2012 Bmw 328i Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 6 NHTSA recalls and 144 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

49/100

High Reported Activity — 2012 Bmw 328i

The 2012 Bmw 328i shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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NHTSA Recalls

6 recalls on record

144

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

1 fire report

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NHTSA Recalls — 2012 Bmw 328i (6)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Bmw dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Air Bags: Frontal: Driver Side: Inflator Module

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of…

NHTSA #20V017000

🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began…

NHTSA #14V627000

🔧 Exterior Lighting

If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service…

NHTSA #15V520000

🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact…

NHTSA #13V454000

🔧 Air Bags: Frontal: Driver Side: Inflator Module

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at…

NHTSA #24V513000

🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System: Pump

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025….

NHTSA #24V608000

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Most Common Problems — 2012 Bmw 328i

Based on 144 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine

Air Bags

Power Train

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Unknown Or Other

Fuel/propulsion System

Steering

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Bmw 328i — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2012 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Bmw 328i VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

→ Decode a BMW VIN — free BMW VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.

⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2011 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2015, 2016 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2012 Bmw 328i

Is the 2012 Bmw 328i reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Bmw 328i has 6 recall campaigns and 144 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2012 Bmw 328i have?

The 2012 Bmw 328i has 6 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Bmw 328i?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2012 Bmw 328i are: Engine, Air Bags, Power Train, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2012 Bmw 328i safe to buy?

The 2012 Bmw 328i has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 6 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Bmw 328i should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Bmw 328i are: 2015, 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2011.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.