2012 Bmw 128i: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
30
Complaints
5
Recalls
2
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
1
Injuries
53.3
Severity index
Severity index 53.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 23 | 76.7% |
| ENGINE | 4 | 13.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 6.7% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | 6.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 3.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 3.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 3.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 3.3% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 23 of 30 complaints (76.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V579000 | 06/08/2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2012 BMW 128i, 135i, 135is Coupes and 128i, 135i Convertible vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors in the blower-regulator wiring harness may overheat. |
| 20V017000 | 15/01/2020 | 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, 200 |
| 16V071000 | 05/02/2016 | 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 |
| 13V044000 | 07/02/2013 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through |
| 22V119000 | 02/03/2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV) | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xD |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.