NHTSA Complaint #10992369 — 2010 BMW 535I GRAN TURISMO

HORN, AIR BAG AND ALL STEERING WHEEL ELECTRONICS PERMANENTLY SEASED WORKING AFTER A SNAP NOISE FROMTHE STEERING COLUMN HAPPEN, DRIVER SYSTEM RESTRAIN ERROR LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE GOING IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF PARKING SPOT THE STEERING WAS TURNED FAR LEFT TO GET INTO THE STREET. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING A NOISE THAT RESEMBLES PLASTICS BREAKING CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN COMPARTMENT AND CLICKING SOUND THAT STILL OCCURS TODAY WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOTICEABLE AND CONCERNING IF STEERING IS RELIABLE AND SAFE. WHEN THE ORIGINAL CRACKING NOISE OCCURRED THE COMPUTER WENT OFF WITH A DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE ERROR. SINCE THEN ALL COMPONENTS SUCH BUTTONS, HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, VOLUME, PHONE, AIR BAG ETC STOPPED WORKING. THE MOST CONCERNING COMPONENT THAT STOPPED WORKING IS THE HORN AND AIRBAG THAT OBVIOUSLY PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD AND A COMPONENT THAT IS NEEDED FOR SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 44000 MILES TOTAL AND THE COMPONENTS FAILURE CANNOT BE BLAMED TO DRIVER IMPROPER USE OF THE CAR THAT CAN BE FILED WITH INSURANCE. THE STEERING COLUMN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INVOLVING AIR BAGS, HORN AND OTHERS SHOULD BE RELIABLE AND STAY WORKING FOR MUCH LONGER THAN 44K MILES AND SHOULD BE A RECALL AT THE DEALERS EXPENSE. A BMW MASTER MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THESE A REPLACEABLE COMPONENTS THAT GO INSIDE THAT STEERING COLUMN COMPARTMENT THAT ARE KNOWN FOR BREAKING AND THAT BMW HAS COME OUT WITH SEVERAL "IMPROVED VERSIONS" OF THE COMPONENT SINCE THE CAR FIRST WAS RELEASED IN 2010.