After a few days of the car sitting in the drive way the steering locking mechanism was stuck. Finally managed to get it unlocked only to have it lock again while driving which is really scary. This has happened twice. I decided not to drive the car anymore and decided to get rid of it. *Tr
Steering
BMW 528I Steering problems by year
7 complaints filed with NHTSA about the BMW 528I's steering. Loss of power steering, stiff or loose steering, wandering, column and rack problems.
Steering complaints by model year
Latest 528I steering complaints
Two major complaints: 1. Transmission of the car broke down completely within 82,000 miles. I had to spend a large amount of money to replace the transmission. 2. Power steering of the car had experienced leak since I bought the car. Still after so many years the problem has not been properly rectified despite the fact that I brought this to the attention of the dealer. 3. After I gave my car to the ann arbor bmw dealer, once they replaced some unrelated mechanical components that cost me over $600....
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However, after paying the money when I showed that the problem did not solve, the mechanics added some brake fluid and the problem temporarily disappeared. The dealer did not reimburse the money for inappropriately changing unnecessary components. Again after a few months when I brought the car back when the problem resurfaced due to low brake fluid.R. After I drove the car out of dealers premise, the engine started getting heated up. I brought the car back and left it with the dealer who called me the next day asking me to pay about $250 to change the thermocouple, which I authorized. However, after several hours the dealer claimed that the engine was still getting heated up and demanded an open authorization so that they could open up the engine. When I asked him how much it could cost me, the dealer told me that it would cost up to $5000. The dealer held my car for over 14 days without giving me a temporary car or verifying whether the engine was really getting heated up after he changed the thermocouple. The dealer claimed that it would be dangerous to drive the car in that condition. After 14 days, despite writing to bmw america and the dealers head office, the dealer kept on claiming that I would have to authorize them for further work that might cost me at least $1500. Finally, I decided to take the car from the dealer and give to another mechanics who found out there was no problem with the engine. Till now the engine does not heat up. *Tr
While driving down the highway (maricopa hwy) my steering wheel began to spin around and it had no affect on the steering of my bmw, in other words I could not or I have lost the steering capacity, the steering wheel just spins. *Tr
The steering wheel intermittently moves up and down on its own while driving. In addition, the brake lights stay on constantly and the air bag indicator light on the dash comes on intermittently. *Jb
The tilt function on the steering wheel ramdonly activates which results in the steering wheel moving up and down which is a surprise to the driver. I am concerned that this could result in loss of control of the vehicle. No error indicators show up on the instrument panel.
My car was hit (broad-sided at a perpendicular angle) by a 16 yo in an 1989 camaro. My bmw vehicle sustained major structural damage, including bending of the car-frame, blow-out of the driver's window (that landed on the passenger, lacerating his leg), and separation and rupture of the body side door panel assembly and door shell. I sustained blunt left shoulder injuries and bruising from impacting the pillar, and also back/leg injuries. Despite the severity of the impact (that made both left-side doors...
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inoperable), neither the side nor the head restraint airbag systems deployed, and the emergency central unlocking system did not activate. I have contacted bmw america, who after weeks of unhelpful suggestions, had the car inspected. The engineers' report (which to date, has not been shared with me despite my repeated requests), states that the impact "was not severe enough to activate the deployment" of the airbags. Have there been any other such instances of failure reported to nhtsa? In the bmw advertisement of the passive reastraint system, the side (and head) airbags are clearly claimed to be deployed during side impacts of lesser severity than the one I experienced. All bmw and mercedes sales people and mechanics who have seen the damage to the car were of the opinion that the bags should have deployed. I have documented the damage with photos. Can you please advise? Thank you very much.
AUTO STEERING WHEEL COLUMN FAILED. *YC
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data