2012 BMW 335I Problems
- Complaints
- 22filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 56,500miles, 8 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 3campaigns on record
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall
- EPA fuel economy
- 23 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 20 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 BMW 335I (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 335I. The part named most often is air bags, with 14 complaints (64% of the total), followed by engine (4) and other or unknown (3). 8 of the complaints include a mileage, and 38% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 56,500 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 556 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the inflator module and 11 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 62 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Air bags14 64%
- Engine4 18%
- Other or unknown3 14%
- Seats3 14%
- Electrical system2 9.1%
- Steering2 9.1%
- Brakes1 4.5%
Example complaints
Air bags: “The airbag sensor in the passenger seat has malfunctioned and cannot read whether or not a person is sitting in the seat. In turn the airbag is off due to the cars ecu. Bmw dealership in bellevue has repeatedly told me that the only way to remedy the situation is to buy a new seat at my own expense. This is a serious safety issue along with my takata airbag that I have yet to receive any sort of notice for repair or even that I fall under the recall.”
NHTSA complaint #10960406, filed 2017-03, 53,000 milesEngine: “On saturday 8/8/15, I was parking my Bmw 335I car to get groceries, and while entering the parking spot, the engine began racing out of control. I hit the brakes hard, but the car would not stop. I tried to shift into neutral, but the shift control was locked in drive and would not move. Lastly I finally hit the stop engine button, and the car finally stopped, but not after I had bumped into the car in front of me in my parking space. …”
NHTSA complaint #10747397, filed 2015-08, 39,460 milesOther or unknown: “Door locks do not unlock on both the front doors. They are jammed. The fault is is because of bad door lock actuators. Unless I press the unlock button on the dashboard manually, they don't unlock they sometime don't unlock even when I press the unlock button on my remote. This is a safety hazard as if someone is in a accident, the battery gets disconnected. This will prevent occupants from opening the doors. This is happening on multiple of my friends cars and Bmw does not treat this as safety hazard.”
NHTSA complaint #11055388, filed 2017-12, 60,000 milesSeats: “While driving with a passenger in front passenger seat, I occasionally receive a warning that there is a malfunction in passenger restraint system. At that time, the pass airbag off light goes on. I took the car to the dealer and was told it is likely a faulty passenger airbag seat occupancy sensor mat. The car is available for inspection. Our safety is potentially compromised because the passenger airbag may not go off in an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11576914, filed 2024-03Mileage when problems were reported
38% of the 8 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,460 and 61,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 BMW 335I. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 335I · sedan RWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 · 9.5% risk |
| 335I · coupe RWD | not rated | — | — | — | 5 · 9.3% risk |
| 335I · C RWD | not rated | — | — | — | 5 · 9.3% risk |
| 335I Xdrive · coupe AWD | not rated | — | — | — | 5 · 9.3% risk |
Neighbouring years: 2013: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2012 BMW 335I version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 335i RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 23 | 32 | 26 | $3,150 |
| 335i RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 20 | 29 | 23 | $3,550 |
| 335i Coupe RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 18 | 27 | 22 | $3,750 |
| 335i Coupe RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,750 |
| 335i Coupe xDrive AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 19 | 26 | 22 | $3,750 |
| 335i Coupe xDrive AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,900 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 20V017000Jan 15, 2020Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: BMW 335I 2006–2013, 328I 2006–2013, M3 2006–2013 +16 more
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…
- 15V520000Aug 17, 2015Exterior lightingCovers: BMW 335I 2012–2015, 328I 2012–2015, 335XI 2012–2015 +6 more
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to…
- 14V176000Apr 10, 2014Engine and engine cooling › EngineCovers: BMW 335I 2011–2012, X5 SAV 2010–2012, 535I Gran Turismo 2010–2012 +9 more
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5…
Recall details for the 2012 BMW 335I → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 556 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10249437Jan 16, 2024Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors), Electrical system. The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249027Jan 11, 2024Electrical system. The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers…
- 10238090May 1, 2023Electrical system. After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails.
- 10235205Mar 1, 2023Electrical system, Equipment. The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For…
- 10235202Mar 1, 2023Electrical system, Exterior lighting. Exterior rear lights do not work.
- 10230722Dec 1, 2022Transmission and drivetrain. After an automatic engine start (MSA start), the transmission intermittently goes into the Park "P" or Neutral "N" position without any customer influence.
- 10230717Dec 1, 2022Fuel system. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original…
- 10215746May 1, 2022Engine cooling, Equipment. Component specific limited warranty extension. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor(s) to: 10…
- 10214990May 1, 2022Electrical system. The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT…
- 10212788Apr 1, 2022Fuel system, Engine cooling. The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine.
Other model years of the BMW 335I
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 10 | 46,500 | 3 | 5 | 25 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 20 | 40,400 | 5 | 5 | 25 | — | Stable |
| 2013 | 43 | 56,000 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 9 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2012 | 22 | 56,500 | 3 | 5 | 23 | — | Rising |
| 2011 | 98 | 51,000 | 7 | — | 22 | 48 · Typical | Stable |
| 2010 | 41 | 34,000 | 4 | — | 20 | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2009 | 85 | 50,000 | 4 | — | 20 | 83 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 201 | 42,772 | 4 | — | 20 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 288 | 48,000 | 5 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
All BMW 335I model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 BMW 335I have?
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 335I as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2012 BMW 335I is reported most often?
Air bags is named most often, in 14 complaints (64% of the total), followed by engine with 4.
Has the 2012 BMW 335I been recalled?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2012 BMW 335I do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2012 BMW 335I 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2012 BMW 335I get?
The EPA rates the 2012 BMW 335I (335i, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2012 BMW 335I reported?
Among the 8 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 56,500 miles and the middle half falls between 39,460 and 61,000 miles; 38% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.