TSB: BMW 6 SERIES (1996–2006)

Bulletin SI-B-51-26-08 — September 1, 2008

Bulletin Details

Bulletin IDSI-B-51-26-08
ManufacturerBMW
Models6 SERIES
Model Years1996–2006
Date IssuedSeptember 1, 2008
Date Added to NHTSAMarch 26, 2009
ComponentSTRUCTURE
Vehicles Affected33 combinations

What is a TSB?

A Technical Service Bulletin is a document issued by the vehicle manufacturer to inform dealership technicians about a known issue and the recommended repair procedure. TSBs are not mandatory recalls — they serve as repair guidance for common problems.

If your vehicle has this issue, bring this bulletin ID to your dealer. If under warranty, the repair should be covered at no cost.

Summary

BMW VEHICLE: MODIFYING THE REAR WATER DRAIN HOSES. OVER TIME THE 4 DRAINS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY LEAVES AND DEBRIS. ONCE CLOGGED, WATER MAY COLLECT AND OVERFLOW INTO TRUNK, DAMAGING VARIOUS ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. *PE

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
BMW 6 SERIES 2006 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2006 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2006 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2005 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2005 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2005 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2004 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2004 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2004 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2003 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2003 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2003 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2002 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2002 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2002 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2001 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 2001 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2001 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2000 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 2000 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 2000 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 1999 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 1999 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 1999 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 1998 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 1998 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 1998 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 1997 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 1997 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 1997 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY
BMW 6 SERIES 1996 160000 STRUCTURE
BMW 6 SERIES 1996 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BMW 6 SERIES 1996 162000 STRUCTURE:BODY

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What Should You Do?

If your vehicle is affected by this TSB, contact your authorized BMW dealer. Bring this bulletin ID (SI-B-51-26-08) when you visit. If under warranty, the repair should be free. If your warranty has expired, ask about goodwill coverage — manufacturers sometimes cover TSB-related repairs beyond the warranty period.

Frequently Asked Questions

A recall is a mandatory safety fix — the manufacturer must repair every affected vehicle for free. A TSB is an advisory document that describes a known issue and the recommended fix, but repairs are not required. However, some TSBs eventually lead to recalls if the issue poses a safety risk. TSBs are generally issued for quality or performance problems, while recalls address safety defects.

If your vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty, TSB-related repairs are typically covered at no cost. If your warranty has expired, you can ask the dealer about goodwill or customer assistance programs. Many manufacturers will cover or partially cover repairs for well-known issues, especially if the TSB was issued recently or affects a large number of vehicles.

Check the make, model, and model year listed above against your vehicle. If they match, this bulletin likely applies. However, TSBs may only affect vehicles with specific production dates, VIN ranges, or configurations. Your dealer can confirm by entering your VIN into their service system, which will show all applicable TSBs and recalls.

This data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Manufacturers are required to submit copies of all communications (including TSBs) sent to their dealers to NHTSA. The agency makes this data publicly available as part of its vehicle safety monitoring program.