BMW has issued a stop-sale and recall on M5, variants of the M8, X5 M, and X6 M because of a problem with the transmission wiring harness. The company already notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the problem, but the agency hasn't publicly published the info yet. Motor1.com reached out to BMW of North America for details on the issue. We first heard about the issue from a post on the Bimmerpost forums. The table below shows the affected models and production dates.
| Series | Model Description | Production Dates |
| F90 | M5 Sedan | January 30, 2019 – October 30, 2019 |
| F91 | M8 Convertible | February 20, 2019 – October 30, 2019 |
| F92 | M8 Coupe | July 3, 2019 – October 20, 2019 |
| F93 | M8 Gran Coupe | June 19, 2019 – October 29, 2019 |
| F95 | X5 M Sports Activity Vehicle | June 6, 2019 – November 27, 2019 |
| F96 | X6 M Sports Activity Coupe | May 30, 2019 – November 26, 2019 |
The location and routing of the transmission wiring harness can cause damage to the components that can eventually lead to a short circuit. The issue could cause the gearbox to shift into neutral while someone is driving, which could be dangerous.
To fix the issue, technicians will replace the transmission wiring harness, and they'll reroute it to a safer position. BMW will mail a letter to affected owners in February 2020 that will advise them of the recall and will ask them to schedule an appointment to repair the issue at a local dealer.
Other Recent BMW Recalls:
There's bad news for anyone intending on buying one of these models, though. BMW can't sell any affected vehicles in dealer inventories until the repair is complete. "February is the expected time for transmission wiring harness replacements to begin," the company indicated.
"BMW is in the process of ensuring that the necessary tools, parts, and procedures are available prior to contacting owners to schedule an appointment with their authorized BMW center to have this important Safety Recall performed," the company's statement said.
Sources: BMW, Bimmerpost
BMW Transmission Wiring Harness Safety Recall
BMW notified NHTSA of this voluntary recall on Dec. 11th, 2019.
Certain 2019-2020 BMW M5, M8, X5 M and X6 M vehicles produced between Jan. – Nov. 2019 are potentially affected.
Vehicles found to be affected by this safety recall, still in dealer inventory, may not be sold until the harness is replaced and rerouted in early 2020. (standard procedure for vehicles affected by a recall).
| Series | Model Description | Production Dates |
| F90 | M5 Sedan | January 30, 2019 – October 30, 2019 |
| F91 | M8 Convertible | February 20, 2019 – October 30, 2019 |
| F92 | M8 Coupe | July 3, 2019 – October 20, 2019 |
| F93 | M8 Gran Coupe | June 19, 2019 – October 29, 2019 |
| F95 | X5 M Sports Activity Vehicle | June 6, 2019 – November 27, 2019 |
| F96 | X6 M Sports Activity Coupe | May 30, 2019 – November 26, 2019 |
Issue
Due to the location and routing of the transmission wiring harness, it could become damaged.
This could lead to a short circuit, affecting transmission function, and causes the vehicle to lose propulsion and to shift to Neutral while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
If you notice that while driving the vehicle loses propulsion and the transmission shifts to Neutral, your vehicle may be experiencing this issue.
Retail owner notification
Owners will receive a letter in February 2020 via First Class mail advising of this Safety Recall and to schedule an appointment with an authorized BMW center to have this Safety Recall performed.
The transmission wiring harness will be replaced and rerouted for free and can take approximately one hour.
BMW is in the process of ensuring that the necessary tools, parts, and procedures are available prior to contacting owners to schedule an appointment with their authorized BMW center to have this important Safety Recall performed. For the latest updates to this Safety Recall, please visit www.bmwusa.com/recall.
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