2012 BMW 535XI Problems
- Complaints
- 18filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 24,000miles, 17 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 BMW 535XI (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 535XI. The part named most often is tires, with 8 complaints (44% of the total), followed by wheels (4) and exterior lighting (2). 17 of the complaints include a mileage, and 88% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 24,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 11 technical service bulletins for this model year.
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.
- Tires8 44%
- Wheels4 22%
- Exterior lighting2 11%
- Fuel system2 11%
- Other or unknown2 11%
- Air bags1 5.6%
- Seats1 5.6%
- Suspension1 5.6%
Example complaints
Tires: “I have goodyear eagle ls-2 runonflat 245/45/18 with 18k on them. I started hearing a tire noise when I would drive over 50mph. I then looked at my front passenger tire and noticed a bulge. I do not remember hitting any pothole or curb that would cause this to happen. After investigating this online, I found that this is a problem with several owners of these tires. Goodyear should reimburse anyone who has to replace. I will not be installing these tires again and I would advise others not to buy a new or used car with these tires on them. …”
NHTSA complaint #10639707, filed 2014-09, 18,130 milesWheels: “Car was purchased used with 10,000 mi. Within 1 year, about 13,000 mi. Bubbles appeared on 2 goodyear runflat tires, due to potholes. After replacing 2 tires, I replaced all 4 with bridgestone runflats. No issues with bridgestone tires. Goodyears are not good, and should not be used on these cars.”
NHTSA complaint #10863212, filed 2016-05, 23,000 milesExterior lighting: “Water condenses inside the front headlights impacting the performance of the lighting ssystem. Reported this when the car was new but was told it was normal. Since then I have found many others reporting the same problem”
NHTSA complaint #11164369, filed 2019-01Fuel system: “It was 530am and we were traveling on the interstate. My husband was driving, and I was in the passenger seat. Few cars on the road.out of no where we hear a loud boom coming from what sounds the back of the car. After the boom nothing happened for about 2 minutes. Then the car had a message of drive train issue drive moderately then the car completely stalled on the highway. We coasted to the side of the road, and called the illinois state police. They arrived within twenty minutes of our call. …”
NHTSA complaint #10496821, filed 2013-02, 12,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
88% of the 17 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 12,000 and 35,719 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2012 BMW 535XI in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 11 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…
- 10247567Dec 20, 2023Engine cooling, Fuel system. Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel…
- 10245422Nov 22, 2023Equipment, Electrical system. Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicleâÂÂs equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation…
- 10215025Jun 1, 2017Equipment. Shipping specific non-deployed vehicle safety devices to lighting resources, llc. This service Information bulletin provides information on shipping "specific" noin-deployed vehicle safety devices…
- 10215024Jun 1, 2017Engine cooling. The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification
- 10057568Oct 1, 2014Exterior lighting. Bmw: on some vehicles, when starting, low beam, with 0552 option, would briefly flashes, due to a faulty led main light module that needs replacing. Model 2008-14 f01, f02, f06, f07, f10, f12, f13…
- 10052612Jun 1, 2013Engine, Electrical system. Bmw: engine, due to ambient temperatures and engine is cold, fails to turn over on first attempt, but and will turn over at second or third attempts. Model 2010-2012 f10.
- 10038217Mar 1, 2013Engine cooling. Bmw: crankcase pressure diagnosis and information for all vehicles. *rm updated on 4/24/2013.
- 10049679Nov 1, 2012Engine, Electrical system. Bmw: if bsd communication is disrupted, oil level sensor data is no longer received by dme. Bsd communication fault(s), after repairs are shortly set, requires removal of ignition harness from…
Other model years of the BMW 535XI
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 18 | 24,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2011 | 35 | 19,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Stable |
| 2010 | 15 | 55,500 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2008 | 71 | 93,003 | 0 | — | 19 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Falling |
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 BMW 535XI have?
NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 535XI as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2012 BMW 535XI is reported most often?
Tires is named most often, in 8 complaints (44% of the total), followed by wheels with 4.
Has the 2012 BMW 535XI been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2012 BMW 535XI reported?
Among the 17 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 24,000 miles and the middle half falls between 12,000 and 35,719 miles; 88% 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.
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.