Electrical System - Non Approved Aftermarket Accessories

9217bmw01

Group 61
Electrical System


Bulletin Number
61 02 92 (3493)


Woodcliff Lake, NJ
February 1992
Product Engineering


SUBJECT: Non-Approved Electrical Accessories

MODELS: All


General
Information:
With the increased sophistication of electronically controlled systems on today's BMWs, and with the increasingly interconnected nature of these systems, the potential for interference or incompatibility problems between these systems and non-approved electrical accessories is markedly increased.

Recently, numerous reports have been received of lengthy and expensive troubleshooting of systems which revealed that the malfunctions were the result of installation of aftermarket non-approved accessories and which interfered with an otherwise normally operating system.

From a standpoint of logistics and economics, it is obvious that BMW cannot test every aftermarket electronic accessory that could be fitted to our vehicles. Consequently, only BMW-approved accessories (such as radios, CD changes, alarms, cellular telephones, etc.) should be installed, as they have been developed to be compatible and interference-free with all BMW electronically controlled systems.

In the event of customer electrically-related complaints which are:

- Repetitive

- Intermittent

- Highly unusual

- Not easily resolved by existing diagnostic procedures

... all non-approved electrical equipment (e.g., telephone, radar detector, stereo equipment, alarm, etc.) should be disconnected from the vehicle's electrical system (but not dismounted or removed).


The diagnostic procedures, specified voltage and resistance readings, and troubleshooting instructions published by BMW assume that the vehicle is in 100% stock condition.

If a complaint is diagnosed as being caused by a non-approved accessory, diagnosis work time and subsequent repair expenses are not covered by the BMW New Car Limited Warranty.