Total Complaints
10 filings
BMW 328 · model year
10 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012BMW328 carries 10 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2012 328 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by seat belts (2) and engine (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2012 328. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
Total Complaints
10 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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,
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.
Mileage: 80,000
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.
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
Mileage: 71,978
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"
Mileage: 41,000
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.
Mileage: 49,450
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.
Mileage: 49,450
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
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?
Mileage: 52,400
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?
Mileage: 52,400
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?
Mileage: 52,400
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2012 BMW 328; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.