Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 BMW 5 Series problems

Owners filed 194 complaints about the 2012 BMW 5 Series with NHTSA between Mar 2012 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (73).

Complaints
194
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine73
  2. Fuel/propulsion system51
  3. Power train37
  4. Electrical system25
  5. Tires14
  6. Air bags10
  7. Wheels10
  8. Engine and engine cooling9
  9. Fuel system, gasoline9
  10. Steering9
  11. Service brakes7
  12. Exterior lighting6
  13. Vehicle speed control6
  14. Seat belts5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20128
20139
201415
20155
20168
201711
201825
201941
202023
202116
20228
20232
202411
20259
20263

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

73 reports4 fires
“car engine timing chain guides are faulty and there have been lawsuits that were settled and no recall on the actual part with drivers still having issues with the N20 engine now getting quotes for over 15,000. is this not an incident where it’s not the fault of a driver but manufacturing? This needs to become a recall for all N20 engine timing chain and guides as the faulty part is causing complete engine failure. seems very deceptive when a BMW only last 100,000 miles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2026EngineODI 11765874

Fuel/propulsion system

51 reports2 fires
“BMW N63 Engine Powertrain Issues 2012 535i The N63 engine, utilized in various BMW models including the 2012 535i, has been subject to multiple customer complaints regarding premature timing chain wear and other powertrain-related issues. This led BMW to introduce a "Customer Care Package," detailed in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) B110614, to address the concerns reported by multiple owners and noted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under ID Number 11016414. A primary cause of the issue is accelerated timing chain wear. The N63 engine's design features timing chains that are prone to stretching prematurely. This stretching can disrupt the precise timing of the engine's valves, leading to a cascade of problems. As a consequence, owners have reported a variety of symptoms, including the illumination of the "drivetrain malfunction" warning light, noticeable engine noise, excessive vibration, and potentially catastrophic engine failure. The "drivetrain malfunction" message, in particular, is a frequently cited indicator of this underlying powertrain problem. To address these widely reported issues, the N63 Customer Care Package was…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2025Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11696232

Power train

37 reports2 fires
“I had just purchased a car but a month ago I was driving to lunch and I was at a stop sign when the light turned green I started to go the car started shaking and smoke was coming out of the front under the hood I had just an oil change so I took it back to the oil change shop. They could not figure out why the engine blew and I had to take it to a different BMW shop where I have to purchase a rebuilt motor and pay for the repairs. I can request all records from the automotive shop if needed.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2025Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11655338

Electrical system

25 reports3 fires
“The contact owns a 2012 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was condensation underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the "Engine Malfunction" message was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted 20 minutes later after several attempts. The failure reoccurred several times until the vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the control unit seal pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic on several occasions where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil and timing chain had fractured into the oil pan valve cover, and the oil pan gasket, oil pan, and spark plugs needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 136,898.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2025Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 11646791

Tires

14 reports1 fire
“THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE INNER SIDEWALLS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OR WARNING OF ANY ISSUES, LOW PRESSURE, NO CONTROL PANEL WARNING, PULLING ETC. I WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, ACCELERATED NORMALLY, THE CAR DRIVING NORMAL. THEN SUDDENLY, I HEARD A LOUD PULSATING VIBRATION SOUND AS IF THE TIRE WAS BLOWN OUT. I PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY ALL THE WAY AROUND THE INNER PART OF THE TIRE!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2019Tires, WheelsODI 11277715

Air bags

10 reports
“I had been having problems with my seatbelt alarm coming on for a while with nothing in the seat of the passenger and then as I was trying to turn in to park I heard a click from my steering wheel as if it didn’t want to turn and the driver seat restraint malfunction error popped up . Now my horn will not work as well . I’m told that the dealership is the only place it can be repaired. I’m worried that it will deploy on me while driving . I’m sure this is an issue others have experienced as well .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2021Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11441192
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.