2012 BMW X3 recalls and problems

The 2012 BMW X3 has 2 recalls and 42 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

2012 Bmw X3
Photo: 2012 Bmw X3 by EurovisionNim, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2012 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 23 X3 model years — 18th most.

2recalls
42complaints
5crashes
1fires
1injuries
70,155median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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2 recalls

Air Bags

Aug 8, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V495000 · 6,785 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, and M6 Convertible vehicles and 2013 M6 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & notes

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Child Seat

May 23, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V333000 · 188,668 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017, X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i, vehicles manufactured July 2, 2010 to April 14, 2016, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014 to March 31, 2016, and 2015-2017 x4 xDrive28i, X4 xDrive35i and X4 xDriveM40i vehicles manufactured March3, 2014 to April 15, 2016. The affected vehicles have lower anchor bars for securing child restraint seats that may become damaged when using the European-ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.

Risk: Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy & notes

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. The recall began on July 13, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2011: 1 complaints20112013: 5 complaints2014: 3 complaints20142016: 3 complaints2017: 5 complaints20172018: 5 complaints2019: 3 complaints20192020: 7 complaints72021: 1 complaints20212022: 3 complaints2023: 2 complaints20232024: 3 complaints2026: 1 complaints20261

NHTSA investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Summary

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been n…

2012 vs. other BMW X3 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2012 BMW X3 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2012 BMW X3, the latest from Aug 8, 2017 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 BMW X3?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (12), engine (10), power train (7). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.