2012 BMW 328I Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2012 BMW 328I, and owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2012 BMW 328I
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Connectors/plugs/receptacles (electrical system) and pump (engine and engine cooling)
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…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW…
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Inflator module (air bags) and air bags: frontal
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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Inflator module (air bags)
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi,…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may…
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Exterior lighting
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…
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Vacuum (service brakes) and hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
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…
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes) and vacuum (service brakes)
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…
130 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 BMW 328I have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 78,221 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 17 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Engine oil pressure light came on and then the driver train malfunction light. Car at 113k miles and upon checking the timing chain was damage and now engine locked”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 7, 2026 · Power train
“The inner film on the central display console that shows navigation, multimedia and other information detached and made the display unreadable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 2, 2026 · Electrical system
Compare BMW 328I model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 328I model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 BMW 328I | 0 | 31 |
| 1997 BMW 328I | 0 | 25 |
| 1998 BMW 328I | 0 | 26 |
| 1999 BMW 328I | 7 | 98 |
| 2000 BMW 328I | 7 | 112 |
| 2001 BMW 328I | 3 | 4 |
| 2002 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 BMW 328I | 3 | 0 |
| 2007 BMW 328I | 6 | 398 |
| 2008 BMW 328I | 5 | 239 |
| 2009 BMW 328I | 6 | 193 |
| 2010 BMW 328I | 6 | 155 |
| 2011 BMW 328I | 7 | 577 |
| 2012 BMW 328I | 6 | 130 |
| 2013 BMW 328I | 5 | 257 |
| 2014 BMW 328I | 8 | 151 |
| 2015 BMW 328I | 4 | 125 |
| 2016 BMW 328I | 1 | 57 |
Checking a specific 2012 BMW 328I
How do I know if my 2012 BMW 328I 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 2012 BMW 328I; 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
- X53,154 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
- 335I810 complaints
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.