2012 BMW X5 Steering Problems

It suddenly became very, very difficult and almost impossible to steer.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Repair shop repaired the pulley because i couldn't steer the vehicle correctly. It would jerk me on the road. Vehicle is available for inspection but is already repaired by local shop. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I could drive but couldn't steer intermittently. Scary!! i couldn't make a full turns and there was a rough spot in the steering sometimes. Eventually it locked up an couldn't leave parking spot. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. But i already got it repaired. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not that i know of. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when...

THE IDLER PULLEY BOLT BROKE FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CAR HAS APPROX 60 K MILES, AND THE LAST REPLACEMENT WAS DONE IN MAY 2018, APPROX 15 K MILES AGO. VEHICLE WAS MOVING AND IT LOST THE STEERING (STEERING HYDRAULICS STOPPED WORKING, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER), BATTERY INDICATOR CAME ON AND THE ENGINE COOLING FAN SET ON HIGH SPEED. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, APPROX HALF THE MILE FROM THE HOUSE. WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY PULLED IT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND WAITING FOR THEM TO COME AND PICK IT UP, THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE. THIS INCIDENT, WITH THE IDLER PULLEY BOLT IS THE THIRD TIME AFTER THEIR INITIAL RECALL. BMW DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THIS.

HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP AT 58,000 MILES. CAR IS SPEWING EXHAUST, AND ACCELERATION AND STEERING ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, LIKELY DUE TO UJOINT AND/OR WORN CONTROL ARM, WHICH I NOTICED WERE RECALLED FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT LISTED AS A RECALL FOR MY CAR/VIN. NEED TO RESEAL CRANKCASE JOINTING SURFACES. CAR HAS 8 RECALLS LISTED ON KBB, BUT BMW ONLY HAS RECORD OF 5 RECALLS. I DO NOT HAVE RECORDS OF REPAIRS THAT WERE DONE ON CAR BEFORE PURCHASE IN NOV. OF 2014. CAR CURRENTLY HAS 69,000 MILES AND IS DRIVING HORRIBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 10-20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING NOISE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE BELTS WERE LOOSE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE BATTERY INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE IDLER PULLEY WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

RECALL# 12V550000 BMW (800)5257417;REFUSE TO FIX PROBLEM

WHILE OUT OF TOWN, VEHICLE IN MOTION ON ROAD, HEAR A CLUNK IN THE ENGINE BAY AND MANY WARNING LIGHTS GO OFF. GO TO PULL OVER AND STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. MANAGE TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC SAFELY. THE REDUCED MOBILITY OF VEHICLE DUE TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. CALL TOW TRUCK. GARAGE STATES LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS DUE TO LOSS OF SERPENTINE BELT DUE TO BROKEN IDLER PULLEY BOLT, EVEN THOUGH A RECALL FOR THIS PART EXISTS AND HAS BEEN PERFORMED. RECALL 12V5500000 ENGINE IDLER PULLEY MAY BREAK, WAS PERFORMED IN 2013. THIS SAME RECALL SHOULD APPLY BUT BMW SERVICE STATES THEY WILL NOT SERVICE AGAIN AS IT HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED. PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER, TAKES OVER A WEEK FOR BOLT TO ARRIVE. MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIR FAILING A SECOND TIME IN AS...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BOLT FRACTURED AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED WITH FORCE. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME AND DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BOLT WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BMW OF WEST HOUSTON (20822 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77449, PHONE (855) 627-3055) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL ENGINE PULLEY BOLT FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V550000 (STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND THE STEERING WHEEL ENGINE PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REVERSED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FAULKNER BMW LOCATED AT: 1530 MANHEIM PIKE, LANCASTER, PA 17601, (717) 569-4269, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IDLER PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V550000 (STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

AFTER RECEIVING 3 RECALL NOTICES IN THE MAIL REGARDING AIR BAGS EARLY 2017 AND MOST RECENT AUGUST 2017 RECALL REGARDING FRONT DRIVESHAFT'S UNIVERSAL JOINTS, I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MY BMW DEALER IN HOLLYWOOD ABOUT THE DEFECTED PARTS BEING REPLACED. THERE ARE TIMES THEY DO NOT EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE OR THEY JUST SAY THE PARTS ARE NOT READY WITHOUT ANY FOLLOW UP REGARDING ESTIMATED TIME FRAME OR CALL BACK. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THESE RECALL NOTICES IF THE DEALERS ARE NOT EFFICIENT ENOUGH TO REPLACE THE PARTS?

ON JULY 31ST 2017, THE BOLT SECURING IDLER PULLEY AND ALTERNATOR SHEARED. BATTERY CHARGE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF POWER STEERING. LOOKING AT MY SERVICE RECORD, I SEE THAT THIS SAME BOLT WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL IN JANUARY 2013 WHEN CAR WAS AT 12332 MILES. THE CAR IS NOW AT 63456. ALSO NOTED ON BMW OWNERS WEB SITE THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS E70 SERIES DESIGN HAVE HAD THE SAME REPEAT PROBLEM. BMW DEALER IN CT PERFORMED THE LATEST REPAIR AND OFFERED NO EXPLANATION, EXCEPT THAT THEIR WORK IS GUARANTEED FOR 2 YEARS. ORIGINAL RECALL PERFORMED BY DEALER IN RALEIGH NC WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW HAS ADVISED ME TO POST THIS REPORT AND CALL BMWNA. I AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM, BUT FIRST DISCUSSION WAS NOT GOOD. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A RECORD OF THIS AS A CONTINUING PROBLEM...

MAKING A SHARP TURN RESULT IN VIBRATION

IN 2012 A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS CAR AND THE WORK WAS PERFORMED AT THE DEALER. ON 12/16/2016 THE STEERING FAILED WILE THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION. IT WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR ON THE SAME PART AS BEFORE. MY INVESTIGATION SHOWED THERE WERE MORE THAN ONE STEERING FAILURE IN THAT TIME PERIOD CONCERNING THE SAME MODEL, ENGINE AND EVERYTHING BUT A 2011 MODEL. I PAID OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE REPAIRS COMPLETED BECAUSE I NEED TRANSPORTATION, HOWEVER BMW IS CLAIMING THAT ONCE THE WORK IS COMPLETED AND AFTER TIME OF WARRANTY THEY ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND BMW WILL BILL CUSTOMERS FOR THE WORK EVEN IF THEY ARE REPLACING THE EQUIPMENT WITH FAULTY PARTS. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WASN'T DRIVING FAST AND THE WEATHER WAS NICE OR I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH NO...

SHUDDER OR VIBRATION FELT ON STEERING WITH FRONT WHEELS TURNED TO RIGHT OR LEFT. VIBRATION FELT WHEN MOVING FORWARD FROM A STOP POSITION OR BACKING UP WITH FRONT WHEELS TURN TO EITHER SIDE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TIRES BUT IT IS GETTING WORST EVEN WITH THE NEW TIRES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE LIGHT, AND TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PAN GASKET AND POWER STEERING PUMP HAD LEAKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD THE SOFTWARE UPDATED; HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND OIL PAN GASKET WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING BELT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT WHEELS WILL AUTOMATICALLY FOLLOW A RUT IN THE ROAD CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE UNEXPECTEDLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. MY WIFE HAD RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN HER HANDS AND CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF AN ACCIDENT. WHEN WE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE THE DEALER GAVE US A DIFFERENT MODEL WITHOUT THE AGGRESSIVE SUSPENSION - THE VEHICLE DRIVE BEAUTIFULLY. WHEN WE ARRIVED BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP THE DEALER HAD THIS MODEL ON THE FLOOR AND OFFERED US A "DEAL" TO PURCHASE IT. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT MAKE US AWARE OF THE PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE HANDLING. NOW AT 7000 MILES THE FRONT TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAYS WE MAY HAVE HIT A CURB. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND ANOTHER OWNER WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO HIS LETTER HE WAS ON THE WAY HOME AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND IT "TOOK...

THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY SUFFERS FROM ENGINE FAILURE WHEN EXECUTING A SHARP TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SO FAR ON THREE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT INSTANCES DURING ITS FIRST 1,000 MILES OF SERVICE, UNDER THE OPERATION OF TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS, WITH SEVERAL PASSENGER WITNESSES ON ONE OCCASION. WHEN THESE FAILURES HAPPEN, THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLS OR OTHERWISE SHUTS ITSELF OFF, WHICH LEADS TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN MID-TURN AND LOSS OF BRAKING. THE ONLY WAY TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS TO LET IT COAST TO A STOP, THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THEN PUSH THE IGNITION BUTTON TO RE-START THE CAR. *TR