2012 Bmw 328I

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Bmw 328I has 196 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: april 2013, a warning signal on my vehicle notified me there was a need for coolant. i scheduled maintenance for 4/18/13. i informed them of the coolant warning and also inquired about recall notices. on 4/19/13, i called weber bmw myself to check the status, louie informed me there were 3 recall n. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 4 crash reports 1 injury

196

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

70 complaints

36%

• APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N
• WENT TO START CAR AND GOT A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE VANOS SOLENOID SENSOR. *TR
• BOUGHT BRAND NEW 2012 328I. WITHIN 2 MONTHS ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING WOULD SHOW UP AND CAR WOULD GO INTO "LIMP MODE" AND BARELY DRIVE ABLE. SOMETIMES COULD BE RESET BY TURNING OFF, THEN BACK ON. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND EVERY TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME NO ONE ELSE WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THEY BL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

31 complaints

16%

• PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGES IF PASSENGER SITS ON ANY TYPE CUSHION. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGED LIGHT IS ON IF PASSENGER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SITTING ON ANY TYPE OF CUSHION OR PADDING. THE AIR BAG CAN DISENGAGE IF PASSENGER WEARS A PADDED WINTER COAT. THIS BMW 328I ORIGINALLY WAS D
• DRIVER OF A 2012 BMW 328I, WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN HER VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE (ROUGHLY THE MIDDLE OF THE VEHICLE) BY A CHEVROLET BLAZER THAT WAS TRAVELLING AT A RATE OF AT LEAST 40 MPH. NONE OF THE BMW'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG FAIL
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGES IF PASSENGER SITS ON ANY TYPE CUSHION. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGED LIGHT IS ON IF PASSENGER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SITTING ON ANY TYPE OF CUSHION OR PADDING. THE AIR BAG CAN DISENGAGE IF PASSENGER WEARS A PADDED WINTER COAT. THIS BMW 328I ORIGINALLY WAS D”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

23 complaints

12%

• APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N
• THE I DRIVE COMPLETELY FAILED LEAVING THE SCREEN BLACK AT THIS TIME I HAD NO AUDIO,NO HANDS FREE TELEPHONE NO WAY TO CHANGE ANY SETTINGS ON THE VEHICLE. WENT TO BMW DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS AN OVERTEMP CODE AND THAT BMW WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS AND ENGINEERS WERE WORKING ON IT BUT AT
• WENT TO START CAR AND GOT A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE VANOS SOLENOID SENSOR. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

19 complaints

10%

• WENT TO START CAR AND GOT A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE VANOS SOLENOID SENSOR. *TR
• BOUGHT BRAND NEW 2012 328I. WITHIN 2 MONTHS ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING WOULD SHOW UP AND CAR WOULD GO INTO "LIMP MODE" AND BARELY DRIVE ABLE. SOMETIMES COULD BE RESET BY TURNING OFF, THEN BACK ON. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND EVERY TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME NO ONE ELSE WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THEY BL
• UNABLE TO ACCELERATE SAFELY, ENGINE GIVES OUT INTERMITTENTLY AT VARYING SPEEDS. CALLED EVERY DEALERSHIP AROUND ALPHARETTA, GA; GWINNETTE BMW TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T WORK ON IT OR HELP ME AND THEN HUNG UP-ALL ON A RECORDED LINE. STILL WAITING FOR A MANAGER TO CALL ME. CALLED ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY SAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WENT TO START CAR AND GOT A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE VANOS SOLENOID SENSOR. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

13 complaints

• PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGES IF PASSENGER SITS ON ANY TYPE CUSHION. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGED LIGHT IS ON IF PASSENGER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SITTING ON ANY TYPE OF CUSHION OR PADDING. THE AIR BAG CAN DISENGAGE IF PASSENGER WEARS A PADDED WINTER COAT. THIS BMW 328I ORIGINALLY WAS D
• APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N
• EVERY SO OFTEN I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT SAYS 'PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION'. I KNOW THIS IS A COMMON ERROR MESSAGE FOR BMW VEHICLES & THEIR OWNERS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND BEEN TOLD THAT IT COULD BE REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSES...WHY?! WHEN SO MANY VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME ISSUE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 196 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGES IF PASSENGER SITS ON ANY TYPE CUSHION. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGED LIGHT IS ON IF PASSENGER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SITTING ON ANY TYPE OF CUSHION OR PADDING. THE AIR BAG CAN DISENGAGE IF PASSENGER WEARS A PADDED WINTER COAT. THIS BMW 328I ORIGINALLY WAS D
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: APRIL 2013, A WARNING SIGNAL ON MY VEHICLE NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A NEED FOR COOLANT. I SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR 4/18/13. I INFORMED THEM OF THE COOLANT WARNING AND ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT RECALL NOTICES. ON 4/19/13, I CALLED WEBER BMW MYSELF TO CHECK THE STATUS, LOUIE INFORMED ME THERE WERE 3 RECALL N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WENT TO START CAR AND GOT A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE VANOS SOLENOID SENSOR. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)