BMW bulletin B320126
What it saysWhen turning left, a “creaking” noise may be heard from the EPS when near the steering wheel end stop. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jan 22, 2026, received Jan 23, 2026, about the steering. It names 1 model year (2025). 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 communicationWhen turning left, a “creaking” noise may be heard from the EPS when near the steering wheel end stop. The noise occurs at speeds less than 10 mph.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B320126 | Service bulletin | Jan 22, 2026 | 11027764 | PDF, 625 KB |
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 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 8 of them name Steering — 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.
Started the car and received a "Changed Steering effort" error. Car is currently undrivable as the power steering is not working at all. Dealer indicates this is a "known issue" and the steering rack may need to be replaced
2025 BMW X3 · Steering · filed with NHTSA Nov 11, 2025 · ODI 11698707
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 steering
Source: same model, same component group12 other manufacturer communications filed against the BMW X3 under the same component group (steering), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the BMW list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0032860300 | Service campaign | Sep 17, 2026 | Check Control message and a minimally changed steering feel. |
| 0032770300 | Service campaign | Sep 2, 2026 | Check Control message and a significant change in steering feel . |
| B320925 | Service campaign | Sep 18, 2025 | Delivery Stop - Steering Gear |
| B320525 | Service bulletin | May 2, 2025 | “Knocking/thumping” noise during steering wheel movements and returning to the center position. See attached video V32 05 25 Column noise. |
| B320425 | Service bulletin | May 2, 2025 | After prolonged straight-ahead driving (e.g. highway driving), there may be a temporary, slightly noticeable increase in steering forces whe… |
| B320125 | Service bulletin | Jan 10, 2025 | Rumbling, groaning type noises from the EPS when the steering wheel is at the end stops. |
| B310724 | Service campaign | Nov 22, 2024 | Delivery Stop Swivel Bearing |
| B310223 | Service bulletin | Oct 31, 2024 | ?Disturbing noises (thump/pop) when reversing slowly near the steering wheel limit position; for example, when leaving a parking space. |
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 B320126 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 B320126 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 B320126 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2025 BMW X3. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.