BMW bulletin B840121
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 1, 2021, received Aug 23, 2021, about the equipment. It names 71 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.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationTELEMATICS UNIT DEACTIVATION DUE TO 3G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY DISCONTINUATION: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| B840121 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2021 | 10200487 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. 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. Quote it at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themand 17 more model years on this site.
Also filed against model years this site has no page for: 2017 BMW 335I; 2020 BMW 340I; 2016 BMW B7 Alpina; 2016 BMW M4; 2017 BMW M4; 2018 BMW M4; 2019 BMW M4; 2020 BMW M4; 2016 BMW M6; 2017 BMW M6; 2018 BMW M6; 2019 BMW M6; 2016 BMW X1 SAV; 2017 BMW X1 SAV.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is BMW B840121 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 B840121 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 B840121 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 71 model years: 2021 BMW 2 Series, 2020 BMW 2 Series, 2019 BMW 2 Series, 2018 BMW 2 Series, 2017 BMW 2 Series, 2016 BMW 2 Series and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.