Car Will Not Start Problems of BMW 330

I just had my 2006 BMW 330i repaired due to a steering wheel lock warning light which appeared on the odometer causing my car not to start. This occurred when I was ready to leave the parking lot at my job. The car would not start and the red steering wheel lock warning light was on the odometer. The shop replaced the battery and ibs sensor cable. I drove the car for one day without any warning signal and when I adjusted the steering column by releasing the lever, the yellow steering wheel lock warning light lit up on the odometer. The repairs cost me $1,391. 82. This car also was in the shop due to a recall on the airbag on the steering column. A local BMW dealership replaced this part two months before this problem with the steering wheel lock occurred. What other problems will I have with this BMW series? I believe BMW should refund my money for these repairs.

See all problems of the 2006 BMW 330 🔎.

The message 'steering wheel lock' came up and the car will not start. I had to pay to bring it home. BMW says 'it happens to some customers' and they asked me to bring the car to a service center for repair. I see a lot of discussions in forums about this issue. Apparently it is due to a defective lock mechanism.

I have a 2006 BMW 330i which had a steering column malfunction and failure. It is safety problem and should be covered by a BMW customer satisfaction campaign. On January 7, 2014 the temp. Was minus 15 degrees f and the warning indicator in the instrument panel showed an icon of a steering wheel and a lock and the vehicle failed to start. The owners manual says "lights up in yellow: electric steering wheel is jammed. Move the steering wheel before starting the engine. " I moved the steering, but the vehicle would not start. If this had happened while I was away from home in these minus 15 degrees f cold temp. I could have frozen before I could have received assistance. The service manager at anderson BMW in illinois told me that the 2006 BMW 330i has had problems with the steering column malfunctioning. I had to have the car towed to the dealership which took almost 2 full days due to the cold weather in chicago and all the cars that wouldn't start from the cold. I contacted BMW customer service, explained my problem and was told they couldn't do anything to cover this unusual quality problem under warranty. I understand it is out of warranty, but I wouldn't expect a major steering, start and interlock system failure when it is only 10,600 miles over the warranty period. As an automotive engineer responsible for quality I deal with warranty issues quite often as well as recalls with NHTSA. While many times a quality issue with a product is safety related it does not require a NHTSA recall. However, it can be covered under a manufacturers customer satisfaction campaign. From the NHTSA website, there are many cases reported that there is a problem with the 2006 BMW 330i model. I am reporting this incident to NHTSA in hopes that BMW will do something for other owners as the repair bill was $938. 00 and should have been covered by BMW, warranty or not.