BMW recall query RQ18001
Idler Pulley Bolt Failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this recall query about the steering on 11 model years (2009–2013). Opened Apr 18, 2018, closed Dec 1, 2018 after 7 months. It concerns recall 18V336000. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedIn a May 23, 2018 letter, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a safety defect that may result in the loss of power steering assist in certain model year (MY) 2009 through 2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d vehicles (Recall 18V-336). The recall, which affects approximately 33,214 vehicles built from March 12, 2008 through June 27, 2013, corrects the remedy and expands the scope of a prior BMW recall (12V-550) which addressed idle pulley bolt failure in approximately 29,800 MY 2009 through 2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d vehicles built from September 1, 2008 through November 15, 2012. BMW's analysis indicates that due to a number of contributing factors it is possible that the bolt's pre-stressing force could drop to an extent that it results in the bolt becoming loosened over time. A loosening of the bolt could cause additional bending stress on top of the bolt. As a result, the bolt could break. If this were to happen, then a sudden loss of power steering assist could occur. If there were a loss of power steering assist, manual steering capability would be retained, although the effort required to steer the vehicle would be greater, and therefore may increase the risk of crash. ODI's analysis of the complaints it has received from the public (VOQ's) and BMW complaint data submitted in response to the information request letter for RQ18-001 identified a total of 93 unique VIN reports alleging failure of the idler pulley bolt after recall 12V-550 was completed on the vehicle, including 31 VOQ's and 72 BMW consumer complaints (5 complaints received by NHTSA and BMW, 3 unique VIN's submitted multiple complaints to BMW, and 1 unique VIN submitted multiple complaints to NHTSA).BMW is developing a new idler pulley fastening system as the remedy for 18V-336. The remedy is planned to begin in February 2019. Based on BMW's safety recall, this recall query is closed. The 31 VOQ's referenced in this resume are: 10499780, 10559422, 10579534, 10655424, 10661614, 10702323, 10819617, 10903433, 10948014, 10984353, 11002447, 11010667, 11013643, 11041551, 11054759, 11054909, 11066063, 11083479, 11097562, 11098865, 11113332, 11128649, 11130277, 10552773, 10817406, 10937632, 10956710, 11032006, 11042259, 11063010, 11091513.
A Recall Query is a look at a recall that already exists — whether its remedy works, whether it reached every vehicle it should have, whether the manufacturer met its obligations. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one is closed. A recall query ends with NHTSA’s finding on the recall it examined — the remedy stands, is widened, or a new campaign follows; the file names the recall it concerned and NHTSA’s closing resume carries the reasoning.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2009 BMW X5; 2010 BMW X5; 2011 BMW X5; 2012 BMW X5; 2013 BMW X5; 2011 BMW X5 Diesel SAV; 2009 BMW X5 SAV; 2010 BMW X5 SAV; 2011 BMW X5 SAV; 2012 BMW X5 SAV; 2013 BMW X5 SAV.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs RQ18001 a recall?
No — it is NHTSA’s examination of recall 18V336000, which has its own page and remedy.
Is RQ18001 still open?
No. It closed on Dec 1, 2018 with its finding on recall 18V336000.
Which vehicles does RQ18001 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 11 model years: 2009 BMW X5, 2010 BMW X5, 2011 BMW X5, 2012 BMW X5, 2013 BMW X5, 2011 BMW X5 Diesel SAV and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.