Total Complaints
5 filings
BMW 320I · model year
2012 BMW 320I
5 NHTSA complaints, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012BMW320I carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2012 320I is air bags with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and electronic stability control (esc) (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2012 320I. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recalls (3)
13V45400026/09/2013
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
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
15V52000017/08/2015
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 vehicl
14V62700007/10/2014
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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 X
Recent Complaints
20170227AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 320I N/A. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Mileage: 130,000
20160909AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 (NA) BMW 320I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
20140126ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HEAD LIGHTS FOR NEWER CARS ARE TOO BRIGHT AND BLIND DRIVERS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *TR
20140126ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
HEAD LIGHTS FOR NEWER CARS ARE TOO BRIGHT AND BLIND DRIVERS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *TR
20140126EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHTS FOR NEWER CARS ARE TOO BRIGHT AND BLIND DRIVERS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *TR
Compare 2012BMW320I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 BMW 320I have?▼
The 2012 BMW 320I has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 BMW 320I?▼
Yes, the 2012 BMW 320I has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW 320I?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 BMW 320I is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC).
Is the 2012 BMW 320I safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.