NHTSA Complaint #10817271 — 2007 BMW M6

AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A BODY SHOP FOR SOME WORK TO BED DONE (NEW CARBON FIBER HOOD INSTALLED AND CARBON FIBER REAR DEFUSER), THE CAR SAT AT THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS BEFORE ANY WORK BEGAN. WHILE SITTING THERE, THE BATTERY DIED. WHEN THE SHOP CHARGED IT, THE RED ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK FAULT CAME IN THE DASH AND IT WILL NOT START. I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MOST BMW 2007 MODELS. SOME CONSUMERS HAVE TAKEN THEIR CARS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIR AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD TELL THEM THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE CORRECT REPAIR. OTHERS HAVE FOUND THAT THE COMPUTER CAUSES THIS WHEN THE BATTERY IS DRAINED AND THEY ONLY NEED TO CLEAR THE FAULT USING A OBD CABLE AND SOFTWARE. SOME OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE HAD TO BYPASS THE ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK (OR ELV) AND INSTALL AN EMULATOR TO KEEP THE COMPUTER FROM READING THE FAULT. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR'S MODELS. BMW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ISSUE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. AS OF NOW, I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, 45 MINUTES AWAY, AND THEN PAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. BEING A BMW, THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR, JUST BECAUSE THE BATTERY DIED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING, BMW, AND RECALL THIS ISSUE. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE NEEDED BEFORE YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY?