BMW bulletin B120423
What it says?An unapproved nut was used for the ground point for the chassis ground. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 1, 2023, received Sep 25, 2023, about the equipment. It names 11 model years (2018–2023). 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 communication?An unapproved nut was used for the ground point for the chassis ground.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B120423 | Service bulletin | Aug 1, 2023 | 10242686 | 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.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA 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 11 model years this bulletin names have filed 617 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 76 of them name Structure — 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.
I was driving and had just entered into hwy. I was traveling approx 45-50mph. There were no other vehicles around, when I suddenly began hearing a popping or clicking sound, followed by what sounded like an explosion. I could hear glass shattering above my head, but was protected from injury because the sunroof shade was closed.
2019 BMW X3 · Structure · filed with NHTSA Dec 10, 2019 · ODI 11288182
I am writing to report a potential safety problem with my 2018 BMW X3, VIN: (provide VIN here if available), that was purchased in May 2018 and has covered 36,000 miles since then. The vehicle has always been garaged and well-maintained. A few weeks ago, I experienced a critical malfunction with the vehicle's moonroof.
2018 BMW X3 · Structure · filed with NHTSA May 19, 2023 · ODI 11522928
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am writing to report a significant safety concern involving my 2022 BMW X4 M40i. The issue pertains to an anti-corroding substance inside the tailgate panel that has been leaking, causing damage to my vehicle's bumper and obstructing the view on my rear camera.
2022 BMW X4 · Structure · filed with NHTSA Aug 12, 2024 · ODI 11608127
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 equipment
Source: same model, same component group10 other manufacturer communications filed against these BMW models under the same component group (equipment), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the BMW list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B650121 | Service bulletin | Jun 12, 2024 | SPORADIC FAILURE OR CRACKING NOISE IN BASS SPEAKERS: No Bass or a cracking noise can be heard from the bass speakers. |
| B650421 | Service bulletin | Jun 4, 2024 | RETROFIT SATELLITE RADIO (OPTION CODE SA655): The affected vehicles were produced with Preparation BMW Satellite Radio (option code SA 693)… |
| B653323 | Service bulletin | Oct 23, 2023 | Due to an improper process during vehicle production, the roof-mounted antenna housing may not be correctly affixed to the roof, and water c… |
| B652823 | Service bulletin | Sep 11, 2023 | Customers may be experiencing one or more of these following issues with Bluetooth operation: Bluetooth cannot be switched on or off in the… |
| B120323 | Service bulletin | Jun 1, 2023 | BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop effective June 6, 2023 on certain Model Year 2023 - 2024 BMW vehicles that were produced between October 2… |
| B840822 | Service bulletin | Mar 1, 2023 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be t… |
| B662419 | Service bulletin | Sep 1, 2022 | REMOTE CONTROL IS NOT DETECTED: Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may n… |
| B651312 | Service bulletin | Sep 1, 2021 | The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609… |
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 B120423 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 B120423 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. Every BMW warranty extension on file lists the ones BMW has filed.
Which vehicles does B120423 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 11 model years: 2023 BMW X3, 2022 BMW X3, 2021 BMW X3, 2020 BMW X3, 2019 BMW X3, 2018 BMW X3 and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.