BMW bulletin B011219
What it saysFRONT GRILLE UPPER/LOWER ACTIVE AIR FLAPS: LTD WTY EXT TO 15 YEARS/150,000 MILES: Component-Specific Limited Warranty Extension This component-specific limited warranty extension applies to defects in materials… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 1, 2023, received Jan 21, 2020, about the structure — 5 documents under this number. It names 28 model years (2016–2021). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationPicked out of NHTSA’s summary below, word for word. The document itself is the record, and the dealer checks the VIN.
FRONT GRILLE UPPER/LOWER ACTIVE AIR FLAPS: LTD WTY EXT TO 15 YEARS/150,000 MILES: Component-Specific Limited Warranty Extension This component-specific limited warranty extension applies to defects in materials or workmanship. This coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusions that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. Air flap issues caused by debris/blockage from outside influences is not a defect in materials or workmanship and is not claimable. During the extended limited warranty coverage period (Eligible vehicles that are beyond the 4 year/50,000 mileage New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage), Active Air Flap cosmetic defect issues are not covered.
One of the 357 warranty extensions and special-coverage programs on file — every make, with the term each runs to.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B011219 | Service bulletin | Jun 1, 2023 | 10239595 | not found |
| B011219 | Service bulletin | Oct 1, 2020 | 10182898 | not found |
| B011219 | Service bulletin | Oct 1, 2020 | 10182605 | not found |
| B011219 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2020 | 10176356 | not found |
| B011219 | Service bulletin | Dec 1, 2019 | 10170559 | not found |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
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Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2019 BMW 540D; 2018 BMW B7 Alpina; 2019 BMW B7 Alpina; 2020 BMW B7 Alpina; 2021 BMW B7 Alpina; 2018 BMW C 400 X.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 22 model years this bulletin names have filed 909 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 585 of them name Engine, Electrical System, Air Bags — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
On the 2019 BMW X3, the 14 owners who gave an odometer reading for Structure reported it at a median of 5,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
Without warning, the dashboard lights and indicators go dark. The vehicle can be stationary or in motion when it happens. I have contacted the dealer, fields Bmw, twice. The first time the service department replaced the battery on my remote key control, the second time service told me it was a known problem at Bmw and they were working…
2019 BMW X3 · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jan 20, 2020
Starter engine failure. Car failed to start multiple times. Major safety hazard that can cause a short circuit, melt wiring harnesses, and spark an engine bay fire posing an immediate threat to life. Problem was inspected and confirmed by a dealer. Multiple waring lamps and messages appeared. Dealer report stated: STARTER MOTOR FAULTY.
2021 BMW 5 Series · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jul 10, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint for my 2020 BMW X4, VIN . The vehicle recently began making a noticeable noise while turning. I reported this to an authorized BMW dealer before/during service and requested review for possible front-end, steering, suspension, axle, swivel bearing, tie rod, thrust rod, or vehicle-control safety issues.
2020 BMW X4 · Steering · filed with NHTSA Jun 9, 2026
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the structure
Source: same model, same component group54 other manufacturer communications filed against these BMW models under the same component group (structure), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the BMW list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B511125 | Service bulletin | Sep 21, 2026 | When pulling on the hood (highlighted inorange in the top photo) release lever… |
| 5135900100 | Warranty extension | Sep 3, 2026 | The coverage period for qualifying lower rear side panel water drain repair that addresses the issues described in the Service Information B… |
| B010226DCS | Other | Aug 28, 2026 | BMW Notice of the Court’s Final Approval for Shark-Fin Antenna Settlement (X3, X4, X5, X6, X7) |
| B010226 | Service bulletin | Aug 25, 2026 | Rear Roof Antenna Shark Fin Cover Sealing Issue |
| B064226 | Other | Aug 19, 2026 | Bonnet Release Holder |
| B512022 | Service bulletin | Jun 30, 2026 | While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area. |
| B511225 | Service bulletin | Jun 12, 2026 | A “groaning” noise is heard from the tailgate when driving on rough roads. |
| B520725 | Service bulletin | Jun 4, 2026 | The decorative trims on the head restraints of the driver’s seat and front passenger seat cause groaning noises on any route, at any tempera… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for BMW, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is BMW B011219 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the B011219 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does B011219 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 28 model years: 2021 BMW 5 Series, 2020 BMW 5 Series, 2019 BMW 5 Series, 2018 BMW 5 Series, 2017 BMW 5 Series, 2019 BMW 6 Series and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.