2012 BMW 3 Series: recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 BMW 3 Series. The newest campaign is 23V707000. NHTSA received the report on 20 Oct 2023. The NHTSA record gives the component Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine. NHTSA has 7 complaints on file for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation names this model year.
The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.
This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.
Remedy of the newest campaign, 23V707000, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .
Since the last update
No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks
Recall campaigns
3 campaigns, newest first. 1,082,502 units in total.
23V707000Received . 157,796 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
22V119000Received . 917,106 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Exhaust System / Emission Control / Crankcase (Pcv)
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
12V176000Received . 7,600 units.
Seats / Front Assembly / Head Restraint
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Bmw is recalling certain model year 2012 BMW 3-series vehicles manufactured from october 19, 2011, through march 18, 2012, that have front seat head restraints that exceed the downward movement limit of 25mm in the highest position. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202a,"head restraints."
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a vehicle crash, the head restraint may unexpectedly move down slightly if it was adjusted to the fully extended position, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will attach a clamp to the front seat head restraint posts, free of charge. The safety recall began on may 30, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Report filed by BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.
Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.
Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.
Complaints by component
7 complaints, 11 component mentions.
A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.
| Component | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
| Seats | 1 |
| Structure | 1 |
| Unknown or Other | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
- Complaints that report a crash
- 0
- Complaints that report a fire
- 0
- Injuries in the complaints
- 0
- Deaths in the complaints
- 0
- Date of the newest complaint
- 19 Oct 2017
These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.
Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.
Investigations
| Number | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Campaign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE13030 | Preliminary evaluation | Loss of power assist braking | Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum | 6 Sep 2013 | 25 Oct 2013 | 13V454000 |
Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.
Other model years
The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.
Official channels
- NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
- NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
- NHTSA page of the 2012 BMW 3 SeriesThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.
Cite this page
Recall Register. 2012 BMW 3 Series: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/bmw/3-series/2012/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .
Sources
- Source
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- Recall file through
- 29 Sep 2026
- Complaint file through
- 15 May 2019
- First complaint in the file
- 1 Jan 1995
- Manufacturer in the recall file
- BMW of North America, LLC
The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.
Questions
- How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2012 BMW 3 Series?
- 1,082,502 units in 3 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
- How many recall campaigns does the BMW 3 Series have for all model years?
- NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the BMW 3 Series, model years 1986 to 2023. 3 of them name the 2012 model year.
- Which component do the complaints about the 2012 BMW 3 Series name most often?
- Engine: 3 of 11 component mentions.
- Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2012 BMW 3 Series open?
- No. The 1 investigation that names this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.