BMW bulletin B540125
What it saysWhen the vehicle is parked in the sun for longperiod of time, the convertible top will notopen. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 17, 2025, received Jul 28, 2025, about the structure. It names 1 model year (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 communicationWhen the vehicle is parked in the sun for longperiod of time, the convertible top will notopen. Note: While pressing and holding down the top’s actuation button for a normal top opening cycle- The side windows open The rear bow folds upwards The convertible top unlocks at the front bow The convertible top compartment lid moves backwards but the convertible top does not open. If the convertible top is pushed upward by hand in the A-pillar area, the convertible top opens.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B540125 | Service bulletin | Jul 17, 2025 | 11020929 | PDF, 3,932 KB |
What the document itself lists
Labour operation and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 67 99 000 | Work time for to place the convertible top in the convertible top compartment, with… | 5 FRU |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (7 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.
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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 2023 8 Series →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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More bulletins about the structure
Source: same model, same component group4 other manufacturer communications filed against the BMW 8 Series under the same component group (structure), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B514616 | Service bulletin | Feb 3, 2025 | CREAKING NOISE FROM TAILGATE LOCK.. During opening and closing of the tailgate, a creaking noise can be heard from the tailgate lock. Excess… |
| B068424 | Other | Nov 28, 2024 | Rear Spoiler Return |
| B511219 | Service bulletin | Jul 29, 2024 | KIDNEY GRILL ACTIVE AIR FLAP FAULTS: A check control message or MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) may be illuminated, with one or more of the… |
| B513218 | Service bulletin | Nov 8, 2023 | PAINT ON THE B-PILLAR IS SCRATCHED/DAMAGED. The paint finish of the door jamb (above the door striker) is scratched due to the inner door ca… |
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 B540125 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 B540125 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 B540125 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2023 BMW 8 Series. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.