Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Registered new in Europe in 2012
1,798 new BMW M5 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (651), the United Kingdom (605), France (92).
- Average mass
- 1,940 kg
- Average power
- 409 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
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
In the Netherlands
100 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 64% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €145,203.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm18
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm15
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde14
- Band onvoldoende profiel13
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld11
- Band beschadigd8
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse6
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd5
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
240 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 134 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, 315 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 87% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.8% | 7.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| Suspension | 3.2% | 12.2% |
| Brakes | 1.3% | 7.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.0% | 14.3% |
| Visibility | 1.0% | 5.0% |
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
19 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 166,000 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
61 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 48% arrived as used imports, 52% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 BMW M5 4 DR RWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2012 BMW M5.
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 M5: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 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. |
| 10244237 | Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material- |
| 10225126 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. |
| 10225107 | Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the S63 engine. A low coolant warning might also be displayed (CC Message ID166). |
| 10215025 | 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 that are classified as Dangerous Goods (DG) to Lighting resources, LLC |
| 10215024 | The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification |
| 10145331 | Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles: |
| 10145320 | CONNECTEDDRIVE/BMW ASSIST SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS INFORMATION: ConnectedDrive/BMW Assist features are partially or completely inoperative. |
| 10145306 | NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance: |
| 10145298 | MEMORY SEAT ADJUSTMENT IS LIMITED: After programming the vehicle with ISTA 4.10.2x, the adjustment range of the memory seat may restricted. |
| 10143569 | BMW ONLINE NON-FUNCTIONAL: CHECK ICC-ID IN ACCOUNT: BMW Online/BMW ConnectedDrive not functional. |
| 10143564 | NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance: |
| 10142945 | Bluetooth Connection Failures: There are various connectivity failures with the following devices: Apple iPhones: Samsung S6 and the S6 Edge. |
| 10142943 | Side View Camera Does Not Display Picture. |
| 10142933 | TAILGATE UNINTENTIONALLY OPENS: Trunk/tailgate may open when vehicle is locked. |
| 10142922 | N63T AND S63T ENGINE: VALVE SEAL REPLACEMENT: This SI provides a new tool and a new procedure for the N63TU valve seals replacement. |
| 10142912 | S63T ENGINE FUEL INJECTORS: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)