I have a 2006 BMW 530i (manual transmission 6 speed) and the steering malfunction alert intermittently comes on when I drive the car first thing in the morning, almost always at the first stop sign I approach which is about 1/2 a mile. When I turn the car off and restart, the alert sometimes back on but not always. I live in Orlando, FL and keep the car in the garage when not driving. It only has 60,000 miles. I took the car to BMW service and was told the key didn’t show the steering malfunction alert ever coming up, but the water pump alert had come on. This alert never showed up on the display. BMW replaced the water pump and the next morning the steering malfunction alert came on again. At this point the steering malfunction light had come on about 12 times total but I have never had any trouble steering or felt any kind of difficulty at all.
Check the power steering fluid level. It takes a special fluid. Pentosin CHF 11S.
Thanks - I’ll give it a try
I’ve heard there is a sensor in the steering column that sometimes needs to be replaced.