2012 BMW 5 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 5 Series years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 5 Series. That ranks 8th out of 19 5 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (3 complaints, 30%), typically at around 58,700 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 10owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 BMW 5 Series 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 30% | 58,700 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 30% | 34,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 20% | 9,100 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 20% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 10% | 98,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 BMW 5 Series recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2012 BMW 5 Series.
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.
I was driving my car on a road when a warning light came on. I parked the car home, since i was close to home. The same week i took the car to a bmw specialist because there was a noise coming from the engine. After $467.00 spent on labor, just to tell me i need a new engine. This car has 72k…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 5-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXCESSIVELY OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CONSTANTLY HAD TO EXERCISE CAUTION IN THE EVENT THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN A FIRE. BMW GALLERY OF…
I had an issue with the timing chain on this vehicle. I do believe this is a safety issue. Car fails with very little warning while the car is being driven. It is not a question of maintenance but of a specific manufacturing fault. How would one know of a defect until something goes wrong. Then the…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 bmw 5-series. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 17v020000 (air bags) and 17v138000 (power train). The part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact spoke with the dealer, bmw of columbus, georgia, and was informed that…
I was driving at about 65 mph on a highway uphill, engine completely stalled, no power, got a message "drive-train malfunction, no maximum output, drive moderately". I was surrounded by cars/semi trucks, very dangerous situation. Managed to pull over on the should. Could not restart car, got a…
Other BMW 5 Series years
← 2011 5 Series · 2023 5 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 5 Series | 81 | 4 |
| 2010 5 Series | 6 | 5 |
| 2009 5 Series | 8 | 3 |
| 2008 5 Series | 105 | 3 |
| 2007 5 Series | 13 | 3 |
| 2006 5 Series | 85 | 7 |
| 2005 5 Series | 21 | 4 |
| 2004 5 Series | 64 | 6 |
| 2003 5 Series | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 5 Series | 7 | 0 |
| 2001 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 5 Series | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 5 Series | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 5 Series 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 5 Series?
Owners most often report engine, power train, tires problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 BMW 5 Series?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2012 BMW 5 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 5 Series model years, the 2012 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.