2012 BMW 550I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 550I years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 550I. That ranks 3rd out of 12 550I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (13 complaints, 37%), typically at around 59,644 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 35owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 BMW 550I 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 | 13 | 37% | 59,644 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 11 | 31% | 58,200 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 23% | 7,990 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 11% | 59,287 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 11% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 11% | 19,640 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 6% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 6% | 87,450 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | 89,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 BMW 550I recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 BMW X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo, 2011-2012 528i, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i and 550i xDrive and 2012 535i ActiveHybrid, 640i Convertible, 650i Convertible, 650i xDrive Convertible, 650i Coupe and 650i Coupe xDrive vehicles. The affected vehicles have in-tank fuel pumps that may have insufficiently crimped wire contacts.
Risk: The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
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 when the vehicle engine randomly shut down with out warning I was on the freeway at the time and could have been hit by a car. I took thr car to an auto repair shop, had the problem inspected snddiagnosed and was told the engine was faulty. I had the engine replaced and the same issue…
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 550i. The contact stated after parking and exiting the vehicle, he noticed coolant leaking on the front driverâs side and saw white smoke exiting near the water pump. The contact stated the low coolant fluid and the drivetrain malfunction warning lights were…
My car died in an intersection unexpectedly as if my battery had died. My infant was in the backseat. This was suck a busy intersection that police dept had to park behind me to keep me from being hit. The car could not be put in neutral to move it out of the way. After over an hour we were able to…
Engine is available for inspection upon request. Earlier this month, my 550i completely shut off at a traffic light. When attempting to restart the engine, the Starter strained very hard and smoke came out of the engine. Engine was immediately shut off and the car was towed to a local shop. In turn…
2012 F10 had issues while running as car installed and stopped completely multiple times in traffic. Fuel supply sign came on. Diagnosed as low pressure fuel pump degraded and need replacement. Same recall took place for 2007-2011 5 series model as well via recall campaign No. 16v-746: In-Tank Fuel…
Other BMW 550I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 550I | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 550I | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 550I | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 550I | 6 | 2 |
| 2013 550I | 15 | 1 |
| 2012 | 35 | 2 |
| 2011 550I | 84 | 3 |
| 2010 550I | 11 | 1 |
| 2009 550I | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 550I | 32 | 2 |
| 2007 550I | 37 | 2 |
| 2006 550I | 23 | 3 |
See all BMW 550I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
Embed this 2012 BMW 550I badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW 550I?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, tires problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 BMW 550I?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 BMW 550I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 550I model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.