BMW 328i Complaints (2012)

130 consumer complaints on file.

#11625247November 14, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming out from the exhaust pipe, and there was a burning smell coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pan was leaking near the water pump. The dealer replaced the thermostat gasket, the valve cover gasket, the cylinder head cover, the ISA screws and washer, the high-pressure pipe, and the gasket flange. Additionally, the dealer performed an oil change and added coolant to the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000(Electrical System, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 115,783. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11621723October 24, 2024
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11613841September 10, 2024
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the VANOS assembly bolts had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11612022September 1, 2024
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Without warning and no OBD2 codes thrown, my car and many others in the E90 (2007-2012) 3-series (N52 engine) will stall, lose power, and/or burn excessive oil when the integral PCV - valve cover starts to clog. Many owners on the BMW boards online have reported similar problems. The E90 3-series BMWs have an integral, internal positive crankcase ventilation system as part of the engine's plastic valvetrain (engine cover or valve cover) cover. Inside the valve cover is a series of cyclones that separate the oil from the valvetrain gasses and route the gasses to the PCV system. Repair is > $4000
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11610358August 23, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN
My car lost power. It would come and go. Now it's gone. The codes that come up pertain to the wheel speed sensor and timing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11609697August 20, 2024
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle vibrated, and the brakes were independently activated. Additionally, the contact stated that the “Service Required” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that recently the transfer case was replaced by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11595060June 18, 2024
ENGINE
I had just came off the interstate off ramp I-44 and Chestnut Expressway when out of nowhere my Drivetrain Malfunction warning came on then the car started shaking horribly and sounded awful. Pulled over immediately and it wouldnt restart and if it did it would shut itself off almost immediately. It is currently at BMW of Springfield, they said all my sensors are correct but believe that the timing chain guide teeth busted somehow in the engine?!? Thought it could be due to the VANOS recall but my VIN isn’t included and clearly should be.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11590053May 22, 2024
ENGINE
I purchased this vehicle [XXX]. Within 2 days a rattle could be heard coming from bmw vanos area, VANOS is a variable valve timing system used by BMW on various automotive petrol engines since 1992. I ceased all use of this vehicle on [XXX], only 3 days. Through my own research i found recall 23v-707 which lists my vehicle and this problem. I had the car towed to a bmw repair shop Harrison Motorsport. The owner said the engine needs to be replaced. Next I tried in Vane to get bmwna or bmwag to warrant this repair. I have numerous emails from bmwag of munich germany saying they are aware and their north america partners will be in touch. The recall states you may drive this vehicle even though it may produce a crash,,,,huh? I have another bmw specialist 4 miles from my home. I drove the car this time to Brian Motor Works. The owner here stated that without a doubt these bolts had come loose. We planned to have him fix it the next week. Still at this time there were no dashboard warnings or internal codes to be found. I tried to drive as slow as possible back home. I went 2 miles and the 1st lights appeared on the dashboard. The engine shut down and I narrowly avoided a crash. The engine will no longer turn over and I believe it has seized. Through research this issue was 1st admitted in 2014. bmw stated it illegal to sell this vehicle as a certified pre owned bmw until these bolts are checked and or replaced. Mine have never been checked or replaced. I am thankful each day that my family was not with me when this happened, My attention was totally on this vehicle when it lost all power to steer or brake. I was very lucky this day, but I fear others will not be so fortunate. thank you. [XXX] [XXX] 770-329-6384 vin wbadw3c58ce[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11588171May 10, 2024
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The contact stated that after various attempts, the vehicle was shifted in neutral to be towed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the dealer confirmed that the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11581148April 4, 2024
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to an BMW certified mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579264March 25, 2024
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Yesterday morning 3/24/24 , car stalled on highway with Fuel Pump message on dashboard. Car would not start and had to be towed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11564108January 8, 2024
ENGINE
As I was going down the highway may car lost power. I had to pull onto the shoulder and turned the car off. I then tried to start it but is would not start back up. I left it on the side of the highway for a few hours. Went back and it started back up but it was in limp mode, so I drove it to a shop. This car gave me no problems until this point. The shop I took it to couldn't help me. So I took it to Century BMW in Greenville SC. They told me I needed a motor that was going to cost me $14,000 to fix. I asked them to put my motor back together ( the top part of the motor). They informed me it would cost me $600 to do so. I got my car back with the motor not put back like they got it. It has been sitting every since.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11549720October 13, 2023
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
Passenger restraint system malfunction. My vehicle as well as thousands of others have the chronic and unsafe issue of the passenger occupancy sensor malfunctioning. In order to remove warning on dash it’s either a $2,000 repair, or a $40 bypass which basically places the seat as constantly occupied, sticking the passenger airbag in the ‘on’ position. Vehicle is available for inspection. With this malfunction, any person that sits in the passenger front seat is at risk of injury or death in the event of a collision. Malfunction has been confirmed by both a dealer and an independent service center. Vehicle was inspected by the dealer, but no police or insurance company. Vehicle was purchased with the malfunction and the warning lights have been on for several years. With the massive number of vehicles of this make with a range of different mileage, with this issue, a recall is not only needed but warranted and should be mandated with this being a major safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11547681October 2, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that the temperature sensor on the instrument panel had initially failed to operate as needed; over time, the entire instrument panel had gone blank while the vehicle was being driven. In addition, the battery would continue to run while the vehicle was turned off; as a result, the vehicle would shut off while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to various independent mechanics and each stated that the instrument cluster was defective. Despite multiple battery and temperature gauge replacements, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533623July 21, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated during cold starts, there was a large puff of bluish-white smoke coming from the tail pipe. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil supply line needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The independent mechanic researched online and related the failure to manufacturer Voluntary Emissions Recall Campaign Number: 16E-A05 Engine; Replace Turbocharger Oil Supply Line (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531683July 11, 2023
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I.The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated at high speed before the vehicle shut off with the message “Transmission Not in Park” displayed. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road, and after the vehicle cooled down the contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuel pump was replaced but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11529259June 27, 2023
ENGINE
My 2012 BMW 328i (F30 with N20 engine) had the dreaded timing chain guide failure, which is a very common issue with the N20 engine. There has been a warranty extension- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/MC-10142923-9999.pdf and class action settlement- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10201140-9999.pdf for this. But these doesn't address the safety concern. There has been numerous reports of timing chain & guide failures happening everyday in the various forums. The broken guides can lead to sudden engine failure and a loss of power to the vehicles. If this happens on the highway, this could be life threatening for the passengers. I kindly request NHTSA to look into this problem and issue a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11511207March 10, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact’s mother owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle was overheating and there was a burning plastic odor coming from the A/C vents. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The check engine warning light and the coolant temperature warning light were illuminated. Additionally, upon parking the vehicle for 10 minutes, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic several times, where the cooling system components were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure occurred after driving for 20-30 minutes. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); which she related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11492837November 9, 2022
ENGINE
BMW Drivetrain malfunction. Timing chain replacement kit. Pump module with Vanos units and solonoids
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489665October 17, 2022
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
My BMW 2012 E92 model vehicle currently has a malfunctioning Front Seat Occupancy AirBag sensor mat is very similar to the recall for E60 to E91 models. BMW refuses to fix it under the other recall and I'm wondering what can be done to add it to the recall? I also read of an extended warranty for this part but I do not qualify since my model is e92.( SI B01 01 18) . Please advise.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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