NHTSA Complaint #10447712 — 2006 BMW 1 SERIES

THE RED FAILURE SYMBOL HAS LIT UP ON MY CAR WITH A STEERING WHEEL AND A LOCK. APPARENTLY THIS SYMBOL MEANS THERE'S AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL, THAT IT SHOULD BE LOCKED UP AND THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT START. BUT MY CAR STARTS ANYWAY. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I ASKED WHAT WOULD MAKE THIS PART BE DEFECTIVE, AND THEY SAID WITH TIME AND USE. BUT THE CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT! THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM LIES EITHER WITH THE SENSOR ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN (FAULTY SENSOR), OR IN THE SOFTWARE ITSELF. EITHER WAY, CONSIDERING HOW OFTEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN BMWS WITH LOW MILEAGE, SUCH A PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAID OUT OF POCKET BY THE CUSTOMER. *TR