BMW M3 · model year

2012 BMW M3

6 NHTSA complaints, and 3 recall campaigns 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 2012BMWM3 carries 6 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. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2012 M3 is air bags with 4 filings, followed by engine (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns 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 M3. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS4
ENGINE2

Recalls (3)

19V47200019/06/2019

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009 328i and 328xi, 2009-2011 335d, 2008-2012 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible, and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.

20V01700015/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi,

16V07100005/02/2016

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,

Recent Complaints

20190808ENGINE

APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE THE ROD BEARINGS AND CRANK SUFFERED COMPLETE FAILURE. I WAS IN MOTION AROUND 60MPH ON A RURAL HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. AFTER AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT I SAFELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE SEIZED ENGINE WAS DIAGNOSED BASED ON AN IMMOBILE CRANK AND OIL CONTAMINATION BY THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP. I THEN HAD THE OIL PAN COMPLETELY REMOVED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP TO CONFIRM THE MANUFACTURER'S DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS CONFIRMED. ALL PREVIOUS OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP BY THEIR TECHNICIANS MORE OFTEN THAN THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS. THE MOST ALARMING PART IS THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 23000 MILES. I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE MANUFACTURER, MENTIONING THIS VERY WELL-KNOWN ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE CLASS- ACTION LAWSUITS PENDING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME THEY ARE NOT LIABLE. THEIR PRODUCT FAILED BEFORE 23000 MILES, THEY KNOW ABOUT THE I

Mileage: 22,839

20171002AIR BAGS

WHEN I CALLED BMW TO HAVE MY DEFECTIVE AIRBAG REPLACED THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE. THE DEFECT CAN APPARENTLY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH SO I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY DO THIS IMMEDIATELY.

20170726AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW M3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 ( AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IN MARCH OF 2016. THE DEALER ( BRAMAN MOTORCARS 2901 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL, 33409) STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR, AND RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT TO SPEAK TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR, AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE AND NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT...UPDATED 08/22/17 *BF **UPDATED 08/31/17*LJ UPDATED 12/5/2017*JS *TR

20170203AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW M3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE PROVIDED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20161209AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL IS TAKING TOO LONG TO REPLACE MY DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG IN MY 2012 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE. I CALLED RUSNAK BMW IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA IN NOVEMBER 2016 FOR A STATUS UPDATE AS TO WHY THEY STILL HAVE NOT CONTACTED ME TO REPLACE MY DRIVER'S SIDE TAKATA AIRBAG DESPITE A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH OF 2016. THEY INDICATED THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO MY MODEL YEAR AND THAT REPLACEMENT TAKATA AIRBAGS ARE NOT COMING AS QUICKLY AS THEY SHOULD.

Mileage: 63,000

20151001ENGINE

DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, SHIFTED FROM 1ST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AND AT 4000 RPMS, THE CAR STOPPED. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED CARD TO DEALER AND IT NEEDED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY.

Mileage: 24,600

Compare 2012BMWM3 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 BMW M3 have?
The 2012 BMW M3 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2012 BMW M3?
The 2012 BMW M3 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 BMW M3?
Yes, the 2012 BMW M3 has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW M3?
The most-complained component for the 2012 BMW M3 is AIR BAGS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE.
Is the 2012 BMW M3 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2012 BMW M3 has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. 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 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 M3; 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.