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BMW Motorcycle Brake Light Flashes During Emergency Braking

NHTSA campaign 20V146000 · Reported 2020-03-12 · BMW of North America, LLC

low How serious is it? About this label

This is a lighting compliance problem that could confuse drivers behind you and lead to a crash; the notice does not tell owners to stop riding, and the brakes still work normally.

What's wrong, in plain English

On these BMW motorcycles the brake light can flash instead of staying lit when you brake hard in an emergency. U.S. rules require a steady brake light, so the bike does not meet the federal lighting standard. A flashing light may confuse drivers behind you, who might not realize you are slowing down quickly. Nothing is wrong with the brakes themselves. The dealer reloads the software that controls the emergency stop signal, which fixes how the light behaves.

What you should do

1. Look up your motorcycle's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm it is covered.
2. Contact a BMW Motorrad dealer to schedule the software reprogramming, or call BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
3. The repair is free — the dealer reprograms the emergency stop signal function at no charge.

Affected vehicles (3)

Who to contact

BMW — official BMW recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-525-7417

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 F900R, F900XR, S1000RR, F750GS, F850GS, F850GS Adventure, R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, R1250RS, R1250R, RnineT, RnineT Pure and RnineT Scrambler and 2019-2020 S1000R motorcycles. The brake light may flash instead of remain steady during emergency braking. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Safety risk
A flashing brake light can cause confusion to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owner, and dealers will reprogram the emergency stop signal function, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.