2012 BMW 650I Problems
- Complaints
- 20filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 51,200miles, 18 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —no overall rating published
- EPA fuel economy
- 18 mpgcombined, 4.4L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 23 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 BMW 650I (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 650I. The part named most often is engine, with 12 complaints (60% of the total), followed by seats (3) and air bags (2). 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 50% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 51,200 miles. Of all complaints, 2 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 363 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 55 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Seats complaints overlap with 12 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.
- Engine12 60%
- Seats3 15%
- Air bags2 10%
- Brakes2 10%
- Fuel system2 10%
- Other or unknown2 10%
- Seat belts2 10%
- Electrical system1 5.0%
- Body and structure1 5.0%
- Wheels1 5.0%
Example complaints
Engine: “A few months ago the vehicle started to display drive train malfunction on the screen while shaking with a horrible odor of fuel. I took the vehicle in to the dealer and was told all of the fuel injectors needed to be replaced! We are talking about a $100k+ vehicle barely out of warranty. After battling with the dealer I was told Bmw has agreed to fix the problem under warranty. When I went to pickup the car I was given an invoice for almost $500 for a deductible! …”
NHTSA complaint #11101836, filed 2018-06, 67,000 milesSeats: “The contact owns a 2012 Bmw 650I. After the front passenger side seat heater was activated, smoke and a small fire emitted from the seat. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,400.”
NHTSA complaint #10906182, filed 2016-09, 39,400 milesAir bags: “A warning light for the passenger side front airbag is on. Bmw wants to charge me $1500 to replace the faulty airbag. How can it be damaged if it's never been used? How is this repair my responsibility? Additionally, this Bmw burns oil. It seems to be a problem with all 8 cylinder models as they age. I have to add a quart of oil every 300 miles or so and the car blows black smoke via the exhaust. I've spent $1300 to repair it, but it didn't repair the issue. Now I'm being told it's a $10,000 repair. How is a problem that's systematic with so many 8 cylinder bmws my responsibility?”
NHTSA complaint #11220935, filed 2019-06, 70,000 milesBrakes: “The brakes present with a vibration or judder (as described by Bmw) on application at all speeds. The vibration increases at higher speeds - thus the major safety issue. This was a result of rotor warping under normal driving conditions (all 4 rotors and pads???? - this is incredulous). I contacted Bmw USA and they declined to rectify the condition so in order to maintain a safe driving condition. I have borne the cost or replacing the rotors and brakes after only 35,000 miles. My previous Bmw 6 series was perfect for 72,000 miles on one set of brakes. …”
NHTSA complaint #11058319, filed 2018-01, 35,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
50% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 29,000 and 80,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2012 BMW 650I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 650i Convertible RWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 23 | 18 | $4,550 |
| 650i Convertible RWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | 15 | 22 | 17 | $4,850 |
| 650i Convertible xDrive AWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 19 | 17 | $4,850 |
| 650i Coupe RWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 23 | 18 | $4,550 |
| 650i Coupe RWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | 15 | 22 | 17 | $4,850 |
| 650i Coupe xDrive AWD | 4.4L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 20 | 17 | $4,850 |
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
- 18V248000Apr 18, 2018Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/superchargerCovers: BMW 650I 2012, MINI Cooper S 2007–2012, JCW 2007–2012 +16 more
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…
- 16V746000Oct 17, 2016Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pumpCovers: BMW 650I 2012, X5 2007–2011, X6 2008–2011 +6 more
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…
Recall details for the 2012 BMW 650I → · 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. 363 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…
- 10239605Jun 1, 2023Wheels. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) warning light comes on while driving. The following DSC fault codes for the wheel speed sensors are stored: 480712 and/or 480715 and/or 480718 and/or 48071B They…
- 10238090May 1, 2023Electrical system. After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails.
- 10238062May 1, 2023Equipment. With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren…
- 10230716Dec 1, 2022Equipment. With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren…
- 10227568Oct 1, 2022Seats, Lane departure, Back-over prevention (rear camera)…. According to the customer, the airbag warning light was on, but it may not be illuminated when the vehicle arrives in the workshop. 1. ACSM fault code "930A60 - Seat occupancy detection, front…
- 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…
- 10211851Mar 1, 2022Engine, Engine cooling. This bulletin outlines the procedure for checking the engine timing chains for wear, and should be completed in conjunction with SI B11 06 14, "N63 Customer Care Package." The N63CCP and N63 Engine…
- 10214247Feb 1, 2022Other or unknown. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. BMW of North America, et al. The Court has granted…
Other model years of the BMW 650I
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 6 | 51,970 | 0 | — | 20 | — | Not enough data |
| 2013 | 16 | 19,650 | 0 | — | 19 | — | Rising |
| 2012 | 20 | 51,200 | 2 | — | 18 | — | Falling |
| 2010 | 5 | 44,176 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 6 | 105,965 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2007 | 22 | 60,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Falling |
| 2006 | 20 | 79,999 | 1 | — | — | — | Falling |
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 BMW 650I have?
NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2012 BMW 650I as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2012 BMW 650I is reported most often?
Engine is named most often, in 12 complaints (60% of the total), followed by seats with 3.
Has the 2012 BMW 650I been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2012 BMW 650I get?
The EPA rates the 2012 BMW 650I (650i Convertible, 4.4L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2012 BMW 650I reported?
Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 51,200 miles and the middle half falls between 29,000 and 80,000 miles; 50% 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. 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.