NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE09-036: REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE09-036 on August 7, 2009 and closed it on December 22, 2009. NHTSA's investigations file lists 11 BMW models for it and links recall 11V-438 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE09-036 (also written PE09036)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 22, 2009
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- BMW of North America, LLC
- Components
- Exterior Lighting; Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights; Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights; Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 11V-438: REAR LAMPS IN BODY PANEL, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 11 BMW models, including the 3 Series and 325I
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE09-036.
ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING.THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) SIB-630306 ON FEBRUARY 2007 TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION BY ADDING SUPPLEMENTARY GROUND WIRING TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI IS UPGRADING TO AN EA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE09-036. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
BMW VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE09-036
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.