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2012 BMW 320I Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2012 BMW 320I, and owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
3
owner complaints to NHTSA

3 safety recalls for the 2012 BMW 320I

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Exterior lighting

    NHTSA 15V520000 Reported 7,727 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at…

  2. Vacuum (service brakes) and hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

    NHTSA 14V627000 Reported 8,988 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    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,…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW…

  3. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes) and vacuum (service brakes)

    NHTSA 13V454000 Reported 76,191 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    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…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at…

3 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2012 BMW 320I have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 130,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl* the contact owns a 2010 BMW 320i n/a. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and would remain illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 27, 2017 · Air bags

“Tl* the contact owns a 2011 (na) BMW 320i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v346000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 9, 2016 · Air bags

Compare BMW 320I model years

Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 320I model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1977 BMW 320I40
1978 BMW 320I42
1979 BMW 320I11
1980 BMW 320I03
1982 BMW 320I01
2000 BMW 320I10
2001 BMW 320I10
2002 BMW 320I11
2003 BMW 320I10
2004 BMW 320I11
2005 BMW 320I10
2012 BMW 320I33
2013 BMW 320I39
2014 BMW 320I753
2015 BMW 320I333
2016 BMW 320I025
2017 BMW 320I09
2018 BMW 320I021

Checking a specific 2012 BMW 320I

How do I know if my 2012 BMW 320I has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2012 BMW 320I; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 13V454000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other BMW models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.