2000 BMW 323I Steering Problems

AFTER HAVING THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED AND A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT COMPLETED AT A BMW SERVICE DEALERSHIP IN TYLER, TX, APPARENTLY THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN) FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC), BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THIS SENSOR FAILED, ALL THREE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CEASED TO WORK. ACCORDING TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO RE-CALIBRATE THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AFTER AN ALIGNMENT IS COMPLETED. ADDITIONALLY, PER THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE REPLACING STEERING ANGLE SENSORS IN A VARIETY OF BMW AUTOMOBILES AT "3 TO 4 PER WEEK". ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS BETWEEN $500 - $1000. *TR

CAR TYPE - 2000 BMW 323CI MILES WHEN PURCHASED NEW - 23 MILES WHEN FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED 29,725 MILES SEPT 13TH, 2002 MILES WHEN SERVICE CALL OPENED 31,018 - OCTOBER 23, 2002 I NOTICED A SWOOSHING NOISE CLOSE TO MY STEERING COLUMN AND SUBSEQUENTLY TURNING MY CAR BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. THIS LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL GRINDING/WINDING NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE VEHICLE. POWER STEERING THEN WENT OUT ALTOGETHER AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE CENTER (SAN ANTONIO, TX 180 MILES AWAY). BMW CENTER- SAN ANTONIO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS ISSUES HAS REOCCURED FOUR TIMES, APPROXIMATELY 1 ONCE A YEAR AND AGAIN ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 24TH. THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE WRITE UP. NOW FROM THE REOCCURING DAMAGE, I HAVE TO REPLACE OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS AT...

I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO HAVE A PROBLEM FIXED WITH THE SUN ROOF AND MENTIONED THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING THE VEHICLE DURING BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEN I GOT THE REPAIR LIST BACK FROM THE DEALER I NOTICED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED A MAJOR PORTION OF THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYSTEM. THE SERVICE SEEMED RATHER FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T HESITATE TO REPLACE ALL OF THE COMPONETS WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF A SIGNIFIGANT PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HAVE NOT REPORTED IT. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING THE BMW WEBSITES ON THE 3 SERIES AND HAVE FOUND THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT IN THEIR VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER IS PAYING FOR THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEMS, BUT, ONLY IF YOU ASK ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY NOTIFYING INDIVIDUAL OWNERS OF THIS...