Electrical
Filed Mar 22, 2025
Fire reported
The car was parked overnight. In the morning around dusk , it spontaneously caught fire.
- NHTSA ID
- 11649879
- Incident
- Mar 22, 2025
2012 BMW 535I Electrical Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Mar 22, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 54 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0
What this page shows
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 BMW 535I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming electrical
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 535I. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the engine temperature and "Pull Over - Stop Vehicle" warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and let the vehicle cool down and drove to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact that there was an active recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11621488
- Incident
- Oct 14, 2024
- Mileage
- 127,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 23, 2020
MY COOLANT FAN IS MOVING FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BECAUSE THE WATER PUMP IS FAILING. IT ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE THE OTHER DAY WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR.. IT WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I HEARD THE FAN SPINNING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND WAS SMOKING TERRIBLY.
- NHTSA ID
- 11319019
- Incident
- Mar 21, 2020
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 23, 2019
SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED AS I WAS DRIVING
- NHTSA ID
- 11203216
- Incident
- Apr 19, 2019
- Mileage
- 56,670 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 8, 2018
DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN DOOR HANDLE IS PULLED
- NHTSA ID
- 11150210
- Incident
- Aug 1, 2017
Electrical
Filed Apr 18, 2017
DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE AT 33000 MILES. UNABLE TO UNLOCK AND OPEN DOOR BY INSIDE HANDLE. THEREFORE, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY IF DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BMW BUT HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL, WHICH I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AS A SAFETY PROBLEM.
- NHTSA ID
- 10979001
- Incident
- Apr 10, 2017
- Mileage
- 33,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 7, 2016
SEVERAL TIMES WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION WITH THE AUTO START/STOP ENGAGED, THE CAR WILL STOP AND AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO NEUTRAL. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES WHEN PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT HAPPENED ONCE WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STALLED AFTER I STARTED THE TURN. I HAD TO GET THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE QUICKLY TO COMPLETE THE TURN AND AVOID BEING HIT BY THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN FREQUENTLY, HAS OCCURRED A TOTAL OF 5 OR 6 TIMES IN THE 4 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR.
- NHTSA ID
- 10863729
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2016
- Mileage
- 30,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 10, 2014
I HAVE A 2012 535I AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING STALLS WHEN AUTO START/STOP ENGAGES, WHEN THE VEHICLE TRIES TO RESTART THE ENGINE IT SWITCHES TO N WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IN CERTAIN DRIVING SITUATIONS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10563632
- Incident
- May 9, 2012
- Mileage
- 4,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Oct 25, 2013
THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS FROM THE MOMENT WE BOUGHT IT. THE CAR STARTED MAKING WHISTLING SOUNDS AND ENGINE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND HAS BEEN SEEN BY BMW RTS ALREADY 4 TIMES. BUT MOST RECENTLY MY HUSBAND WAS WAITING AT THE LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN HIS STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN LOCKED AND HE COULD NOT DRIVE IT. SO WE TOOK IT IN TO GET IT SERVICED AND WAS TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY CONTACT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA . 3 WEEKS LATER I FINALLY RECEIVED MY CAR AND CAUSE OF THIS STEERING ERROR READS: EPS CONTROL UNIT IS FAULTY. THE REPLACED THE EPS CONTROL UNIT, BASICALLY THE STEERING RACK, AND THE EPS CONTROL UNIT FAILED AGAIN! THEY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO RESET THE CONTROL MODULES REPROGRAMMED THE EPS CONTROL UNIT, ADJUSTED THE STEERING ANGELS, INITIALIZED ALL WINDOWS AND SUNROOF, PERFORMED ACTIVE 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. BASICALLY THE CARS A DUD AND BMW REFUSES A BUY BACK. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10549587
- Incident
- Oct 7, 2013
- Mileage
- 33,573 mi
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .