2013 BMW 328I Steering Problems

AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS I DROVE ONTO A HIGHWAY. AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED SPEEDS OVER 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME "NOTCHY" ALMOST AS IF IT WAS JUMPING FROM 15-20 DEGREES BUT NOT SMOOTH. IT BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND CHANGE LANES. IT SEEMED ALMOST LIKE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND NOT MECHANICAL. ONCE I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND WENT BELOW 40MPH THE STEERING RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL SMOOTH OPERATION.

NHTSA ID

11383616

Incident

Dec 12, 2020

Mileage

102,000 mi

POWER STEERING FAILURE RESULTED IN SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY BMW BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL OR SERVICE NOTICE. UPON RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE CRASH AND INJURY. BMW HAS ADMITTED ISSUES WITH BOLTS THAT SUPPORT THE POWER STEERING FAILING, WHICH CAN DAMAGE AND BREAK THE POWER STEERING. YET THERE IS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. I HAVE LINKED THE NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN: HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2019/MC-10153729-9999.PDF

NHTSA ID

11318539

Incident

Mar 17, 2020

Mileage

62,000 mi

THE CAR NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS INCREASINGLY DETERIORATED, BECOMING VERY SLOPPY AND EVENTUALLY LED TO A KNOCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL RACK. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN HUNDREDS OF ONLINE CHATS, VIDEOS AND FORUMS, THAT BMW HAS BEEN CHANGING THE ENTIRE RACK. THEY HAVE RECENTLY RELEASED A KIT WITH AND UPGRADED BUSHING TO REPAIR THE RACK, THUS ACKNOWLEDGING A COMMON ISSUE DUE TO A FAILING THRUST ARM BUSHING. THE ORIGINAL BUSHING IS PLASTIC AND SMOOTH, THE NEW BUSHING IS METAL AND RIGID.

NHTSA ID

11289926

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

49,100 mi

FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL ASSIST POWER STEERING (EPS) WHILE VEHICLE STATIONARY - 2013 BMW 328I, 89,500 MILES UPON STARTUP, WHILE TURNING STEERING WHELL TOMOVE CAR, STEERING SYSTEM EMITTED WHINING NOISE, BANGS AND THUMPS, THEN HIGH PITCHED WHINE. ALL POWER STEERING WAS LOST, AND CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO BMW DEALER. DIAGNOSIS WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE OF BOLTS HOLDING POWER STEERING BOX TO THE STEERING RACK, THUS CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH COMPONENTS. DAMAGE REQUIRED ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED AT $5K+ COST. CAUSE, AS DIAGNOSED BY BMW DEALER: EXTENSIVE CORROSION OF ALUMINUM BOLTS HOLDING COMPONENTS TOGETHER CAUSED BOOT FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT COMPONENT DAMAGE. NHTSA ISSUE: UNSAFE COMPONENT DESIGN, AS BOLT FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED COULD CAUSE CATASTOPHIC ACCIDENT. REMEDIES: 1) NHTSA REQUIRE GENERAL RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR BOLT CHECKING AND REPLACEMENT IF CORROSION PRESENT. 2) NHTSA REQUIRE BMW TO PROVIDE TYPE 316 STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS WITH SUITABLE DIS-SIMILAR METALS PROTECTION WHERE SAFETY-CRITICAL COMPONENTS EXPOSED TO ROADWAY SALT EXPOSURE. 3) IF THE ABOVE IS NOT WARRANTED DUE TO SMALL NUMBER OF AFFECTED VEHICLES, NHTSA REQUIRE BMW TO ISSUE SERVICE NOTICE FOR ALL AFFECTED VIN NUMBERS TO CHECK CONDITION OF STEERING BOX MOUNTING BOLTS AS PART OF STANDARD INTERVAL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE. ATTACHMENTS: PICTURES OF TWO AFFECTED UNITS: MY 2013 328I CORODED POWER STEERING UNIT, AND A SIMILAR ON FROM A 2012 328I, DOWNLOADED FROM ENTHUSIAST FORUM ON INTERNET, SUGGESTING A PATTERN.

NHTSA ID

11288471

Incident

Dec 6, 2019

Mileage

89,500 mi

SUSPENSION FAULT WHEN DRIVE FEELS LIKE THE CAR ITS LOWERED AND FEEEL EVERITHYNG WITH NO REASON AND THE STAVILITY ITS WEAR I ALMOST KILL MYSELF BMW HAVE TO CHECK THIS ERROR ON SUSPENSION OXNARD CALIFORNIA 93033

NHTSA ID

11229501

Incident

Jan 10, 2019

AT STOP LIGHT, WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD "DRIVE MODERATELY, INCREASED STEERING EFFORT REQUIRED. CONSULT SERVICE CENTER." THE STEERING WAS VERY TOUGH TO ROTATE AND IT CREATED PANIC. AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS, RESTARTED CAR AND THE STEERING WAS MORE MANAGEABLE. DEALER CAME BACK SUGGESTING THE CAR NEEDS "REPROGRAMMING" AND DESPITE UNDER BMW PLATINUM EXTENDED WARRANTY 236 USD WAS CHARGED . SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED OR AN OUTRIGHT RECALL INSTEAD OF CHARGING AS IF IT IS A FEATURE. I WOULD REQUEST NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND MAKE BMW RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH MISTAKES INSTEAD OF CONSUMER PAYING. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY FOR A SOFTWARE BUG WHICH BMW CREATED. IF THIS IS HOW BMW INTENDS TO MAKE MONEY OF SERVICE, IT IS A SERIOUS CORRUPTION AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. LET ME KNOW IF YOU IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION TO MAKE A CASE OR TEST THE CAR. FAULT CODES 4823C2 480AB8

NHTSA ID

11175132

Incident

Feb 2, 2019

Mileage

60,800 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY, I GET THIS WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD "DRIVE MODERATELY, INCREASED STEERING EFFORT REQUIRED. CONSULT SERVICE CENTER." THE STEERING WAS VERY TOUGH TO ROTATE AND IT CREATED PANIC. I PULLED TO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND STOPPED. AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS, THE STEERING WAS MORE MANAGEABLE. I DECIDED TO DRIVE TO BMW DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR OF THE CAR. AFTER A DAY OF TESTING, THE DEALER CAME BACK SUGGESTING THE CAR NEEDS A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND WILL COST 600 USD. I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL INSTEAD OF CHARGING AS IF IT IS A FEATURE. I WOULD REQUEST NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND MAKE BMW RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH MISTAKES INSTEAD OF CONSUMER PAYING. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY FOR A SOFTWARE BUG WHICH BMW CREATED. IF THIS IS HOW BMW INTENDS TO MAKE MONEY OF SERVICE, IT IS A SERIOUS CORRUPTION AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. LET ME KNOW IF YOU IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION TO MAKE A CASE OR TEST THE CAR. ## VIN PASSED ## 2013 ##

NHTSA ID

11067288

Incident

Feb 5, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN TO 40-50 MPH. ALL THE WARNING INDICATOR SENSORS BLINKED ON AND OFF. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED AND LOCKED UP. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER THE SIDEWALK AND THE SEAT BELT RELEASED AUTOMATICALLY. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND INJURED HER NECK AND LOWER BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000....UPDATED 12/14/16 *BF UPDATED 12/20/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10908560

Incident

Apr 21, 2015

Mileage

10,000 mi