Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Registered new in Europe in 2012
147,743 new BMW 1 Series cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (58,619), the United Kingdom (34,376), France (12,973).
- Average mass
- 1,419 kg
- Average power
- 111 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 65% · Petrol 35%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2012 BMW 1 Series cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (100 kW, 134 hp), 1.6 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp) and 1.6 petrol (75 kW, 101 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 100 kW 134 hp | 2,679 |
| 1.6 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 773 |
| 1.6 petrol | 75 kW 101 hp | 474 |
| 2.0 petrol | 105 kW 141 hp | 215 |
| 2.0 diesel | 105 kW 141 hp | 166 |
| 2.0 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 156 |
| 1.6 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 126 |
| 2.0 diesel | 135 kW 181 hp | 90 |
| 2.0 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 89 |
| 3.0 petrol | 250 kW 335 hp | 60 |
| 2.0 petrol | 160 kW 215 hp | 55 |
| 3.0 petrol | 235 kW 315 hp | 52 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
5,087 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 43% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €35,136.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde2,720
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,630
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen1,423
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld1,350
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm1,187
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt836
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage616
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)498
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
25,696 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,901 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 30,000 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 69% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.4% | 14.3% |
| Tyres | 3.9% | 7.0% |
| Suspension | 3.7% | 12.2% |
| Brakes | 2.5% | 7.7% |
| Visibility | 2.3% | 5.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.0% | 3.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
876 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 202,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
2,314 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 84% arrived as used imports, 14% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
11 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 BMW 1 Series.
| 2024544 15 Aug 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "N… |
| 2023568 20 Oct 2023 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles, the variable camshaft timing (VANOS) adjustment unit housing bolts could loosen or break. As a result, the camshaft could become in… |
| 2022095 2 Mar 2022 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with an N52 or N52K 6-cylinder engine, a manufacturing problem could cause the PCV valve heater (blow-by heater) to short … |
| 2020008 15 Jan 2020 | Airbag Issue: This recall is for certain vehicles that had an airbag inflator replaced as a part of an earlier recall campaign. This recall provides a final repair. … |
| 2019384 7 Aug 2019 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the blower motor regulator may corrode. If this happens, the wiring could overheat and melt. Potential warnings … |
| 2017242 3 May 2017 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the rivet connections for the constant velocity (CV) joint of the rear driveshaft may have insufficient durability. Over time, this could c… |
| 2017049 3 Feb 2017 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the rivet connections for the constant velocity (CV) joint of the rear driveshaft may have insufficient durability. Over time, this could c… |
| 2016142 31 Mar 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inf… |
| 2014170 13 May 2014 | Engine On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would re… |
| 2014127 10 Apr 2014 | Engine On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would re… |
| 2013048 7 Feb 2013 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the positive battery cable connection to the fuse box could fail while the vehicle is being driven. This could interrupt the vehicle’s ele… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2012 BMW 1 Series: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11000628 | Hot-Film Air Mass Meter Return |
| 11000627 | Radio R/C with FEM Return |
| 10249027 | 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 important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)