE WEEKEND AND NOW MY CAR WON'T START I CHANGED THE BATTERY AND NOW SOME RED SYMBOL IS COMING UP AND I HAD LOOK IT UP ON YOU TUBE AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT MY STEERING WHEEL IS LOCK AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING THE NIGHT BEFORE AND NOW MY CAR WON'T START ALL BECAUSE OF SOME LOCKED SYMBOL
MY 2007 BMW 328I, DID NOT START AND IT SHOWED THAT IT HAD A LOCK STERRING WHEEL. ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH MY DRIVER SIDE MIRROR BEING FOLDED BACK WORLD AND DID NOT ALLOW ME TO POSITION TO A SAFE VIEW. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I COULD NOT START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE STERRING WHEEL WAS LOCKED.
I RECIEVED AN ERROR MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING A RED STEERING WHEEL WITH A PADOCK WITH THE FEAR OF SOMETHING HAPPENING AS I HAD MY UNDERAGE SON IN THE CAR DECIDED TO STOP AND CHECK THE CODE WHICH READ CCID 186 AFTER RESEARCHING AND FINDING OUT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 3 SERIES I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED WITH THE AMMOUNT OF CLAIMS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW AS IT IS OVER 1.5K TO FIX OUT OF WARRANTY .
CAR WANT START STEERING WHEEL WANT LOCK , ALREADY REPLACED STARTER AND IT STARTED RUNNING BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN AND I HAD IT CHECKED AND SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK.
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.
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.
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.
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, BEFORE I STARTED VEHICLE I NOTICED A RED STEERING WHEEL LOCK LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD, I TRIED TO TURN VEHICLE ON AND UNFORPTUNATELY MY CAR WON'T START.
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.
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR GAVE ME AN ELV LOCK ERROR AND LOCKED THE STEERING WHEEL.
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL IS MALFUNCTIONING AND PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING.
WHEEL STERRING LOCK MALFUNCTION, ESSENTIALLY THERE STEERING NO LONGER WORKS AND CAR SHUTS DOWN.
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.
AFTER PARKING AT STORE STEERING WHEEL LOCK DISPLAYED ON CAR DASH BOARD AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START.
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.
I HAVE A 2007 BMW 335I WITH A LOCKED STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAVE BEEN A NON AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM FROM THE RELEASE OF THE CAR. BMW REFUSES TO HELP THERE OWNERS EVEN WHEN THE ESTIMATED REPAIR IS ABOUT 2000. THIS ITEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO, MY STEERING LOCKED ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING INTHE CITY, I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER BEFORE I HIT SOMETHING. HTTP://BMWPROBLEM.COM/TAG/STEERING/PAGE/5/
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2007 BMW 3 Series has 72 Steering complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.