2012 Bmw 528I: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, I HEARD POP, AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR HAD POPPED LOOSE. IMMEDIATELY, WARNING LIGHTS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS COMPLETELY CLOSED AND LOCKED WHEN I STARTED MY COMMUTE. I HAD DRIVEN ABOUT 8 MILES AT THE POINT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ONCE I PULLED OVER, I NOTICED THAT THE DOOR WAS STILL LOCKED, BUT IT WAS CLEARLY AJAR. NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT FEEL LIKE THIS IS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474021 at NHTSA ↗

I RAN OVER A POT HOLE, ABOUT 4" DEEP, AND BOTH PASSENGER SIDE RIMS WERE BENT SO BAD THAT THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MODULE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $8,229 I PREVIOUSLY HAD A BMW 750IL 2008. I ALSO HIT A POT HOLE AT ABOUT 45 MPH AND THE FRONT RIM CRACKED AND BACK RIM BENT. BOTH THE RIMS AND TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AND COST OVER $3000. THE BMWS ARE JUST TO HEAVY FOR THE ALUMINUM RIMS THEY COME WITH. IN OVER 40 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH RIMS UNTIL I …

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491487 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR WAS LEASED NEW. A HEAVY 'CHEMICAL ' SMELL OCCURED WHENEVER THE VENTILATION SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED. DRIVER SUFFERED HEADACHES AND SINUS PROBLEMS. AT 14 MONTHS INTO THE LEASE, DRIVER HAD AN AIR QUALITY TEST DONE ON INSIDE OF THE CAR. RESULTS CAME BACK WITH ELEVATED UNSAFE LEVELS OF BENZINE. OTHER PERSONS RIDING IN THE CAR EXPERIENCED VISION PROBLEMS. BENZINE IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN AND SOMETHING WAS VERY, VERY WRONG WITH THIS CAR. BMW IS NOW IN POSSESSION OF THIS CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10548931 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING IN METRO DETROIT LAST NIGHT MY 2012 BMW 528I XDRIVE SUDDENLY FLASHED A "FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" MESSAGE, LURCHED AND CAME TO A DEAD STOP JUST PAST THE INTERSECTION OF NOVI ROAD AND 10 MILE. I WAS TWO MILES FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AND MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE WITH ME IN THE CAR. HAD I MADE IT TO I-96 - JUST TWO MILES UP THE ROAD - AND THIS HAPPENED, WE VERY LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. POLICE WERE CALLED BECAUSE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR WAS ELECTRONICALLY LOCKED. I COULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN …

Owner-reported narrative. 15,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10559563 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING AT 30, AND HIT A POT-HOLE. ALL OF SUDDEN MY RARE PASSENGER DOOR POPPED OPENED. MY DASH BOARD STARTED LIGHTING, AND ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED LIGHTING. TAKEN TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AS WE CARRY OUR BABY OFTEN TIMES IN THE REAR SEAT (HE WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN INCIDENT HAPPENED), AND THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG, BUT SUGGESTED TO PUT CHILD LOCK. I SEE A SIMILAR COMPLAINT BY ANOTHER USER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10593628 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING IN THE HOV AT APPROXIMATELY 9PM WHEN AN ALERT MESSAGE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY" DISPLAYS. CAR ENGINE IMMEDIATELY CUTS OUT AND WE HAVE NO PROPULSION. WE ARE UNABLE TO MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION AND WIND UP ON A NARROW SHOULDER OF THE LIE IN NY. POLICE COME AND CLOSE DOWN 2 LANES TO PREVENT COLLISION (EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS). WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR OR SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL. CAR WAS TOWED. BMW NOTIFIES US THAT FUEL SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN US RUNNING OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGHT THE INDICATOR SH…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,820 miles reported. Look up ODI 10627123 at NHTSA ↗

LAST MONTH MY CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,200 MILES (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND LEAKING OIL ALL OVER MY DRIVEWAY AND UNDER THE HOOD. IT COST ME $1570 TO FIX BY REPLACING THE FITER CASING. LUCKILY THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHAT IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY? THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE CAR TO DRIVE. THE LOCAL SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE FILTER HOUSING (2012 VERSION) WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THE CURRENT BMW ONE 2014 IS MADE OF METAL. THE LOCAL SHOP TOLD ME TO CALL BMW IF THERE IS ANY RECALL FOR THIS. SO BEFORE FIXING IT LOCAL SHOP, I DID CALL THE CRE…

Owner-reported narrative. 52,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662405 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY AND THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE OIL RESERVOIR. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO MIX WITH THE COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10706128 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-09-26 (September 26, 2013)

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.

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

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 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

Reported: 2014-10-07 (October 7, 2014)

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.

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

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 customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Reported: 2016-10-17 (October 17, 2016)

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 crimped wire contacts.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Reported: 2024-08-13 (August 13, 2024)

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.

Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

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 customer service at 1-800-525-7417.