I had my battery replaced a few months ago and since then my steering wheel has been off center (about 15 degrees to the left). Took it to the dealership to have it corrected and was told the only way to do this would be to align the car. After reading some earlier posts, I know that some members have had this done through a simple reprograming or something to that effect.
I now also hear a clanking noise when I unlock the car-steering rack problems???

I had a loud clicking noise when unlocking my car (about once every 10 times), as well as a number of active steering faults. After testing and getting some of the same faults, the dealer replaced the steering assembly. As a result, I also had the off-center steering wheel problem, even after an alignment.

The reprogramming wasn't as simple as you might think. I actually stood with four techs for about an hour and watched them trying to center the steering wheel via a laptop and some kind of device that plugs in beneath the steering column and transmits data to the laptop. One guy was watching the laptop and signaling which way to turn the wheel. At the end, they pumped the wheel back and forth for about a minute until the new setting "took." It took four tries and test drives to get it right. They told me it took them nine tries to exactly center someone else's steering wheel.

These guys were at Westchester BMW in White Plains, NY. They hung around until 8 pm on Friday to get my wheel cenetred -- I thought that was great.

My battery died the other day and I just turned my wheel straight, then all the way to the left, then straight again. Turned the car off and restarted it and it reset my active steering Thats what the manual said to do :unsure:

I think that refers to re-activating active steering when it ceases to function because of a power loss. I tried it about five times, but you cannot re-center the steering wheel that way.

Hey stereophonic,

I had that same clanking/grinding/loud-clicking noise twice now.

Get it in to service and get yourself a good loaner.
Each time it was a new steering rack. 1st time the car was out of service for around 12 days (at 1.2K miles) and the second time it was out for almost 18 days (17K miles).
Both times the steering racks had to come from Germany.

Good luck.

I have the same problem. I heard grinding/ clanking noise when locking or unlocking car. And guess what... the Power tilt and telescopic steering wheel with automatic tilt-up died today..

I will drop it off to dealer to check out tomorrow and I'll keep you guys informed.

I have the same noice when unlocking our car. And I have got the "Active Steering problem" message a couple of times by now. After I restart my car, it works again..

Will take the car into my dealer soon....

I too have heard the grinding a few times, got the active steering message when I restart immediately after turning the ignition off, but never had the steering wheel go off-center. All this started happening only after the upgrade. I thought it was just the computer needing time to shut down properly before restarting the ignition. Should I take the car in to be checked?

I had the rapid clicking and a slight "clunk" to my steering...took it in...and it took them a day to get the rack in car has been great ever since

I've got the same problem. A loud "clicking" noise when I lock or unlock the car, and occasional active steering failure warnings.