Steering Idler Arm problems of the 2010 BMW X5

Lost power steering as car was driving approx 50 mph on garden state parkway at top of bridge over the raritan river. Battery warning came on dash, car lost power and then stopped. No collision or injury. Car was towed and repaired by c&t towing and auto repair, rahway NJ. Damage observed was partially melted idler pulley and shredded drive belt. Repair included replacement of drive belt, a. C. Stretch belt, idler pulley, drive belt tensioner and serpentine tensioner.

The engine belt idler pulley bolt broke causing a sudden loss of power steering when the serpentine belt came off the alternator and power steering pump. This is the same problem associated with recall 12v550000 a few years ago. The dealer said the vehicle was fixed under the recall but it was before I owned it so I don't know for sure. I believe the recall should be reinstated. The vehicle was moving on a residential street at less than 25 mph and my mom was driving. If she had been going any faster she would have crashed.

The contact owns a 2010 BMW X5. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the lower idler pulley bolt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12v550000 (engine and engine cooling , steering). The failure mileage was 44,000.

I was driving my X5, 90 minutes from home, when I noticed my steering was unusually stiff. It was 5 degrees outside, so I assumed it might have been too cold. I was able to move over to the right lane, and turn onto the nearest side street. At that point I got a code saying "battery discharge". I assumed it had something to do with the keyless ignition, so I shut it off and tried to turn it back on. It didn't work, and it gave me the same warning again. In addition, the onboard system was giving messages of each of the systems that was shutting down, ultimately, with everything shutting off, including the emergency lights. I had to have the car towed. After the dealership looked at the car the next day, they told me this was part of a recall for the idler pulley bolt. I looked this up, and discovered the letter dated Nov. 26th describing this recall from BMW to NHTSA. We started the purchasing process of this vehicle on Nov. 26th, ultimately purchasing it on Nov. 30th. The carfax did not show this recall repair when we purchased it. My dealership is claiming they repaired it that week, before we picked it up, (again, no mention of a repair). My concern is this: if it was repaired in November, this repair failed. If they ignored this recall and sold me the car, that would be negligent. Furthermore, we had the car into the dealership in January 2013 for a tire issue. If they had not done the repair in November, certainly they were responsible to repair it then. Obviously they didn't. Now, the car completely fails, and is in the shop. This repair took 3 days! I am unsure of the safely, as well as this failure being just a pulley bolt. I am aware of the most recent recall of Feb. 19th, for electrical problems, but at this time, doesn't include the X5? the pulley bolt problem doesn't seem to fully describe the loss of steering and power I experienced.