BMW Recalls Cars, Citing Steering Defect

BMW is recalling a limited number of vehicles over a serious defect that poses a significant safety hazard, the automaker recently told federal regulators.

The company is calling back just over 200 vehicles because drivers could have a hard time steering the vehicles, the company said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The steering gear may not have been produced to specifications by the supplier,” BMW told NHTSA. “Specifically, one or more of the bolts connecting the servo unit to the housing rack may not have been fastened according to specifications.”

“If the connection between the servo unit and the housing rack became loose, this could affect vehicle handling and control, which could increase the risk of a crash,” BMW added.

The recall covers certain 2024 2 Series, 3 Series, X3 and X4 vehicles produced between August and September 2023. The company said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries stemming from the defect.

BMW plans to notify owners of recalled cars via email by January 8. Owners will be asked to schedule an appointment with an authorized service provider to have their vehicles inspected and steering gears replaced.

Legal Rights for California BMW Owners

BMW, like other major auto manufacturers, is no stranger to these kinds of safety recalls. 

Over the summer, for example, BMW announced it was calling back more than 11,000 iX SUVs from model years 2022 to 2024. The cars’ cruise control systems could be accidentally activated by drivers while behind the wheel, the company said at the time.

The world’s largest carmakers call back millions of vehicles in the U.S. alone every year, citing a wide range of defects and malfunctions that put everyone on the road at risk. The decisions often come long after the cars have left factory floors and dealership lots, sold to unsuspecting buyers in California and beyond.

Fortunately, BMW and other car owners in the Golden State do not need to wait for recalls to get defective vehicles fixed. You have some important rights and protections under the state’s lemon law.

The California lemon law, officially known as the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, forces automakers to perform a full range of repairs on cars while they are under warranty. It also requires the companies to buy back (or replace, in some cases) vehicles that they are unable to or simply decline to fix. 

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback or replace requirement kicks in. An experienced lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Speak with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a car owner or lessor stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a manufacturer over repairs, the lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a lawyer today.