2012 BMW 328

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags3
000
Engine2
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Steering1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module16V071000
Filed Feb 5, 2016840,000 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs, 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs, 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs, 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs, 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Nov 27, 201880,000 milesMD

THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ON THE STATE HIGHWAY AND WILL NOT START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 09/08/2018 ON FOR MAJOR REPAIRS INCLUDING OIL CHANGE AND ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE WERE UP TO DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED THAT ENGINE IS JAMMED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DID ALL THE MAINTENANCES AND I HAVE THE INVOICES TO DOCUMENT THE RECENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. THE CAR HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THE PAST, STOPPING SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I THINK THE BMW ENGINE HAS PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER WHO DID THE LAST MAINTENANCE ALSO DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB. I REQUEST TO TAKE THIS ISSUE WITH THE BMW CORPORATION AND HAVE THEM COVER THE DAMAGES.

Steering
Filed Feb 24, 2018IL

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE, A WARNING MESSAGE "CHASIS STABILIZATION: DRIVE MODERATELY" APPEARED ON THE DASH AND HAD NO POWER STEERING AND WAS MAKING WHIRRING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. STOPPED THE CAR AND WALKED BACK INTO THE GARAGE AND FOUND A SHEARED OFF BOLT ON THE FLOOR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, FOUND ALL THE THREE BOLTS ON THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR SHEARED OFF & MISSING AND THE STEERING MOTOR WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF FROM ITS PLACE AND EXCESSIVE CORROSION WAS ALSO NOTICED. THE ONE BOLT FOUND ON THE GARAGE FLOOR MUST HAVE BEEN THE LAST ONE HOLDING THE MOTOR IN PLACE. GLAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE DRIVEWAY AND NOT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OR WHEN MAKING A TURN.

Engine
Filed Dec 28, 201771,978 milesNY

IN JULY 2017 WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CABIN COMPLETELY FILLED UP WITH SMOKE AND I INHALED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT , AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE HOOD AREA. MY MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE SMOKE FILLING THE CABIN. AT NO POINT DID I RECEIVE ANY FORM OF NOTICE THROUGH THE MAIL, EMAIL, OR PHONE INFORMING ME OF SUCH A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO TOWNE BMW IN WILLIAMSVILLE, NY AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST 2017. AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND THE VEHICLE WAS 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. HOWEVER ON THE DRIVE HOME AT NIGHT, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED. I HAD NO LIGHTS, NO HORN, NO BRAKES, NO POWER WHATSOEVER. THIS APPARENTLY IS WHAT BMW CONSIDERS 'SAFE'. I HAD TO PAY TO TOW THE CAR BACK TO TOWNE BMW, AS THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT SEEM TO CARE THAT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. A FEW DAYS LATER TOWNE BMW INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS ONCE AGAIN 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AGAIN AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN, IN ADDITION TO NOISES BEING EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. I CALLED TOWNE BMW ON AVERAGE TWICE A DAY LEAVING VOICEMAILS AS WELL AS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER. AFTER MY SECOND CALL TO BMW CORPORATE TO COMPLAIN I FINALLY RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM BMW AFTER NEARLY A WEEK OF PHONE CALLS. I SUPPOSE THE SAFETY OF VEHICLES OR PROPER S

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 8, 201741,000 milesDC

WATER LEAKING INTO DRIVER SIDE OF CAR AND POOLING IN DRIVER FOOTWELL AND DRIVER-SIDE PASSENGER. WHEN PARKED ON SLOPE, NEARLY 3-4 INCHES OF STANDING WATER. AFTER PUMPING AND DRYING OUT WATER, MAJOR RAIN STORM RESULTED IN RETURN OF POOLING WATER. POSSIBLY RELATED TO BMW SERVICE BULLETIN: SIB 51 05 14 IT SAYS "REMOVE WATER DRAIN GROMMET OF UNITS COMPARTMENT"

Air Bags
Filed Feb 17, 201749,450 milesCA

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WARNING ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. A WEEK LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I TOOK IT BACK AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE SENSOR PAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NOW BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG/RESTRAINT SYSTEM ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THE VEHICLE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BEING ENGAGED. THESE WARNING APPEAR EITHER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR PARKED.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 29, 2016CA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. ...UPDATED 09/20/16 *BF

Air Bags
Filed Feb 22, 201652,400 milesOR

I BOUGHT MY CAR AT AROUND 50K MILES, AFTER MANUFACTURER' WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. IT WAS FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH AFTER MY PURCHASE. ONE DAY, AFTER DRIVING FROM THE STORE, MY CAR INDICATED I NEEDED TO FASTEN MY SEATBELT. I WAS FASTENED IN. SO I STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR, THINKING IT WAS SOME WEIRD ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I GOT HOME AND THE NEXT TIME I GOT INTO MY CAR TO DRIVE IT, THE DISPLAY NOW SHOWS" DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION: CONTINUE WEARING SAFETY BELT. CONSULT NEAREST SERVICE CENTER." I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE WARRANTY I PURCHASED DOES NOT COVER SEATBELTS OR AIRBAG SENSORS. THE DEALER GAVE ME A COST OF REPLACEMENT: $820.52! I HAVE READ THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. YET, THERE IS NO RECALL. WHY WOULD IT BE OKAY FOR SEATBELTS AND AIRBAG SENSORS TO STOP WORKING JUST AFTER 50K MILES?

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
201310100Routine
2012 — this page7100Routine
201137120Routine
20103100Routine
200911100Routine
20088110Routine
20079100Routine
20060100Routine

Compare every 328 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Feb 5, 2016. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.