The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKE LAMPS IN THESE VEHICLES ARE CONTROLLED BY A SWITCH ACTIVATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS SWITCH COULD FAIL INTERNALLY, CAUSING IT TO REMAIN EITHER IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS ON" POSITION.
The risk
IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LAMPS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LAMP SWITCH WITH AN IMPROVED SWITCH.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW 323i | 2000 |
| BMW 328i | 2000 |
| BMW 528i | 2000 |
| BMW 528iT | 2000 |
| BMW 540i | 2000 |
| BMW 540iT | 2000 |
| BMW 740i | 2000 |
| BMW 740iL | 2000 |
| BMW 750iL | 2000 |
| BMW M5 | 2000 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 323i | 2000 | 401 | 7 |
| BMW 328i | 2000 | 112 | 7 |
| BMW 528i | 2000 | 42 | 1 |
| BMW 528iT | 2000 | 1 | 1 |
| BMW 540i | 2000 | 31 | 2 |
| BMW 540iT | 2000 | 2 | 1 |
| BMW 740i | 2000 | 12 | 1 |
| BMW 740iL | 2000 | 20 | 1 |
| BMW 750iL | 2000 | 2 | 1 |
| BMW M5 | 2000 | 4 | 2 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 2000
14 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the exterior lighting; BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE filed 145 campaigns in all.
| 00V405000 6 Dec 2000 | VOLVO CARS OF NA, INC. |
| 00V397000 29 Nov 2000 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 00V291000 2 Oct 2000 | COACHMEN INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 00V254001 21 Sept 2000 | NEWMAR CORPORATION |
| 00V254000 6 Sept 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V220000 11 Aug 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 00V174000 30 Jun 2000 | FREIGHTLINER LLC |
| 00V168000 19 Jun 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000