RoadVitals

2012 BMW 535XI Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
18
Latest Mar 19, 2019
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 18, 2012

What this page shows

Our database holds 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 BMW 535XI. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–18 of 18

Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 19, 2019

FRONT HEADLIGHTS BUILDS UP CONDENSATION AND ALOT OF WATER. LOWERING VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
11189881
Incident
Dec 2, 2015
Mileage
49,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 15, 2019

MY CAR HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ERROR POPPED UP ON THE MAIN SCREEN OF " "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION." IT ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO A SERVICE CENTER WHICH I DID. BMW OF WICHITA DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY QUOTED ME $2,500 TO FIX THE ISSUE AND I ASKED THEM IF THIS WAS BECAUSE OF DAMAGE OR ABUSE BY THE OWNER AND THEY SAID NO IT JUST A PART THAT FAILED. I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD OFFER ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NOT ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE I SET THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND SO I FIGURED I WOULD REPORT IT TO YOU. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS OFF A COLD START AND BEFORE ANYONE SAT IN THE SEAT AND HAS CONTINUED SINCE.

NHTSA ID
11170230
Incident
Dec 27, 2018
Mileage
76,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 1, 2019

WATER CONDENSES INSIDE THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS IMPACTING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LIGHTING SSYSTEM. REPORTED THIS WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL. SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM

NHTSA ID
11164369
Incident
Jan 1, 2019
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 16, 2018

THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER SUDDENLY BEGAN TO OVERHEAT WHEN THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS OLD. THE HEAT BECAME SO INTENSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO TURN OFF THE HEATER FOR FEAR OF BURNS. THE SEAT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM JUST RECURRED WITH THE NEW SEAT, THREE YEARS AFTER THE FIRST SEAT WAS REPLACED; THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PERSISTENT DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING FLAW, OCCURRING IN TWO CONSECUTIVE SEATS.

NHTSA ID
11079762
Incident
Mar 2, 2018
Mileage
60,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 4, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 535XI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ID
10924198
Incident
Oct 1, 2014
Mileage
42,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed May 4, 2016

CAR WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 10,000 MI. WITHIN 1 YEAR, ABOUT 13,000 MI. BUBBLES APPEARED ON 2 GOODYEAR RUNFLAT TIRES, DUE TO POTHOLES. AFTER REPLACING 2 TIRES, I REPLACED ALL 4 WITH BRIDGESTONE RUNFLATS. NO ISSUES WITH BRIDGESTONE TIRES. GOODYEARS ARE NOT GOOD, AND SHOULD NOT BE USED ON THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID
10863212
Incident
May 21, 2014
Mileage
23,000 mi
Filed Oct 23, 2015

BMW HAS AN ISSUE WITH RUN FLAT TIRE ON CERTAIN MODELS AND CONTINUES TO REPLACE THESE TIRES, KNOWING THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 TIRES. HAVING RECENTLY REPLACED 5 TIRES RECENTLY AND A 6TH TIRE TWO YEARS AGO THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. BMW CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS THESE ARE THE TIRES FOR THESES MODEL CARS. OUT OF SIX TIRES BMW DID AGREE TO REPLACE TWO LAST DECEMBER. THEY NOW SAY THIS IS THE TIRE FOR THIS CAR...LUCKILY, NO ONE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES WITH THESE HIGHWAY BLOWOUTS OCCURRED. NO MORE BMW"S FOR ME UNTIL THE COMPANY ADMITS THEY HAVE A "PROBLEM" THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM AND A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE MONTHS AGO.

NHTSA ID
10785551
Incident
Oct 16, 2015
Mileage
35,000 mi
Filed Oct 20, 2015

CAR HAS HAD 3 BLOW OUTS OF RUN FLAT GOODYEAR LS2 TIRES ON HIGHWAY AND 3 TIRES WITH SIDEWALL BUBBLES THAT WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. 5 TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN LESS THAN 10 MONTHS AND LESS THAN 5,000 MILE ON A TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS 35,000 MILES IN 37 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ID
10783727
Incident
Oct 16, 2015
Mileage
35,719 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 9, 2015

A BUBBLE APPEAR ON THE SIDE WALL FROM AN APPARENT ROAD DIVOT. SINCE THAT INCIDENT I HAVE 4 MORE TIRES WITH A BUBBLE IN THEM ALL THE SAME TIRE BRAND. I AM TO ACCEPT THIS BECAUSE BUYER BEWARE APPLIES HERE. THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC DANGERS THIS MAY CAUSE SHOULD IT BE BUYER BEWARE OR NHTSA GET INVOLVED AND MANDATE TIRE MANUFACTURERS PROVIDE A WARNING TO THE BUYER.

NHTSA ID
10732893
Incident
Feb 6, 2015
Mileage
9,500 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Sep 29, 2014

I HAVE GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 RUNONFLAT 245/45/18 WITH 18K ON THEM. I STARTED HEARING A TIRE NOISE WHEN I WOULD DRIVE OVER 50MPH. I THEN LOOKED AT MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AND NOTICED A BULGE. I DO NOT REMEMBER HITTING ANY POTHOLE OR CURB THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. AFTER INVESTIGATING THIS ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL OWNERS OF THESE TIRES. GOODYEAR SHOULD REIMBURSE ANYONE WHO HAS TO REPLACE. I WILL NOT BE INSTALLING THESE TIRES AGAIN AND I WOULD ADVISE OTHERS NOT TO BUY A NEW OR USED CAR WITH THESE TIRES ON THEM. GOODYEAR KNOWS THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM BUT IS NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING BY RECALLING THESE TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10639707
Incident
Sep 22, 2014
Mileage
18,130 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Sep 21, 2014

GOODYEAR LOW PROFILE TIRES. 245/40R19 98V LS2. TODAY MY TIRE SPLIT. THIS IS THE 5TH TIRE ON THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD REPLACED IN THE LAST 20 MONTHS. I ALSO HAVE A BUBBLE IN ANOTHER TIRE THAT NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. THESE SPLITS AND BUBBLES ARE FROM ROUTINE DRIVING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO RIDE OVER A CRATER TO DAMAGE THIS TIRE. ANY SMALL BUMP WILL BUBBLE OR SPLIT THE RUBBER. GOODYEAR HAS YET TO OWN UP TO THESE DEFECTS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10637857
Incident
Sep 14, 2014
Mileage
24,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 12, 2014

I RAN OVER A SMALL POTHOLE AND MY GOODYEAR LS2 TIRE IMMEDIATELY DEVELOPED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL MAKING THE TIRE UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. THESE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM AND THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THAT THIS SAME DEFECT APPEARED IN A TIRE ON THIS CAR. THESE GOODYEAR TIRES ARE UNSAFE AS ONLY A MODERATE BUMP OR POTHOLE RENDERS THEM INOPERABLE. GOODYEAR AND BMW ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND ITS DANGEROUS. THE CAR HAS A DESIGN DEFECT THATS EITHER IN THE TIRE CONSTRUCTION OR IN THE SPECIFICATION OF THIS TIRE ON THIS WHEEL. IN ADDITION, I HAVE THE 19 INCH TIRE SIZE WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE BUT THE BMW DEALER FOR $450 EACH. BMW HAS IN EFFECT CORNERED THE AFTERMARKET ON THIS 19 INCH REPLACEMENT TIRE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND COSTLY SITUATION FOR CONSUMERS. NHTSA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. BMW SHOULD RECALL THE CARS WITH THIS WHEEL/TIRE COMBO AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WITH ANOTHER TIRE. THIS TIRES SIDEWALL IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A CAR THATS THIS HEAVY AND NOT TALL ENOUGH TO CUSHION THE IMPACT OF A POTHOLE. IT'S JUST UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10621602
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
28,455 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Jun 19, 2013

THREE TIRES HAD LARGE BUBBLES, FIRST TIRE AT 11,000, TWO MORE AT 12,000. TIRES WERE ORIGINAL FOR A 2012 BMW 535XI SPORT. TIRES WERE "GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 RUNONFLAT 245/40R19" TIRES HAVE GENTLE USE, 99% FREEWAY DRIVING ON GOOD ROADS. TIRES ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND MUST BE RECALLED. BMW KNOWS THIS BECAUSE THEY QUICKLY REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN'S AT PRORATED COST. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO RECALL THESE TIRES! *TR

NHTSA ID
10520703
Incident
Apr 9, 2013
Mileage
11,017 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed May 18, 2013

2012 BMW 535 XDRIVE 27000 MILES. 2.5 INCH BUBBLE ON RIGHT FRONT SIDEWALL, CRACK ON SIDEWALL OF REAR TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512666
Incident
Apr 14, 2013
Mileage
25,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 12, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 535 XI EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 TIRES, SIZE 245/40/R19. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH OVER A POT HOLE, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HER THAT THE TIRES WERE RUN FLAT TIRES AND WERE MADE THINLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS APPROXIMATELY 600. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10502460
Incident
Mar 9, 2013
Mileage
9,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 8, 2013

IT WAS 530AM AND WE WERE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, AND I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. FEW CARS ON THE ROAD.OUT OF NO WHERE WE HEAR A LOUD BOOM COMING FROM WHAT SOUNDS THE BACK OF THE CAR. AFTER THE BOOM NOTHING HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. THEN THE CAR HAD A MESSAGE OF "DRIVE TRAIN ISSUE DRIVE MODERATELY" THEN THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. WE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND CALLED THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE. THEY ARRIVED WITHIN TWENTY MINUTES OF OUR CALL. AS THE OFFICER PULLED UP, AND WE EXPLAINED WHAT WE THOUGHT HAPPENED HE EXPRESSED THAT HE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING AT ALL IN THE ROAD (HE WAS TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS WE WERE). WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS KIMBERLY BMW IN DAVENPORT, IA. WE RENTED A CAR AND CONTINUED TO CHICAGO SO WE RENTED A CAR AND CONTINUED OUR TRIP. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM KIMBERLY BMW AND THEY STATED THAT THE GAS TANK BLADDER HAD BEEN PUNCTURED, AND THAT IT WAS OUR FAULT NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT?? WE HIT NOTHING, WE SAW NOTHING, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY DAMAGE TO INSINUATE THAT WE HIT SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE "PUNCTURED GAS TANK". KIMBERLY BMW SAID THEY TOOK PICTURES. WE REPEATEDLY ASKED THEM TO BE EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, ANY MEANS NECESSARY SO WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES. WE DEMANDED THAT THE PUNCTURED TANK BE LEFT FOR OUR INSPECTION UPON PICKING UP THE CAR, AND WE NEVER RECEIVED IT. UPON CALLING BMW THEY STUCK BY KIMBERLY BMW STATING KIMBERLY BMW HAS "PICTURES" AND LEFT IT AT THAT. NO ONE FROM BMW CAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE PICTURES. I TRULY BELIEVE THEY ARE COVERING UP A DEFECT IN THE GAS TANK OF THE VEHICLE. WE PAID THE MONEY TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED. ITS NOT AT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY IT IS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND THE MOTORIST AROUND US. OUR CONCERNS HAVE FELL ON DEAF EARS. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10496821
Incident
Jan 31, 2013
Mileage
12,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 23, 2012

THERE IS A BUBBLE THAT HAS FORMED ON MY TIRES VERY OFTEN AND HAS FORCED ME TO REPLACE 4 TIRES IN 10 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10485817
Incident
Nov 17, 2012
Mileage
13,500 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 18, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 535XI EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 TIRES, SIZE 245/40R19. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE BUBBLES IN THE FRONT DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER TIRES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

NHTSA ID
10475829
Incident
Apr 17, 2012
Mileage
8 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.

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