BMW bulletin sb23-01TMS
What it saysThis is the companion to SPL Parts, Inc.'s SB 23-01 mailed by private label independent distributor Turner Motorsports. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
BMW filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 17, 2023, received Aug 2, 2023, about the steering. 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 communicationThis is the companion to SPL Parts, Inc.'s SB 23-01 mailed by private label independent distributor Turner Motorsports.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sb23-01TMS | Service bulletin | Jul 17, 2023 | 10240273 | PDF, 982 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 14 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 steering
Source: same model, same component group6 other manufacturer communications filed against the BMW 3 Series under the same component group (steering), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B320123 | Service bulletin | Apr 6, 2026 | When turning the steering wheel while stationary or when driving on uneven roads; cracking, creaking, or knocking noises may be heard. |
| 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… |
| 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. |
| B360121 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2024 | At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the fr… |
| B320523 | Service bulletin | Dec 20, 2023 | BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop (effective November 17, 2023) on certain Model Year 2024 BMWvehicles that were produced between August 18… |
| SB 23-01 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2023 | SPL Parts, Inc. manufacturers and distributes aftermarket lower control arms for dedicated competition vehicles and "track day" cars some of… |
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 sb23-01TMS 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 sb23-01TMS 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 sb23-01TMS cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2023 BMW 3 Series. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.