2012 Bmw 535i: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 64 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 1 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
64
Complaints
1
Recalls
0
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
0
Injuries
18.8
Severity index
Severity index 18.8 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Bmw 535i ranks 123 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 5% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 14 | 21.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 13 | 20.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 12 | 18.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 9 | 14.1% |
| AIR BAGS | 7 | 10.9% |
| TIRES | 6 | 9.4% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 | 6.2% |
| STEERING | 4 | 6.2% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 14 of 64 complaints (21.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V746000 | 17/10/2016 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 BMW X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo |
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.