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BMW equipment recalls: wrong tire labels and charging cord risks
Most of BMW's equipment recalls concern information on the vehicle rather than a broken part. Five are labeling problems: tire information placards showing the wrong size and pressure on 2021 X7 xDrive40i and M50i, 2022 X4 xDrive30i and 2024-2025 X5 xDrive40i; tire pressure labels that will not stay attached to 2021 R 1250 GS, R, RS, RT and GS Adventure motorcycles; and 2019 X5 xDrive40i and xDrive50i sun visors with a missing or incorrect airbag warning label. Motorcycle accessories account for two more — accessory windscreens too dark for safe riding, and luggage cases that block the rear reflectors. The outlier is the serious one: TurboCord portable charging cables supplied with i3, i8, 330e, 530e, 740Le and X5 xDrive40e plug-ins, whose capacitors can cause shock or fire.
Warning signs to watch for
- The tire size or cold pressure on the placard does not match the tires actually fitted to the vehicle.
- A tire pressure label peeling away from, or already missing off, the motorcycle frame.
- A sun visor with no airbag warning label, or with a label that looks wrong.
- Accessory parts changing what can be seen — a windscreen that darkens the view ahead, or luggage cases covering the rear reflectors.
- For the portable charging cable, the notice describes no warning sign before a shock or fire occurs.
Is it safe to keep driving?
No recall in this group tells owners to stop driving or park outside. The label and placard recalls do not affect how the vehicle runs, so drive or ride normally — but confirm the correct tire size and pressure from BMW rather than the wrong label before buying tires or setting pressures. The missing sun visor airbag label matters in a crash, not on the road. The charging cable is the exception worth acting on first: the notice puts no limit on driving the car, but a shock or fire can cause injury or death, so have the cord checked before relying on it further.
What the free repair involves
All repairs are free of charge. Dealers replace incorrect tire information placards and the motorcycle tire pressure labels, inspect the 2019 X5 driver and passenger sun visors and replace them as necessary, replace the too-dark accessory windscreens, and install reflectors on the luggage cases or an additional bracket with rear reflex reflectors for the case mounts. For the plug-in models, dealers inspect the portable charging cable and replace it if necessary.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 1 |
| medium | 1 |
| low | 6 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-10 | BMW X5 tire information sticker lists wrong size | low |
| 2021-08-18 | BMW X4 tire label shows wrong size and pressure | low |
| 2020-08-27 | BMW X7 tire information label shows wrong size and pressure | low |
| 2020-08-20 | BMW R 1250 motorcycle tire pressure label falls off | low |
| 2018-12-19 | BMW X5 sun visors missing correct airbag warning label | low |
| 2018-09-20 | BMW plug-in models: portable charging cord shock and fire risk | critical |
| 2018-03-21 | BMW motorcycle accessory windscreens too dark for safe riding | medium |
| 2017-07-28 | BMW Motorcycle Luggage Cases Can Block Rear Reflectors | low |
Common questions
Can I keep using my BMW portable charging cord while I wait for the recall?
BMW has not prohibited its use, but capacitors inside the TurboCord can fail and cause a shock or fire. The safest course the notice supports is having the cable inspected, and replaced if necessary, before you keep relying on it.
My tire placard is wrong — what pressure should I use until it's replaced?
Do not set pressures from the recalled placard or buy tires off it. Until the dealer fits the corrected label, get the specification for the tires actually on your vehicle from your dealer or BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Do the motorcycle accessory recalls apply if I bought the parts separately?
Yes. These recalls cover the accessories themselves. The windscreen recall names specific windscreen part numbers sold for particular models, and the luggage case recall applies when cases are fitted to the listed motorcycles. Dealers correct both free of charge.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.