NHTSA Complaint #11075144 — 2007 BMW 530I

MY 2007 BMW 530I HAS A MESSAGE IN THE DASH WITH A RED STEERING WHEEL SAYING "STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTION!" "STEERING WHEEL MAY STAY LOCKED/UNLOCKED AND VEHICLE MAY NOT START"..... I HAVE CALLED THE BMW MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THIS ISSUE STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 11 YRS OLD AND PROBLEMS WILL ACCRUE WITH THAT AGE ON ANY VEHICLE. YES THAT MAY BE TRUE BUT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD LOCK WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE RD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I ALSO CALLED THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE ON MY OWN AND THE SAID THAT THE PART ITSELF WAS AROUND $600!!! THEN ADD ON 4HRS OF LABOR TO THAT WITH A LABOR RATE OF $145 AND HE! THAT ADDS UP TO ALMOST $1200.00, HOW CAN A STEERING WHEEL LOCK COST SO MUCH! AND US CUSTOMERS BE FORCED TO PAY THIS AMOUNT BECAUSE IF WE DON'T WE MAY END UP ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH AND THE STEERING LOCKUP AND HAVE MAJOR ACCIDENT. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP WITH THIS ISSUE!