2012 BMW 5 Series

Typical pattern

3.4% of complaints about the 2012 BMW 5 Series came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (100 complaints), typically at 8.0 yr or about 76,000 miles.

Covers 6 variants: 528I (145), 528XI (88), 535I (86), 550I (53), 535XI (23), 535I GRAN TURISMO (5)

Complaints: 415
Median age at failure: 7.6 yr
Median mileage: 67,000 n=305
Crash / fire / tow: 14.7% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

100 reports · 76,000 mi

8.0 yr

22%

Fuel / propulsion

61 reports · 70,000 mi

7.5 yr

11.5%

Power train

55 reports · 76,000 mi

8.5 yr

18.2%

Electrical system

31 reports · 56,670 mi

8.2 yr

19.4%

Other

23 reports · 63,000 mi

6.7 yr

13%

Tires

22 reports · 11,017 mi

1.6 yr

9.1%

Air bags

22 reports · 74,000 mi

7.7 yr

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V608000 2024-08-13

Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:pump

BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

18V248000 2018-04-18

Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

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 elect

If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.

16V746000 2016-10-17

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

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 crimpe

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.

14V627000 2014-10-07

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

13V454000 2013-09-26

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Power train 34,000 mi 4.8 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE COOLANT FLUID, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, AND PLEASE HAVE CAR SERVICED LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE OIL FILTER HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL, BUT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

Power train 80,000 mi 7.5 yr in service

DEFECTIVE DRIVE TRAIN - ON MARCH 11, 2019 MY DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION AND WHICH DAMAGE MY ENGINE. THIS IS AN SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE MY CAR STOP ON THE FREEWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BMW MFG KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE DRIVE TRAIN PRIOR TO ME PURCHASING CAR FROM FIELDS BMW ON JULY 2013. BMW NORTH AMERICA OFFER TO PAY 21,000 FOR THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND THEY WANT ME TO PAY 6,000.00 AND I FEEL BMW KNOW ABOUT THE FAULTY DESIGN IN 2012 AND DID NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER. WHEN I PURCHASE THE CAR, IT HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT AND I PUT 62,000.00

Power train mileage not reported 8.1 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN BMW DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Tires 11,000 mi 1.6 yr in service

THREE TIRE BUBBLES, FIRST AT 11,000 MILES, TWO MORE AT 12,000. ORIGINAL TIRES ON BMW 535XI SPORT. "GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 RUNONFLAT" 245/40R19 BMW QUICKLY REPLACED FOUR TIRES WITH MICHELIN, AT PRORATED COST, SO THEY KNOW THE PROBLEM. TIRES MUST BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY!!!!!!!!! *TR

Other 5 Series model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.