TSB: BMW 3 SERIES, 5 SERIES, 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO, 6 SERIES, X3, X5, X6 (2011–2015)

Bulletin SIB-12-21-14 — April 1, 2015

Bulletin Details

Bulletin IDSIB-12-21-14
ManufacturerBMW
Models3 SERIES, 5 SERIES, 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO, 6 SERIES, X3, X5, X6
Model Years2011–2015
Date IssuedApril 1, 2015
Date Added to NHTSASeptember 25, 2015
ComponentENGINE (PWS)
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: FUEL GAUGE FAILS TO SHOW CORRECT LEVEL OF FUEL WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK BUT WOULD UPDATE ITSELF AFTER DRIVING AWHILE AND ILLUMINATION OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION LAMP (MIL) COMES ON, DUE TO SOFTWARE ERROR IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. MODEL 2011-15

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
BMW X3 2015 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW X3 2015 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW X3 2015 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW X5 2015 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW X5 2015 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW X5 2015 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW X3 2014 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW X3 2014 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW X3 2014 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW X5 2014 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW X5 2014 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW X5 2014 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW X6 2014 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW X6 2014 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW X6 2014 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 3 SERIES 2013 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 3 SERIES 2013 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 3 SERIES 2013 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 3 SERIES 2012 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 3 SERIES 2012 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 3 SERIES 2012 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 5 SERIES 2012 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 5 SERIES 2012 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 5 SERIES 2012 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO 2012 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO 2012 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO 2012 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 6 SERIES 2012 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 6 SERIES 2012 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BMW 6 SERIES 2012 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 6 SERIES 2011 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
BMW 6 SERIES 2011 060000 ENGINE (PWS)
BMW 6 SERIES 2011 118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

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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 (SIB-12-21-14) 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.