The defect
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
The risk
IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW 325i | 1992, 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 325iC | 1994 |
| BMW 325is | 1992, 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 525i | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 525iT | 1992, 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 530i | 1994 |
| BMW 530iT | 1994 |
| BMW 535i | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 540i | 1994 |
| BMW 735i | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 735iL | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 740i | 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 740iL | 1993, 1994 |
| BMW 750i | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| BMW M3 | 1995 |
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 325i | 1992 | 40 | 4 |
| BMW 325i | 1993 | 21 | 3 |
| BMW 325i | 1994 | 17 | 3 |
| BMW 325iC | 1994 | 5 | 3 |
| BMW 325is | 1992 | 8 | 4 |
| BMW 325is | 1993 | 16 | 3 |
| BMW 325is | 1994 | 10 | 3 |
| BMW 525i | 1990 | 11 | 3 |
| BMW 525i | 1991 | 13 | 4 |
| BMW 525i | 1992 | 18 | 4 |
| BMW 525i | 1993 | 5 | 3 |
| BMW 525i | 1994 | 7 | 4 |
| BMW 525iT | 1992 | 0 | 3 |
| BMW 525iT | 1993 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW 525iT | 1994 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW 530i | 1994 | 9 | 3 |
| BMW 530iT | 1994 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW 535i | 1990 | 2 | 2 |
| BMW 535i | 1991 | 5 | 3 |
| BMW 535i | 1992 | 3 | 3 |
| BMW 540i | 1994 | 8 | 4 |
| BMW 735i | 1990 | 4 | 2 |
| BMW 735i | 1991 | 2 | 3 |
| BMW 735i | 1992 | 6 | 3 |
| BMW 735iL | 1990 | 1 | 1 |
| BMW 735iL | 1991 | 1 | 2 |
| BMW 735iL | 1992 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW 740i | 1993 | 15 | 2 |
| BMW 740i | 1994 | 7 | 2 |
| BMW 740iL | 1993 | 9 | 1 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 1996
10 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the exterior lighting; BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE filed 145 campaigns in all.
| 96V258000 27 Dec 1996 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 96V250000 17 Dec 1996 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 96V192000 12 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V213000 28 Oct 1996 | AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. |
| 96V061000 19 Apr 1996 | WALKER EQUIPMENT |
| 96V059001 3 Apr 1996 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
| 96V056000 3 Apr 1996 | PACCAR, INCORPORATED |
| 96V037000 20 Feb 1996 | TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996