BMW M4 Steering Wheel Controls Dead, No Driver Assist

I had a similar issue with my 2016 BMW M3 last month. The steering wheel controls failed completely, and I got the same airbag warning. Turned out it was a faulty clock spring/spiral cable in the steering column. It's a common wear item, especially at higher mileage. The cable basically connects all the steering wheel controls and airbag to the car's main systems. When it fails, you lose all steering wheel functions and get those warning lights. Had it fixed at a BMW specialist garage. They had to remove the steering wheel, replace the clock spring assembly, and reset the airbag system. The repair wasn't overly complicated, but it's critical to get it done right because it's a safety component. They also had to recalibrate the steering angle sensor afterward. For reference, my car had about 160K km when this happened. Don't put this repair off, the airbag might not deploy properly if needed. Make sure whoever works on it has experience with BMW electrical systems.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! That's exactly what happened to mine too, clock spring issue. Good to know I'm not the only one who's run into this. Can't remember, did you mention how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? And has everything been working smoothly since then? Just want to make sure I don't run into any surprises after getting it fixed.

Hey again! Glad I could help with identifying the issue. Since getting it fixed last month, everything's been working perfectly, no more multifunction steering wheel errors at all. The mechanic sorted out that faulty cable connection in the steering wheel, and it was a pretty straightforward fix in the end. Cost me 95 € total, which honestly wasn't as bad as I was expecting for a BMW repair. All the controls are responding great now, cruise control, volume, everything. And most importantly, that worrying airbag warning light is gone. Just make sure whoever works on yours knows what they're doing with BMW systems. It's definitely worth getting it sorted sooner rather than later. Feel free to ask if you run into any other issues after the repair, but I reckon you'll be all set once it's fixed!

Thanks for the update! That price is actually way better than I expected. I bit the bullet and got it fixed yesterday, turned out my repair was pretty much identical to yours. The mechanic I found did a great job explaining everything, and I'm happy to report all the controls are working perfectly now. Such a relief not seeing that airbag light anymore! Really appreciate you sharing your experience, helped me understand exactly what I was dealing with. The car feels like new again, and I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer. Think I've finally found a mechanic I can trust with my M4 too, which is a huge bonus after my last nightmare experience.