BMW bulletin B510226
What it saysThe center console armrest unlock button(arrow) pops out when attempting to open,and/or when closing the center consolearmrest NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jan 21, 2026, received Feb 2, 2026, about the structure. It names 2 model years (2025–2026). 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 communicationThe center console armrest unlock button(arrow) pops out when attempting to open,and/or when closing the center consolearmrest
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B510226 | Service bulletin | Jan 21, 2026 | 11027987 | PDF, 1,128 KB |
What the document itself lists
Labour operations and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 51 00 001 | Localizing body complaint(s) (Work time) Up to | 2 FRU |
| 51 99 000 | Work time for replacing the center console unlock button (Main work) | 3 FRU |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (5 pages), read Sep 30, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches BMW’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
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.
Find the body for the 2026 X3 →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
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 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
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 group32 other manufacturer communications filed against the BMW X3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0051570600 | Service campaign | Sep 24, 2026 | A gap between the rear left door seal and the side frame may allow moisture to enter. This can cause waterto splash onto occupants when the… |
| B511125 | Service bulletin | Sep 21, 2026 | When pulling on the hood (highlighted inorange in the top photo) release lever… |
| 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 |
| B511225 | Service bulletin | Jun 12, 2026 | A “groaning” noise is heard from the tailgate when driving on rough roads. |
| 6520900300 | Warranty extension | May 21, 2026 | SHARK FIN ROOF ANTENNA SEALING SETTLEMENT Extended Warranty |
| B641224 | Service bulletin | May 4, 2026 | 1. Use of aftermarket accessory hang-on cellular phone holders and/or air fresheners can break the instrument panel air vent slats. Damage a… |
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 B510226 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 B510226 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 B510226 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years: 2026 BMW X3, 2025 BMW X3. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.