BMW i4 and iX may not make pedestrian warning sound
medium How serious is it? About this label
Without the outside warning sound, pedestrians may not know the vehicle is coming, which increases the risk of injury. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.
Key facts
| NHTSA campaign number | 23V026000 |
|---|---|
| Reported to NHTSA | Jan 25, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | BMW of North America, LLC |
| Part affected | Back Over Prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian Alert |
| Vehicles covered | 3 model/year combinations, model years 2022–2023 |
| Do-not-drive advisory | No |
| Park-outside advisory | No |
| Repair | Free at any franchised dealer |
What's wrong, in plain English
BMW is recalling certain 2022 and 2023 i4 eDrive40 and iX xDrive50 electric vehicles. These cars have a system that makes an artificial sound so people outside can hear the vehicle. When the vehicle starts up, the control unit for that sound system may have a fault and fail to make the outside warning sound. Because of that, these vehicles do not meet the federal rule setting a minimum sound level for hybrid and electric vehicles. Dealers will update the sound system software.
What you should do
2. Contact a BMW dealer to have the sound system software updated. BMW customer service is 1-800-525-7417.
3. The software update is free of charge.
Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?
Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 23V026000. More in how recalls work.
Affected vehicles (3)
Who to contact
BMW — official BMW recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-525-7417
The bigger picture
- BMW Backup Camera Recalls Address Missing and Obscured Rearview Images · all 5 BMW recalls in this area
Other BMW IX recalls
- Jul 23, 2025BMW Electric Models May Lose Drive Powerhigh
- Jul 16, 2025BMW i4 and iX: Battery Module Failure Riskcritical
- Jun 28, 2023BMW i4, iX High-Voltage Battery Charging Unit Faulthigh
- Jun 7, 2023BMW iX Cruise Control May Suddenly Speed Uphigh
- Apr 26, 2023BMW iX Battery Circuit Fault Can Stall Enginehigh
- Feb 14, 2023BMW iX and X1 Driver Air Bag May Not Deployhigh
Official notice
- Component
- BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT
- Summary
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 i4 eDrive40 and iX xDrive50 electric vehicles. During vehicle start-up, the artificial sound generator control unit may experience a fault and fail to generate the external pedestrian warning sound. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
- Safety risk
- Without external warning sounds, pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the external artificial sound generator software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2023. 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.