Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 BMW 328xi owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Drove to mall. Parked car. Came back out to a red steering wheel with a padlock on the dash. I put the key in the car. Pressed the button, car would not start. Tried to unlock the steering wheel but it would not budge. I searched the symbol to find out this is a common problem "intermittent ir immediate steering wheel lockout". I had the car towed to the dealer because this is what BMW said was the only option. Diagnosis need a new steering column. No warning. No steering issues. No visible damage. Just automatically locked out and left stranded.
I had the red steering wheel lock on my car about 2 week ago. I been driving with it on for about 2 weeks, because I was not able to get into the dealer. It always started for me, but I feel my steering getting hard. And I see on BMW form that car need to get replace the steering column. And my car isn't covered under warranty, and would have cost about 1K otherwise. And I see a lot of cars with this problem.
BMW would not start causing me to jump start my car. Upon starting my car, message on screen says that steering wheel lock malfunction. This happened today, May 18,2018 at 3:30. The car was stationary.
I have a 2007 BMW 328i. In 2010, I got in the vehicle and there was a steering wheel lock warning on the dash. Car will not even turn over...everything is locked up.. Told that the whole steering column will need to be replaced ($1500). According to many references, this is a common problem and BMW is aware of it. Also, according to several references, there is no warning or prediction when the steering wheel lock will fail in the locked position. If you are first getting into the vehicle and the steering wheel lock has failed in the locked position, it will not allow you to start the engine. The question that I have is whether the steering wheel lock can fail in the locked position while the vehicle is being driven. Apparently, this question has been raised by numerous people. I have asked this question to the dealership as well as several BMW websites. …
I had just exited off of the freeway and was making a left turn at a light when the steering "locked up". I couldn't get the car to steer and the "service engine soon" light came on. Luckily, the car "coast" to the side of this non-busy road. I turned the car off and restarted and everything was back to normal. I was also able to drive back home without any issues a couple of hours later. However, this incident has me and my family freaked out as we frequently travel with our children. I cannot imagine the consequences if this lock up were to happen on a freeway at speeds in excess of 60mph. I have seen several folks complain of this issue and am afraid it May resurface anytime without warning. I'll have my car taken to a service shop near my home and have them diagnose, but having read so many complaints it appears to be along similar lines of the steering column issue. …
Upon trying to start car, control message came on said steering wheel locked, engine will not start. Turn wheel to start engine. This did not work, many tries!. Car is not running. In checking the internet, for a solution, I find many with the same complaint for the same model & even year BMW. Something sounds fishy. There was just a recall on the 3 series for some short involving fuse box to back of car written up in my local newspaper. BMW said my car is not involved. Could these two issues be related? I have maintained my car per recommended schedule! BMW of north America said the wheel lock problem is not warranteed nor is it a recall issue. Sounds like too many people having this same problem for this not to be a defect that should be fixed by BMW at no charge to the customer. Please investigate and advise!
Dashboard displays "electronic steering lock" alert. No other outward symptoms. Car is drivable. Dealer says wheel could lock up at any time and says a steering column replacement ($1400) is required. This seems to be a very pervasive problem on many BMW models. I understand that it is so bad that BMW replaces the steering column with one without the steering wheel lock. Therefore, the manufacturer acknowledges the problem with the part. Many people are being forced to pay for an expensive repair that is obviously due to an inherent and pervasive problem that the manufacturers will not acknowledge. BMW should make this repair at no charge to the customer.
Red steering wheel lock warning light came on one day. I never had an issue with my car starting even with the warning light on. I had my car checked out and it was recommended to replace the whole steering wheel column. Not because it was bad, but because the sensor was bad and the only way to fix it was replacing the whole steering column. Total cost was over $700. My car was 3 months and 5,000 miles out of warranty. After researching on the internet I found that the steering column warning light sensor is a very common problem. Hopefully enough people complain and BMW recalls this part that is obviously defective.
On the way to work that morning a red warning light "steering wheel with a pad lock on the top left corner" came on, after parking at work I got the manual out and found that this is an electric steering-wheel lock fault , the car might not start if shut off. Took it to the dealer a few days later, and they cleared the code saying there was nothing wrong. Got the warning again in December, went back to the dealer, and now they say a sensor is bad. They need to replace the steering column for $1000.00.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 BMW 328xi. While driving approximately 25 MPH and attempting to make a right hand turn, the contact stated that the steering wheel became stuck, causing him to hit a wall. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who filed a report with the manufacturer. The manufacturer conducted an investigation which was inconclusive. They were unable to duplicate the failure. The current and failure mileages were unknown. A police report was available. The VIN was unavailable.
Steering complaints in other 328xi years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2007 BMW 328xi?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the steering of the 2007 BMW 328xi, 13% of the model year's 198 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2007 BMW 328xi steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2007 BMW 328xi, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 BMW 328xi steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.