2012 BMW 5 Series Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2012 BMW 5 Series, and owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2012 BMW 5 Series. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 BMW 5 Series have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 41,244 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 2 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I was driving my car on a road when a warning light came on. I parked the car home, since i was close to home. The same week i took the car to a BMW specialist because there was a noise coming from th”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 14, 2019 · Engine
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 BMW 5-series. The contact stated that the vehicle excessively overheated without warning. The contact constantly had to exercise caution in the event that the vehicle may h”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 12, 2019 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 BMW 5 Series (528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i Gran Turismo, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 17–27 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–23 / 19–34 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Large Cars, Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4/6/8 cyl, 2/3/4.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S8); Automatic 8-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare BMW 5 Series model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 5 Series model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 7 |
| 2003 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 15 |
| 2004 BMW 5 Series | 6 | 64 |
| 2005 BMW 5 Series | 4 | 21 |
| 2006 BMW 5 Series | 7 | 85 |
| 2007 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 13 |
| 2008 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 105 |
| 2009 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 8 |
| 2010 BMW 5 Series | 5 | 6 |
| 2011 BMW 5 Series | 4 | 81 |
| 2012 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 10 |
| 2023 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2012 BMW 5 Series
How do I know if my 2012 BMW 5 Series 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.
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.
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
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 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.