2012 BMW 320I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 320I years
- Not enough data 7th of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 320I. That ranks 7th out of 13 320I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 67%), typically at around 130,000 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 3owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 BMW 320I problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 67% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 BMW 320I recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting
Problem: BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at [email protected].
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of power assist braking (PE13030) — opened Sep 6, 2013, closed Oct 25, 2013, led to recall 13V454000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 bmw 320i n/a. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the air bag warning light illuminated and would remain illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 (na) bmw 320i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v346000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…
Head lights for newer cars are too bright and blind drivers approaching from the opposite direction. *tr
Other BMW 320I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 320I | 21 | 0 |
| 2017 320I | 9 | 0 |
| 2016 320I | 25 | 0 |
| 2015 320I | 34 | 3 |
| 2014 320I | 53 | 7 |
| 2013 320I | 9 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 |
| 2005 320I | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 320I | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 320I | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 320I | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 320I | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 320I | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW 320I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW 320I?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 BMW 320I?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 BMW 320I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 320I model years, the 2012 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.