Wipers Stuck On, Turn Signal and Wiper Stalks Non-Functional

MikeS300 · 10-21-2021, 01:07 PM

I drove home from work last night with no issues in my 2018 540i. Parked the car in my garage. Went to drive the vehicle an hour later and the windshield wipers were running on low, turn signal doesn't work. Basically both right and left stalks are non-functional. The electronic steering wheel adjustment joystick does nothing. Any ideas?

About a month ago I serviced the vehicle under warranty and I told the dealership that the steering wheel was making bad noise when I exited the vehicle and the wheel retracts to give you room to get out. They said they "fixed" it by placing cardboard or something between the moving parts. The noise went away for awhile, but slowly came back. The failure last night coincidentally occurred after the steering wheel retracted.

LogicalApex · 10-21-2021, 01:38 PM

Sounds like they’ll need to rework it. Perhaps that cardboard is causing internal problems inside the wheel mechanism. Either shorting a cable out of may have knocked something loose.

The cardboard sounds like a weird fix to a warranty issue to me. In this case you should ask them to replace the whole assembly especially since your warranty may be running low on a 2018.

MikeS300 · 10-21-2021, 01:42 PM

Yeah, I have an extended warranty until January. I think you're right, I should ask for a more definitive solution to the squeaking noise when my wheel retracts. Now I wish that I could shut off that feature to save wear and tear on the mechanism but I don't think that I can without coding software.

Nadz · 10-22-2021, 02:10 AM

I had the wipers on and stalks not working too. In my case the digital dash was blank, I had no idrive screen, no HVAC etc. my problem was battery drain caused by a idrive not shutting down (software fix for that). But it had managed to fry a module (sorry want remember what one) that ended up being replaced.

MikeS300 · 10-22-2021, 01:16 PM

Dealership says a control module went bad. It's on order and I'm now I'm stuck without my vehicle and no loaner provided unless someone turns one in early. The vehicle has under 25k miles on it.

SteveinArizona · 10-22-2021, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeS300

Dealership says a control module went bad. It's on order and I'm now I'm stuck without my vehicle and no loaner provided unless someone turns one in early. The vehicle has under 25k miles on it.

Is this the dealer from whom you purchased the car? If yes, I would speak with the sales manager and explain that you understand there being no loaners for unscheduled elective maintenance but not for this type of problem. Ask him to intercede to get you a loaner.

This is not an inexpensive vehicle and they should have a loaner for you.

HerkHealer · 10-22-2021, 03:44 PM

+1 to what Steve said !

They should give you a rental until one of their loaners is available.

MikeS300 · 10-22-2021, 04:18 PM

Unfortunately the car was purchased in a different state. Not sure I have any pull.

LogicalApex · 10-22-2021, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeS300

Unfortunately the car was purchased in a different state. Not sure I have any pull.

I’d still push back on them. I’d be livid on no loaner. Your service business is more valuable to the dealership than the sales business.

MikeS300 · 10-23-2021, 09:56 AM

called service today and got excuse of global shortage causing lack of loaners and nothing they can do. asked if they could reschedule those in for routine maintenance so I could take their loaner and they wouldn't do it. I'm going to talk to service manager on Monday to see if I can rent a car on my own and BMW foot the bill.

10-21-2021, 01:07 PM	#1
MikeS300 Private 20 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Johnstown, OH iTrader: (0)	Wipers Stuck On, Turn Signal and Wiper Stalks Non-Functional I drove home from work last night with no issues in my 2018 540i. Parked the car in my garage. Went to drive the vehicle an hour later and the windshield wipers were running on low, turn signal doesn't work. Basically both right and left stalks are non-functional. The electronic steering wheel adjustment joystick does nothing. Any ideas? About a month ago I serviced the vehicle under warranty and I told the dealership that the steering wheel was making bad noise when I exited the vehicle and the wheel retracts to give you room to get out. They said they "fixed" it by placing cardboard or something between the moving parts. The noise went away for awhile, but slowly came back. The failure last night coincidentally occurred after the steering wheel retracted.
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10-21-2021, 01:38 PM	#2
LogicalApex Colonel 2024 Rep 2,945 Posts Drives: 2020 BMW 530xe Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Farmington, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW 530xe [0.00]	Sounds like they’ll need to rework it. Perhaps that cardboard is causing internal problems inside the wheel mechanism. Either shorting a cable out of may have knocked something loose. The cardboard sounds like a weird fix to a warranty issue to me. In this case you should ask them to replace the whole assembly especially since your warranty may be running low on a 2018.
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10-21-2021, 01:42 PM	#3
MikeS300 Private 20 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Johnstown, OH iTrader: (0)	Yeah, I have an extended warranty until January. I think you're right, I should ask for a more definitive solution to the squeaking noise when my wheel retracts. Now I wish that I could shut off that feature to save wear and tear on the mechanism but I don't think that I can without coding software.
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10-22-2021, 02:10 AM	#4
Nadz Private First Class 40 Rep 168 Posts Drives: G30 530d Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Paisley iTrader: (0)	I had the wipers on and stalks not working too. In my case the digital dash was blank, I had no idrive screen, no HVAC etc. my problem was battery drain caused by a idrive not shutting down (software fix for that). But it had managed to fry a module (sorry want remember what one) that ended up being replaced.
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10-22-2021, 01:16 PM	#5
MikeS300 Private 20 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Johnstown, OH iTrader: (0)	Dealership says a control module went bad. It's on order and I'm now I'm stuck without my vehicle and no loaner provided unless someone turns one in early. The vehicle has under 25k miles on it.
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10-22-2021, 03:44 PM	#7
HerkHealer Lieutenant Colonel 1716 Rep 1,636 Posts Drives: G30/M550 Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Nashua NH iTrader: (0)	+1 to what Steve said ! They should give you a rental until one of their loaners is available.
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10-22-2021, 04:18 PM	#8
MikeS300 Private 20 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Johnstown, OH iTrader: (0)	Unfortunately the car was purchased in a different state. Not sure I have any pull.
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10-23-2021, 09:56 AM	#10
MikeS300 Private 20 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Johnstown, OH iTrader: (0)	called service today and got excuse of global shortage causing lack of loaners and nothing they can do. asked if they could reschedule those in for routine maintenance so I could take their loaner and they wouldn't do it. I'm going to talk to service manager on Monday to see if I can rent a car on my own and BMW foot the bill.
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