Model year
2012 BMW 5 Series
NHTSA lists 0 recalls and 10 complaints for the 2012 BMW 5 Series (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). NHTSA also lists 10 recalls and 255 complaints under 528I, 528XI, 535I, 535I ACTIVEHYBRID, 535I GRAN TURISMO, 535XI, 550I, and 550I GRAN TURISMO. Those counts are separate from the numbers above. The components listed on the most complaints are ENGINE (3), POWER TRAIN (3), TIRES (2). NHTSA lists 1 investigation. NHTSA rated 10 variants 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 17–27 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $3,050–$4,850, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2000 2 complaints
- 2001 3 complaints
- 2002 7 complaints
- 2003 15 complaints
- 2004 64 complaints
- 2005 21 complaints
- 2006 85 complaints
- 2007 13 complaints
- 2008 105 complaints
- 2009 8 complaints
- 2010 6 complaints
- 2011 81 complaints
- 2012 10 complaints
- 2013 194 complaints
- 2014 152 complaints
- 2015 100 complaints
- 2016 83 complaints
- 2017 38 complaints
- 2018 89 complaints
- 2019 39 complaints
- 2020 15 complaints
- 2021 27 complaints
- 2022 17 complaints
- 2023 0 complaints
- 2024 18 complaints
- 2025 2 complaints
- 2026 1 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
No recalls are listed for this name in the matched NHTSA file.
Complaints
10 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 0, fire flag on 0, injury field 0, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Other NHTSA names
These names matched the same EPA model but are not included in the headline counts above.
| Name | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 528I | 4 | 90 |
| 528XI | 0 | 54 |
| 535I | 1 | 54 |
| 535I ACTIVEHYBRID | 1 | 0 |
| 535I GRAN TURISMO | 1 | 2 |
| 535XI | 0 | 18 |
| 550I | 2 | 35 |
| 550I GRAN TURISMO | 1 | 2 |
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE13030 | Loss of power assist braking · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | Sep 6, 2013 | Oct 25, 2013 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 BMW 528 I 4 DR RWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 528 XI 4 DR AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 535 I 4 DR RWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | NHTSA photo |
| 2012 BMW 535 I GT 4 DR RWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 535 I Xdrive 4 DR AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 535 I Xdrive GT 4 DR AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 550 I 4 DR RWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
| 2012 BMW 550 I GT 4 DR RWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · possibility 0.093 | — |
2 more variants are in the Safety Ratings API and are not listed in this table.
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 550i · 4.4L · Automatic (S8) · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 23 | 18 | — | — | $4,550 |
| 550i · 4.4L · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 22 | 17 | — | — | $4,850 |
| 528i · 2L · Automatic 8-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 34 | 27 | — | — | $3,050 |
| 528i xDrive · 2L · Automatic 8-spd · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 22 | 32 | 26 | — | — | $3,150 |
| 535i · 3L · Automatic (S8) · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 20 | 30 | 23 | — | — | $3,550 |
| 535i · 3L · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 20 | 29 | 23 | — | — | $3,550 |
| 535i xDrive · 3L · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 21 | 30 | 24 | — | — | $3,400 |
| 550i xDrive · 4.4L · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 20 | 17 | — | — | $4,850 |
| 535i Gran Turismo · 3L · Automatic (S8) · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 19 | 28 | 22 | — | — | $3,750 |
| 535i xDrive Gran Turismo · 3L · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 18 | 27 | 21 | — | — | $3,900 |
| 550i Gran Turismo · 4.4L · Automatic (S8) · Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 22 | 18 | — | — | $4,550 |
| 550i xDrive Gran Turismo · 4.4L · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 15 | 19 | 17 | — | — | $4,850 |
1 more configurations are in the EPA file and are not listed in this table. The fuel-cost calculator lists every configuration.
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2012 BMW 5 Series at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.