BMW X3

2025: Spontaneous steering wheel rotation while driving due to broken software

At the end of December 2025, the German concern BMW announced the recall of X3 crossovers due to a problem affecting onboard software. Failure can lead to spontaneous rotation of the steering wheel.

The defect is present in BMW X3 cars of the 2025-2026 model range. The recall covers a total of 36,922 crossovers, including modifications to the X3 30 xDrive and X3 M50 xDrive, which were produced between August 14, 2024 and October 20, 2025.

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Фото: BMW

The problem is related to the steering wheel torque sensor. This node has two channels: if one of them fails, the built-in diagnostics may incorrectly detect a malfunction. In this case, an unintentional rotation of the steering wheel occurs.

It is emphasized that the defect manifests itself during the idle time of the car - either when starting the engine, or when the driving mode is activated, but without movement. However, a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration USA (NHTSA) states that "inadvertent steering of the steering wheel may increase the risk of a traffic accident and/or injury." BMW says it is not aware of any accidents related to the issue as of the end of December 2025.

The defect first became known on August 22, 2025, when during the launch of the X3 car at the assembly plant, an unexpected rotation of the steering wheel was noticed. Subsequently, several more similar incidents were recorded. After that, the German automaker began a comprehensive investigation. It has been established that the defect is of a software nature. Therefore, to eliminate it, crossover owners do not have to visit dealerships: the error can be fixed by downloading the update wirelessly.^[1]

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