2008 LAND ROVER LR2 Steering Problems

Ongoing problem with car not starting because of "steering wheel lock" message. Took to dealership first time and they replaced 2 fobs ($600) and starter ($2700). After 2 months same message came back on and car wouldn't start. I was left stranded in a parking lot at night. Took back to dealership again and they said they needed to replace the body control module ($2640). Now 3 months later same issue (car won't start with steering wheel locked message) and dealership is now saying the steering lock needs to be replaced and in order to do that they have to replace the whole steering column!!! ($2900) I believe they have ripped me off because they failed to tell me all of these things when I first took the vehicle in, since the same message appeared each time I took it in!!! Reading the forums this issue has been ongoing since...

MY STEERING COLUMN HAS LOCKED ON ME THREE TIMES AFTER STOPPING MY CAR. WHEN I WOULD REENTER, IT WOULD NOT START BUT MY STEERING COLUMN WOULD TURN. THE DEALERSHIP, EACH TIME, SAID MY STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED BECAUSE I NEEDED A BODY CONTROL MODULE, THEN A NEW BATTERY, AND THE 3RD TIME I HAD A BAD STEERING COLUMN. HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER A RECALL. I SAW SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS ONLINE, THOUGH NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED AS A RESULT OF IT. THE CATCH IS THAT IT HAS CAUSED ME AND OTHERS LOTS OF MONEY (OVER $1400.00) EACH TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. IT HAS NEVER STOPPED WHILE I AS DRIVING (ALWAYS STATIONARY), BUT IT DOES MAKE ME NERVOUS THAT IT MIGHT OR SIMPLY THAT I MAY GET STRANDED AGAIN WITH TOW AND REPAIR COSTS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LAND ROVER LR2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT SMOKE WAS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AND A NEW STEERING FITTING KIT WAS INSTALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE SMOKE WAS A RESULT OF THE STEERING FLUID SPRAYING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT REFUSED TO SHARE ANY CASE INFORMATION WITH THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.