RoadVitals

2012 BMW 3 Series Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
7
Latest Oct 19, 2017
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
7
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 3 Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Engine330.0%
  • Fuel system220.0%
  • Body & structure110.0%
  • Driver assistance110.0%
  • Airbags110.0%
  • Interior & seats110.0%
  • Steering110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

AUGUST 6, 2016 - CAR STALLED AT ABOUT 50MPH, JUST WHEN ABOUT TO GO UPHILL. I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER LEAVING THE CAR BLOCKING TRAFFIC WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN IT. ONCE IT STOPS, IT PUTS ITSELF IN PARK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH ASIDE. WE CREATED A TRAFFIC JAM AND POLICE BARRICADED WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR. EVENTUALLY, IN ABOUT 30 MINS, THE CAR TURNS ON. HAPPENED AFTER AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. CAR SEEMED FINE AFTER THAT. AUGUST 17, 2016 - ON ANOTHER LONG TRIP, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN ON. ALMOST EXHAUSTED THE BATTERY. CALLED A TOW TRUCK BUT BY THE TIME IT GOT THERE, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE CAR RESTARTED. HAD MY ODB-II SCANNER WITH ME AND GOT CODE USED MY OBDII READER AND GOT CODE P142E - PRESSURE TOO LOW IN HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEM, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH NOT STARTING AND THE AND THE FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOGERMANA SERVICE CENTER, THAT SAME DAY. SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 - STALLED ON A MAIN ROAD, WITH MY DAUGHTER, ON THE WAY TO THE PEDIATRICIAN. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND PARK ON A GAS STATION. AMBIENT TEMP WAS 94F. WAITED ABOUT 30MINS AND THE CAR RE-STARTED. THE DEALESHIP WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE. SENT EMAIL TO BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUT THEY REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID 10925651 · filed Nov 13, 2016

WHILE IN LINE IN A DRIVE THRU THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF SUDDENLY LOSING ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND POWER STEERING. UPON TRYING TO START "CHARGING MALFUNCTION" APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN WITH A RED WARNING SIGN. TRIED 2-3 TIMES TO TURN OVER STARTER. WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON IT WAS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO EXIT DRIVE THRU DRIVE WAY VEHICLE WAS VERY HEAVY AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. FINALLY AFTER SEVERAL BACK AND FORTH ATTEMPTS VEHICLE WAS MOVED ABOUT 50 FEET TO A SAFE PARKING LOCATION.

NHTSA ID 10892703 · filed Aug 3, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

AUGUST 6, 2016 - CAR STALLED AT ABOUT 50MPH, JUST WHEN ABOUT TO GO UPHILL. I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER LEAVING THE CAR BLOCKING TRAFFIC WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN IT. ONCE IT STOPS, IT PUTS ITSELF IN PARK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH ASIDE. WE CREATED A TRAFFIC JAM AND POLICE BARRICADED WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR. EVENTUALLY, IN ABOUT 30 MINS, THE CAR TURNS ON. HAPPENED AFTER AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. CAR SEEMED FINE AFTER THAT. AUGUST 17, 2016 - ON ANOTHER LONG TRIP, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN ON. ALMOST EXHAUSTED THE BATTERY. CALLED A TOW TRUCK BUT BY THE TIME IT GOT THERE, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE CAR RESTARTED. HAD MY ODB-II SCANNER WITH ME AND GOT CODE USED MY OBDII READER AND GOT CODE P142E - PRESSURE TOO LOW IN HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEM, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH NOT STARTING AND THE AND THE FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOGERMANA SERVICE CENTER, THAT SAME DAY. SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 - STALLED ON A MAIN ROAD, WITH MY DAUGHTER, ON THE WAY TO THE PEDIATRICIAN. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND PARK ON A GAS STATION. AMBIENT TEMP WAS 94F. WAITED ABOUT 30MINS AND THE CAR RE-STARTED. THE DEALESHIP WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE. SENT EMAIL TO BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUT THEY REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID 10925651 · filed Nov 13, 2016

I WAS DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY ROAD IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WON'T MOVE. OF COURSE CAME CLOSE TO BEING CRASHED FROM BEHIND. I AM GRATEFUL AND LUCKY THAT THE CARS BEHIND WERE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME AND MANEUVER AROUND ME TO AVOID COLLISION. THE BMW DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR AND TOLD ME THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND ITS CONTROL UNIT IS FAULTY. I HAVE ATTACHED THEIR DIAGNOSIS AS WELL. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A LESS THAN 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH UNDER 25K MILES ON IT HAS A FUEL PUMP FAILURE, UNLESS IT WAS FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH. I CHECKED INTO THE RECALLS FOR BMW 328I MODELS FOR FAULTY FUEL PUMPS AND IT SEEMS BMW RECALLED MODELS FROM 2014, BUT IT SEEMS THE 2012 BMW HAS THIS ISSUE AS WELL. I WAS SAVED BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE IS HURT BECAUSE OF FAULTY PARTS THAT CAR MANUFACTURERS FAIL TO CHECK BEFORE SELLING IT TO UNSUSPECTING CONSUMERS, WHO THINK THEY ARE SAFE WHEN DRIVING THESE EXPENSIVE CARS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND PRECIOUS ONES IN IT. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO BE STILL ALIVE, SAFE AND OK TO WRITE THIS MESSAGE.

NHTSA ID 10925545 · filed Nov 11, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS CAR HAS NO "SAFETY CATCH" ON THE HOOD LATCH THAT THE OWNER OPENS AFTER FIRST RELEASING THE HOOD FROM INSIDE THE CAR. INSTEAD, THE OWNER OPENS THE HOOD BY PULLING TWICE ON THE HOOD RELEASE LEVEL INSIDE THE CAR IN THE DRIVER'S FOOTWELL. THE HOOD THEN OPENS FREELY WITHOUT FURTHER UNLATCHING OUTSIDE THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS LATCH SYSTEM FAILS TO CLOSE THE HOOD PROPERLY. OFTEN ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER WILL NOT LATCH FIRMLY INTO PLACE. SO, INSTEAD OF TWO LATCHES HOLDING THE HOOD DOWN, ONLY ONE DOES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHO DIAGNOSED IT HAS BEING CAUSED BY "LEAVES" IN THE MECHANISM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED ON BOTH THE SIDE THEY CLEANED (THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) AND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE LATCHES. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE HOOD ONLY PARTIALLY LATCHED CLOSED, AS I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE. OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. SEE THIS DISCUSSION AND A PICTURE OF THE IMPROPERLY CLOSED HOOD ONLINE ON A BMW FORUM: HTTP://WWW.F30POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=790560. *TR

NHTSA ID 10492311 · filed Jan 11, 2013

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE IN LINE IN A DRIVE THRU THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF SUDDENLY LOSING ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND POWER STEERING. UPON TRYING TO START "CHARGING MALFUNCTION" APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN WITH A RED WARNING SIGN. TRIED 2-3 TIMES TO TURN OVER STARTER. WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON IT WAS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO EXIT DRIVE THRU DRIVE WAY VEHICLE WAS VERY HEAVY AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. FINALLY AFTER SEVERAL BACK AND FORTH ATTEMPTS VEHICLE WAS MOVED ABOUT 50 FEET TO A SAFE PARKING LOCATION.

NHTSA ID 10892703 · filed Aug 3, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED COGGIN BMW FT. PIERCE FL. SEVERAL TIMES TO GET MY AIRBAG FIXED. OVER A YEAR NOW AND STILL THEY CLAIM THAT THE PARTS HAVE NOT COME IN YET. IS THIS TRUE AND WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THIS RECALL TAKEN CARE OF.

NHTSA ID 11034723 · filed Oct 19, 2017

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN I PURCHASED 328I SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY PULL UP THE DRIVER-SIDE HEADREST FROM DOWN POSITION. BUT I AM SHORT AND MY HEAD IS PROTECTED WHEN THE HEADREST(CONSTRAINT) IS IN ORIGINAL DOWN POSITION. I WANTED IT TO BE PUT DOWN IN ORIGINAL POSITION. NO ONE INCLUDING SERVICE DEPT TECHNICIAN COULD DO IT. AND DURING THE PROCESS THEY PULL THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADREST UP TOO. NOW BOTH SIDES COULD NOT BE PUT DOWN (BY THE WAY BOTH COULD NOT BE PULLED OUT NEITHER), EVEN THOUGH MANUAL SAID THEY COULD BE PUT DOWN AND OUT TOO. AND I CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWER NOR RELATED INFORMATION. I'M CONCERNED SINCE IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. MAY I ASK YOUR HELP IF IT CAN BE RESEARCHED WHY THEY CAN NOT BE PUT DOWN IN ORIGINAL POSITION? I HOPE IT'S NOT A DEFECT PROBLEM, IS IT? *TR

NHTSA ID 10457576 · filed May 5, 2012

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE IN LINE IN A DRIVE THRU THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF SUDDENLY LOSING ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND POWER STEERING. UPON TRYING TO START "CHARGING MALFUNCTION" APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN WITH A RED WARNING SIGN. TRIED 2-3 TIMES TO TURN OVER STARTER. WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON IT WAS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO EXIT DRIVE THRU DRIVE WAY VEHICLE WAS VERY HEAVY AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. FINALLY AFTER SEVERAL BACK AND FORTH ATTEMPTS VEHICLE WAS MOVED ABOUT 50 FEET TO A SAFE PARKING LOCATION.

NHTSA ID 10892703 · filed Aug 3, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .