Problem Lookup › BMW › 7 Series › 2012
Car problem report
2012 BMW 7 Series problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2012 BMW 7 Series has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 2safety recalls
- 54owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 5fire reports
- 19%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about BMW 7 Series year on file: 54 complaints, against an average of 11 for the other 12 model years.
Every BMW 7 Series model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2012 BMW 7 Series?
The components named most often in the 54 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2012 BMW 7 Series owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 54 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series stall, lose power or shut off while driving?11 owners · 20.4%
- Why is my 2012 BMW 7 Series burning or losing oil?8 owners · 14.8%
- Has the 2012 BMW 7 Series had engine failures?4 owners · 7.4%
- Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series idle rough, misfire or hesitate?4 owners · 7.4%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2012 BMW 7 Series?3 owners · 5.6%
- What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2012 BMW 7 Series engine?3 owners · 5.6%
- Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series smell of burning or smoke?3 owners · 5.6%
Has the 2012 BMW 7 Series been recalled?
2 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Gasoline: Turbo/Supercharger BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Power Train: Driveline: Constant Velocity Joint BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 1 Series M Coupe and 135i Convertible vehicles, 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i, 335i, 335d, 335i Coupe, 335is Coupe, 335i Convertible, 335is Convertible, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535i Gran Turismo and 550i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles and 2012 740i and 740Li vehicles. The rear driveshaft constant velocity (CV) joint on the affected vehicles may fatigue and break.
Risk: If the CV joint breaks, the vehicle may have a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear driveshaft CV joint and, based on its production date, will replace it, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Is the 2012 BMW 7 Series recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAReplace VANOS bolts N51 N52 N55
Risk: On affected vehicles overtime the aluminium screws can loosen or break on the adjustable variable camshaft timing (VANOS) units potentially resulting in engine emergency mode being activated.
Fix: On affected vehicles the eight aluminium screws will be replaced if evidence of faulty screws is found then the VANOS adjustment unit will also be replaced.
UK DVSAThe exhaust gas recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident
Risk: The Exhaust Gas Recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident.
Fix: On the affected vehicles the EGR cooler module will be replaced.
UK DVSAAuxiliary water pump's electronic circuit board could lead to a short circuit
Risk: The auxiliary water pump may short circuit causing a thermal incident.
Fix: The Auxiliary Water Pump of the affected vehicles will be replaced.
UK DVSAExhaust gas recirculation module cooler could leak
Risk: The EGR cooler may leakpresenting a fire risk
Fix: A visual inspection of the EGR cooler to check for leaks and excessive build-up of deposits. The EGR cooler will be replaced on all affected vehicles
UK DVSAFront airbags and seat belt tensioners may fail to deploy when needed
Risk: It has been identified that the airbag/SRS central sensor has been programmed with faulty software. If the vehicle is involved in a frontal or rearward collision then the airbag and seat belt tensioners may not be triggered which could lead to an increased risk of injury to the occupants.
Fix: Recall all affected vehicles for the replacement of the airbag/SRS central sensor.
UK DVSAEngine emergency mode may be activated during driving
Risk: The screws retaining the variable camshaft timing (VANOS) housing may loosen and under certain circumstances the heads may break off. This can lead to the VANOS leaking oil internally and adversely affect the valve timing adjustment. If found to deviating from targeted data the engine emergency mode will be activated. This will be indicated by a distinct change in engine running. The orange engine management warning lamp and a check message; On vehicles with N51/N52 engines this will appear at ignition recycle on N55 engine it will display immediately.
Fix: Repalce bolted connection of the VANOS adjustment unit
UK DVSAFire may occurYears estimated
Risk: Some engines are fitted with an additional water pump for the turbo charger. In some circumstances a crack may develop which then leads to melting of the plug connections and the housing. Further heat development may then lead to scorch damage. In exceptional cases such overheating can lead to smouldering of the water pump. If smouldering occurs an engine compartment fire and vehicle fire cannot be excluded.
Fix: The water pump will be replaced for a new more robust version.
EU Safety GateThe universal joint of the drive shaft might break, causing a sudden loss of propulsion.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe airbag central sensor has been programmed with faulty software.In the event of an accident requiring activation of the passive safety systems, the seat-belt tensioner, front airbags and active head restraints will not be activated, increasing the risk of injury to the occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2012 BMW 7 Series fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2012, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2012 BMW 7 Series owners report?
12 of the 54 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
I went outside and started my car, locked it and came back inside to grab a few things. Approximately five minutes later someone was banging on my door and ringing the doorbell. When I answered they said they had already call the fire department. My car's engine compartment was engulfed in flames and undercarriage covers were also burning. The rear bumper and light assemblies were melting. The doors were stuck windshield exploded and srs systems had activated. Fire department said it was electrical fire. USAA said it is a total loss and the electrical fire was in the engine compartment. My…
I was driving at highway speeds and there was a sudden loud noise from the engine compartment and a loss of power resulting in my car becoming a hazard on the road. There were no warning lights or indicators that there was an issue. I was able to get pulled off safely and arranged for a tow to the local dealership. The dealership diagnosed the problem as a failed rod bearing which would result in the need for a new engine. They also stated that this is a problem they see often with the 4.4l engine. It seems that if this is a known issue, BMW should have issued a recall.
Timing chain issues Driving vehicle with no check engine light ran perfectly then get a drivetrain malfunction and get the following codes, 140801, 131001, 131101, 163401.
Transmission secure vehicle with parking break when stationary. The vehicle jumps from park to neural by its self randomly and pops up with the transmission warning. Heard it's a common problem should be recalled
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 750I. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic, a wildfire began to approach his vehicle. The contact then stated that white smoke obstructed his vision on the highway. As the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled with the transmission disengaged message on the instrument panel. The contact restarted the vehicle three times before the transmission re-engaged and the contact was able to escape the thick smoke that had covered his vehicle. The contact called the dealer and spoke to a service advisor who stated that the heat from the fire…
MY PIRELLI RUN FLAT TIES ONLY LASTED LESS THAN 8,000 MILES. THE FRONT TIRES ARE BALD! THE REAR TIRES HAVE APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES LEFT. UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR, BUT ONLY WITH THE TIRES. I COULD NOT FIND ANYWHERE ON THIS WEBSITE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TIRES.
WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 55 MPH, A WARNING SOUNDS (DINGS) AS MY CAR READS DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION AND IT REDUCES SPEED. IT ALSO SAYS (READS) DRIVING COMFORT RESTRICTED AND IT STOPS AUTOMATICALLY AS I'M DRIVING.
AFTER A ROUND TRIP 25 MILES DRIVE AND PLACING THE CAR IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL, BECAUSE THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM WOULD LOCK THE CAR, BUT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES OPEN FROM THE INSIDE BUT THE PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT. THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT.
I PULLED IN TO MY HOME TO DISCOVER THAT MY BMW WAS LEAKING OIL AFTER TAKING IT TO A BMW SERVICE CENTER THEY DIAGNOSED AND INDEED I HAD AN OIL LEAK FROM THE GASKET HOUSING SEAL CAR WAS STILL OPERATING FINE UNTIL I TURN THE CAR ON ONE MORNING AND IT JUST KEEP STALLING BEING STUCK AND CONSTANT IDLE THE OIL IS SMUDGE ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND I CAN'T DRIVE WITHOUT VAPORS AND FUMES BEING PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE
WELL AT THE 60K MILE MARK THE MOTOR WAS BLOWN, COME TOO FIND OUT MANY CARS THIS SAME MODEL AND YEAR ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES... THE SUSPENSION HAS BEEN CHANGED A COUPLE TIMES NOW AND THE FUEL PUMP WENT BAD... THE CAR BURNS OIL BMW SAYS THIS IS NORMAL I FIND THAT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE... THE MOTOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND ACTUALLY LEAVING THE BMW DEALERSHIP HOW IRONIC
DRIVETRAIN SIGNAL CAME ON LIGHT IN CAR STARTED TO TURN ON AND OFF GEARSHIFT BECAME REAL COLD STARTED TO SLOW DOWN ONLY ALLOW TO GO 50 MPH
2012 BMW 750LI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO ADD OIL FREQUENTLY. *JB
2012 BMW 7 Series: questions owners ask
Is the 2012 BMW 7 Series reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 7 Series; the most common categories were engine (30, 55.6%), power train (17, 31.5%), electrical system (6, 11.1%). There are 2 safety recalls. 5 mention a fire, 1 injury was reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW 7 Series?
Across 54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (55.6% of complaints), power train (31.5% of complaints), electrical system (11.1% of complaints), suspension (7.4% of complaints), wheels (7.4% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2012 BMW 7 Series have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2012 BMW 7 Series; the most recent (campaign 18V248000, 2018-04-18) concerns Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Gasoline: Turbo/Supercharger. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
11 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (20.4%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "I was driving at highway speeds and there was a sudden loud noise from the engine compartment and a loss of power resulting in my car becoming a hazard on the road. There were no warning lights or indicators that there was an issue." (NHTSA complaint 11606050, August 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is my 2012 BMW 7 Series burning or losing oil?
8 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (14.8%) describe excessive oil consumption or oil leaks. One owner wrote: "I was driving on interstate highway when the engine cutoff and locked up. oil leak all over highway. engines was blown due to frequent oil leaking. was putting oil in vehicle consistently on a weekly basis." (NHTSA complaint 11231896, July 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2012 BMW 7 Series had engine failures?
4 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (7.4%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "I was driving at highway speeds and there was a sudden loud noise from the engine compartment and a loss of power resulting in my car becoming a hazard on the road. There were no warning lights or indicators that there was an issue." (NHTSA complaint 11606050, August 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
4 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (7.4%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2012 bmw 740li. when the contact attempted to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and then lunged forward. the failure occurred often. during the failure, the "power train malfunctioning" message appeared on the instrument panel." (NHTSA complaint 11190258, March 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2012 BMW 7 Series?
3 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (5.6%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Timing chain issues Driving vehicle with no check engine light ran perfectly then get a drivetrain malfunction and get the following codes, 140801, 131001, 131101, 163401." (NHTSA complaint 11571263, February 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2012 BMW 7 Series engine?
3 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (5.6%) describe a knocking, ticking or rattling engine noise. One owner wrote: "Timing chain issues Driving vehicle with no check engine light ran perfectly then get a drivetrain malfunction and get the following codes, 140801, 131001, 131101, 163401." (NHTSA complaint 11571263, February 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2012 BMW 7 Series smell of burning or smoke?
3 of the 54 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 BMW 7 Series (5.6%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "I had to replace the gaskets which cost thousands and my car still smells like its burning oil and when i press the gas the car hesitates and i was just on the highway took the car to 70 miles and hour and powertrain malfuction came up and the car started…" (NHTSA complaint 11062812, January 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own 7 Series
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only; combines NHTSA's entries for 740I, 740LI, 750I, 750I XDRIVE, 750LI, 750LI XDRIVE, 750LXI, 750XI, ACTIVE HYBRID 750I and ACTIVE HYBRID 750LI.