Total Complaints
3 filings
BMW 6-SERIES · model year
2012 BMW 6-SERIES
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012BMW6-SERIES carries 3 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 6-SERIES is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by engine (1) and unknown or other (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.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2012 6-SERIES. 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180611ENGINE
BMW GROUP ISSUED VOLUNTARY RECALL NO. 18V-248: ELECTRONIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE. PRIOR TO RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE BY MAIL, MY CAR'S INSTRUMENT PANEL REGISTERED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AND ON COLD STARTUP: "ENGINE TEMPERATURE HIGH, DRIVE MODERATELY..." . THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ NORMAL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED (BOTH STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING). THE BMW SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME THE MESSAGE WAS DUE TO THE RECALLED AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE, 18V-248. IN ADDITION, THE TURBO COOLANT LINES WERE FOUND TO BE LEAKING WHICH THE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME WERE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IT SEEMS A FAULTY AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WOULD CAUSE OR INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF FAILING TURBO COOLANT LINES. IN ADDITION, A FAILING CIRCUIT BOARD COULD RENDER OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES IN THE VEHICLE THAT BMW IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING IN THIS RECALL. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE AND COMPEL BMW GROUP TO EXPAND ON THIS RECALL.
Mileage: 38,000
20180611UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BMW GROUP ISSUED VOLUNTARY RECALL NO. 18V-248: ELECTRONIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE. PRIOR TO RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE BY MAIL, MY CAR'S INSTRUMENT PANEL REGISTERED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AND ON COLD STARTUP: "ENGINE TEMPERATURE HIGH, DRIVE MODERATELY..." . THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ NORMAL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED (BOTH STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING). THE BMW SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME THE MESSAGE WAS DUE TO THE RECALLED AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE, 18V-248. IN ADDITION, THE TURBO COOLANT LINES WERE FOUND TO BE LEAKING WHICH THE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME WERE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IT SEEMS A FAULTY AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WOULD CAUSE OR INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF FAILING TURBO COOLANT LINES. IN ADDITION, A FAILING CIRCUIT BOARD COULD RENDER OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES IN THE VEHICLE THAT BMW IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING IN THIS RECALL. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE AND COMPEL BMW GROUP TO EXPAND ON THIS RECALL.
Mileage: 38,000
20111011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, IN A THUNDERSTORM IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE INTERSTATE, WHEN HE NOTICED A BOLT OF LIGHTING LAND JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE INTERSTATE IN THE GRASS. 31 OF 43 ELECTRICAL MODULES FAILED IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING THE ENGINE, STEERING, BRAKES, RADIO AND THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE COULDN'T BE RE-STARTED, OR EVEN SHIFTED INTO TO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP FOR 105 DAYS, WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. NONE OF THE REPLACED PARTS EXHIBITED ANY PHYSICAL STIGMATA OF HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE AND THERE WAS NO BURNING, SCORCHING, OR MELTING EVIDENT ON ANY OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS INSIDE THE REPLACED COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT ASSERTED THAT THE BMW WARRANTY DID NOT COVER MALFUNCTIONS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES SUCH AS THUNDERSTORMS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,345. UPDATED 03/07/12
Mileage: 2,345
Compare 2012BMW6-SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 BMW 6-SERIES have?▼
The 2012 BMW 6-SERIES has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW 6-SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 BMW 6-SERIES is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2012 BMW 6-SERIES 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.