2006 BMW 325I Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

39Steering complaints

7.6%Of all 515 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS209 · 40.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM80 · 15.5%

ENGINE50 · 9.7%

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES43 · 8.3%

STEERING39 · 7.6%

Share of the 515 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 BMW 325I overview page.

What owners report

“STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN RED ON DASH. VEHICLE WHEEL COULD LOCK ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL.”NHTSA complaint 10381059 — filed 02/07/2011

“STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON 2006 325I - CAR HAS ONLY 41000+ MILES. NEITHER KEY WOULD WORK TO START THE CAR. BATTERY IN GOOD CONDITION. CAR…”NHTSA complaint 10380077 — filed 02/03/2011

“2006 BMW 325I STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILURE OCCURRED IN MAY 2007. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN…”NHTSA complaint 10353644 — filed 09/03/2010

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 BMW 325I have steering problems?

Steering is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2006 BMW 325I: 39 of 515 complaints on file (7.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 BMW 325I have in total?

515 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 21 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.