NHTSA Complaint #11062056 — 2011 BMW X3

AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED WITH AN WARNING MESSAGE OF "CHASSIS STABILITY/STEERING. CHASSIS STABILITY MALFUNCTION. TRACTION REDUCED. A CHANGE IN STEERING BEHAVIOR OR STEERING WHEEL ANGLE IS POSSIBLE. CONTINUED DRIVING IS POSSIBLE. DRIVE MODERATELY. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW CENTER." RESTARTED THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AT WHICH POINT, THE STEERING SYSTEM FELT FINE AGAIN. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR LESS THAN 10 MILES ON CITY STREETS, THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND HAD TO COME TO A STOP ON A BUSY ROAD. TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR MULTIPLE TIME BUT KEPT GETTING THE ERROR MESSAGE "STEERING RESPONSE AFFECTED! DRIVE MODERATELY. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW CENTER." IT HAD TO BE TOWED ON A FLATBED TO A SHOP AT THIS POINT. THE CAR JUST BARELY HIT 50K (50,0049) MILES AND HAD BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE REGULARLY IN THE PAST.