RoadVitals

2017 BMW M2 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Feb 11, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
88%
of 17 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 BMW M2 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 11, 2020

INSTRUMENT PANEL HARD TO SEE DURING DAYLIGHT. UNABLE TO SEE SPEED AND TACHOMETER. CAN BE SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11308603
Incident
Jan 3, 2020
Mileage
7,400 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 25, 2019

POOR INSTRUMENT GAUGE VISIBILITY UNDER SHADE OR OVERCAST. UNABLE TO SEE GAUGE MARKINGS DURING THE DAY BECAUSE THERE IS NO BACK LIGHTING. BMW CHANGED THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES IN THE 2018 MODEL DUE TO THIS ISSUE BUT DID OFFER ANY CHANGES FOR THE 2017 GENERATION.

NHTSA ID
11191509
Incident
Mar 22, 2019
Mileage
7,200 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 22, 2018

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES (SPEED AND RPM) ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ UNDER BOTH BRIGHT SUNNY CONDITIONS, AND DARK SHADOW CONDITIONS (IN A TUNNEL, OR IN SHADE). WEARING SUNGLASSES? FORGET SEEING THEM AT ALL. I FIND IT A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN I HAVE TO GLANCE DOWN AT THE GAUGES LONGER THAN NECESSARY AND TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD, AND SQUINT TO DECIPHER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING. THE ONLY WAY TO HELP THIS (BUT NOT COMPLETELY) IS TO TURN ON THE PARKING LIGHTS WHICH TURNS ON THE BACKLIGHT. AT DUSK OR AT NIGHT IT READS FINE, BUT IN DAYLIGHT SUN OR SHADE IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. I FIND IT TO BE A SERIOUS DESIGN AND SAFETY FLAW AND DANGEROUS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE REMEDIED BY THE MANUFACTURER EITHER BY A SOFTWARE UPDATE, OR CLUSTER MODIFICATION. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID
11130738
Incident
Sep 2, 2018
Mileage
13,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 26, 2017

POOR VISIBILITY OF GAUGE CLUSTER IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. MAKES READING THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER NEAR IMPOSSIBLE IN CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS/SITUATIONS. THE 2018 MODELS HAVE A NEW GAUGE THAT SOLVES THIS ISSUE. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE PRE-2018 CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO HAVE THIS NEW CLUSTER INSTALLED BY BMW.

NHTSA ID
11056617
Incident
Dec 15, 2017
Mileage
3,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 22, 2017

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER) HAS NO LIGHTING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. IT IS A DARK SCREEN MUCH OF THE DAY AND I AM UNABLE TO CLEARLY AND QUICKLY SEE THE IMPORTANT GAUGES THERE, AS DESCRIBED. BMW PROVIDES NO WAY (BACK LIGHTING, ETC) TO MAKE THIS AREA VISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11056028
Incident
Dec 21, 2017
Mileage
6,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 29, 2017

DAYTIME GAUGE LIGHTING IS VERY DIM. IT IS HARD TO READ SPEEDOMETER TO TELL YOUR SPEED VERY UNSAFE. HAVE ASKED DEALER AND BMW TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE OWNED 8 BMW CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
11040903
Incident
Dec 20, 2016
Mileage
12 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 1, 2017

UNABLE TO SEE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS

NHTSA ID
11021056
Incident
Jan 1, 2017
Mileage
10 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 15, 2017

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE, TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER READINGS IN CERTAIN DAYTIME LIGHTING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ID
11015295
Incident
Nov 30, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 14, 2017

WHEN DRIVING, THE UPPER HALF OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTAINING THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER IS COMPLETELY UNREADABLE UNDER DARK CONDITIONS SUCH AS GOING UNDER A BRIDGE OR IN AREAS WITH TREE COVERAGE OVERHEAD.

NHTSA ID
11015280
Incident
Sep 23, 2016
Mileage
5 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 26, 2017

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAN'T BE READ UNDER DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. THE SPEEDOMETER AND RPM ARE REALLY DIM AND I HAVE TO LOOK MORE THAN ONCE TO MAKE SURE OF MY CURRENT SPEED ETC. BAD LIGHTING EQUALS HAZARD AND DISTRACTION ON MY PART WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11010748
Incident
Jul 20, 2017
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 1, 2017

PLEASE LOOK AT THE ATTACHED PIC. THE SPEEDOMETER/GAUGES CLUSTER LOOKS DARK IN GARAGE, TUNNELS, CLOUDY CONDITIONS, UNDER TREE COVER. THERE IS NO ILLUMINATION DURING THE DAYTIME. YOU CAN'T EVEN READ THE SPEEDOMETER OR RPMS AT A GLANCE WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I ALMOST CRASHED MULTIPLE TIMES TRYING TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGES. THE CONSOLE LIGHT WHEEL KNOB IS ALREADY TURNED ALL THE WAY UP. I CHECKED ALL THE OPTIONS ALREADY AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE TO CONTROL THE GAUGES CLUSTER ILLUMINATION. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY HAVE IGNORED ALL OF MY INQUIRIES. THIS IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING FROM BMW. A 60K CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A GARAGE OR TREE COVER OR CLOUDY CONDITIONS YOU CAN'T READ THE SPEED YOU'RE GOING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. THERE ARE POSTS REGARDING THIS ON OFFICIAL BMW FORUMS. PLEASE HAVE BMW PERFORM RECALLS OR FIX THIS.

NHTSA ID
10957870
Incident
Jan 7, 2017
Mileage
20 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 11, 2017

INSTRUMENT BACK LIGHTING IS INADEQUATE TO VIEW SPEEDOMETER DURING DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS DUE TO NO BACKLIGHTING UNLESS HEADLIGHTS ARE SELECTED ON.

NHTSA ID
10944274
Incident
Sep 30, 2016
Mileage
1 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 27, 2016

BACKLIGHTING ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES DOES NOT MEET SUFFICIENT CONTRAST REQUIREMENTS. IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN DRIVING THROUGH SHADED AREAS. TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER APPEAR COMPLETELY DARK AND UNREADABLE. THIS COULD BE AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE WHERE CERTAIN DRIVERS COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY READING THE GAUGE DIALS DUE TO IMPROPER CONTRAST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10937681
Incident
Dec 12, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 9, 2016

DURING CERTAIN DAYTIME CONDITIONS, SUCH AS A CLOUDY DAY OR UNDER SHADE, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR SPEED, RPM, ETC. , CAN NOT BE READ. THIS PROBLEM IS MADE WORSE WITH SUNGLASSES.

NHTSA ID
10915001
Incident
Oct 9, 2016
Mileage
65 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 4, 2016

THE BACKLIGHTING FOR THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER BECOMES COMPLETELY UNREADABLE UNDER SOFT DAYLIGHT SITUATIONS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE DRIVING THROUGH A WOODED AREA IN FULL DAYLIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THIS ISSUE IS CREATED BE TWO ISSUES. FIRST, THE COLOR OF THE BACKGROUND AND LETTERING ON THE GAUGES THEMSELVES DO NOT CREATE ENOUGH CONTRASTING. SECOND, THE AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR DOES NOT APPEAR TO PICK UP WHEN THIS SITUATION IS HAPPENING AND ENGAGE THE BACKLIGHTING FOR THE CONSOLE. THIS ISSUE MAKES IT VERY HARD, OR IMPOSSIBLE, TO DETERMINE SPEED AT A QUICK GLANCE AND COULD REQUIRE MORE TIME LOOKING AT THE GAUGES THAN USUAL, DISTRACTING FROM WATCHING THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
10913600
Incident
Oct 4, 2016
Mileage
1,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .