BMW warranty terms
| New Vehicle Limited Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
|---|---|
| High-voltage battery (BEV / PHEV) | 8 years / 100,000 miles; capacity below 70% covered on BEVs |
| Rust perforation | 12 years, unlimited miles |
| Maker | BMW of North America, LLC |
From BMW’s 2026 New Vehicle Limited Warranty booklet. MINI has its own booklet.
How long state lemon laws protect a BMW
With 4 years / 50,000 miles of basic coverage, your BMW’s warranty usually outlasts its lemon law window. A two-year state closes the window with 2 years of warranty to go; a one-year state, with 3 years. Repairs in that gap are free, but they rarely count toward a buyback.
| State window | Jurisdictions | BMW basic warranty at that point |
|---|---|---|
| The warranty term | New Hampshire, Vermont | Window lasts the full 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Three years | 1 | 1 year of basic coverage still left |
| Two years | 21 | 2 years of basic coverage still left |
| 18 months | 3 | 30 months of basic coverage still left |
| One year | 23 | 3 years of basic coverage still left |
Many windows also stop at 12,000 to 24,000 miles, long before the 50,000-mile limit on a BMW warranty. Find your state’s exact rule in our state guides, or check your BMW repair history against your state’s window.
BMW’s dispute program
BMW’s 2026 booklet offers a Dispute Settlement Program through the National Center for Dispute Settlement (NCDS) for disputes under the lemon laws of Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Virginia, or the federal Magnuson-Moss Act. In California, it uses the California Dispute Settlement Program (CDSP), certified by the state’s Arbitration Certification Program. Both can be reached at P.O. Box 515315, Dallas, TX 75251-5315, (866) 906-3380, or ncdsusa.org.
The booklet says you must use the program before asserting Magnuson-Moss rights in court and may have to before state lemon law remedies. In California it warns that failing to arbitrate first may stop you from maintaining a lawsuit.
Older guides, including ours, listed BMW as a BBB AUTO LINE participant based on the FTC’s 2023 audit. BMW is no longer on BBB’s current participant list, and its 2026 booklet names NCDS and CDSP.
Who to contact at BMW
| BMW Customer Relations and Services | P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227 · 1-800-831-1117 · customerrelations@bmwusa.com |
|---|---|
| Dispute program (NCDS / CDSP) | (866) 906-3380 · P.O. Box 515315, Dallas, TX 75251-5315 |
| Roadside Assistance | 1-800-332-4269 |
If your state’s lemon law names a specific address or method for notice, follow your state’s rule.
Things BMW owners should know
- BMW’s booklet offers its program for state lemon law claims only in the ten listed states and California. Elsewhere, you use your state’s own process or court.
- Coding and software updates aimed at your complaint can count as repair attempts, depending on your state. Ask for them to appear on the repair order.
- MINI is part of BMW of North America and is also an NCDS client; check the MINI booklet for its terms.
What to do if your BMW is a lemon
- Have every visit to the BMW center written up with your complaint, mileage and days out of service, including software updates.
- Contact BMW Customer Relations (1-800-831-1117) and send written notice to the Westwood, NJ address; our letter generator drafts it.
- If you live in California or one of the ten NCDS states, file with BMW’s dispute program at (866) 906-3380, which the booklet says may be required first.
- Everywhere else, go straight to your state’s program or court.
- Watch your state’s deadline throughout, and ask your state program whether time in BMW’s program extends it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a BMW lemon law?
No separate one. Your state’s lemon law covers a new BMW. BMW’s warranty sets out a dispute program in some states.
Does BMW use BBB AUTO LINE?
Not any more. BMW is not on BBB’s current participant list, and its 2026 booklet uses NCDS in ten states and the CDSP in California.
Which states have BMW’s dispute program?
Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Virginia (NCDS), and California (CDSP).
How long is BMW’s warranty?
4 years / 50,000 miles, with 8 years / 100,000 miles for high-voltage batteries on electrified models and 12 years for rust perforation.
Where do I send notice to BMW?
BMW Customer Relations and Services, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227, unless your state names another address.
Sources
Checked on October 13, 2026. Read how we verify every rule in our editorial policy.