Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW X3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags12
- Engine8
- Steering7
- Power train7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Service brakes5
- Unknown or other5
- Seats4
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Electrical system2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 9 2012 X3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 BMW X3 failed the safety check 2.18% of the time — 14% less often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 110,391 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
28,928 new BMW X3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (7,814), Italy (7,674), Austria (3,180).
- Average mass
- 1,810 kg
- Average power
- 142 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 98% · Petrol 2.2%
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 X3 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (135 kW, 181 hp), 2.0 diesel (135 kW, 181 hp) and 2.0 petrol (180 kW, 241 hp), out of 5 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 135 kW 181 hp | 89 |
| 2.0 diesel | 135 kW 181 hp | 61 |
| 2.0 petrol | 180 kW 241 hp | 49 |
| 3.0 petrol | 225 kW 302 hp | 32 |
| 3.0 diesel | 190 kW 255 hp | 24 |
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
289 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 96% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €69,004.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde88
- Band onvoldoende profiel74
- Zijrichtingaanwijzer(s) werkt niet (goed)58
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm56
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld36
- Achterlicht werkt niet (goed)35
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage33
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen30
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
6,502 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 250 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, 6,962 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 71% 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 | 16.0% | 14.3% |
| Suspension | 6.3% | 12.2% |
| Tyres | 6.0% | 7.0% |
| Brakes | 3.8% | 7.7% |
| Visibility | 3.4% | 5.0% |
| Steering | 0.9% | 2.3% |
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
777 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 268,000 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
421 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 55% arrived as used imports, 43% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.0 L/100 km (about 21 mpg US), CO₂ 253 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| X3 xDrive28i · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 12.3 | 9.3 | 11.0 |
| X3 xDrive35i · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 9.1 | 11.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 BMW X3.
| 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… |
| 2024392 3 Jul 2024 | Airbag Issue: This recall applies to vehicles that may be equipped with a replacement sport or M-sport steering wheel that has a Takata airbag. Long-term exposure to… |
| 2017388 9 Aug 2017 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the housing of the driver's frontal airbag inflator may have been incorrectly welded during manufacturing and could separate from the base … |
| 2016242 20 May 2016 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the lower anchor bars that are used for installing child seats using the European-ISOFIX-type rigid-style connector may become damaged duri… |
| 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… |
| 2012129 12 Apr 2012 | Label Certain vehicles fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Specifically, the compliance label does not indicate the wheel rim size, as required… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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 X3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10253326 | While driving the vehicle on normal roads at10mph and above, a "cracking" sound from the top of the B-pillar(s) is heard. |
| 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. |
| 10247574 | A noise can be heard from underneath the seat while the seat is being moved either forwards or backwards. This can occur to the drivers and/or the passengers front seat. |
| 10244239 | This situation can result in two customer complaints: 1. Wind noise 2. Excess water entry |
| 10238090 | After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails. |
| 10235205 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice cont |
| 10230717 | For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date. |
| 10227568 | 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 passenger; malfunction" is stored. The fault may or may not currently be present. Or 2. ACSM fault code "930A1C - Front passenger seat occupancy detection transmitting fault(moisture)" is stored. The fault may or may not currently be present. |
| 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. |
| 10225114 | The front sunroof glass seal has shrunk, creating a gap which can cause wind noise or excess water entry. |
| 10224186 | Component-Specific Limited Warranty Extension. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Radiator Grille Upper and Lower Active Air Flaps to: 15 years/150,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date. 1. Air flap control (link) active, upper (G12, G30 and G32) 2. Air flap control (drive), active, upper 3. Air flaps, upper (assembly) 4. Air flaps, lower (assembly) For eligible MY 2017 BMW 530i (B460) vehicles that are currently registered in the State of California (CA) or a State that has fully adopted |
| 10224185 | Component-Specific Limited Warranty Extension. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Leak Diagnosis Module with hose assembly (NVLD, shown) to: 15 years/150,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date. For eligible MY 2017 BMW 530i Sedan and xDrive (B460) vehicles that are currently registered in the State of California (CA) or a State that has fully adopted the State of California PZEV/SULEV regulation (CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, RI, and VT), the standard component-related coverage for the NVLD is 1 |
| 10218420 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice control of |
| 10218413 | BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop (effective March 28, 2022) on certain Model Year 2022 BMW vehicles that were produced between March 1, 2022 and March 8, 2022 because the torsion struts may not have been installed at the plant. Do not deliver to a customer, a New, Certified Pre-Owned or Used vehicle subject to a Delivery Stop, until the vehicle is repaired. Do not use or sell replacement equipment/parts subject to a Delivery Stop. |
| 10218384 | 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. Note: Opening, closing and starting via the BMW Digital Key or the Digital Key Card are not affected. |
| 10218381 | A check control message for the restraint system appears. In the instrument cluster, the red air bag warning light lights up permanently. One of the following fault codes is stored in the ACSM (air bag control unit): 930949 - Knee airbag, driver: short circuit to negative terminal 93094F - Knee airbag, front passenger: short circuit to negative terminal. |
| 10215746 | Component specific limited warranty extension. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor(s) to: 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle original in-service date. |
| 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 |
| 10214990 | 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. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 4 (HU-H4, also called MGU21) superseded the MGU starting with certain MY2021 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional. This uses map North America JOY. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line business version of the navigati |
| 10204660 | 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. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 3 (HU-H3, also called MGU) superseded the NBT-EVO starting with certain MY2019 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional or 6U2 Live Cockpit Plus. This uses map North America LIVE. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line busi |
| 10200489 | TELEMATICS UNIT RETROFIT TO 4G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. |
| 10200487 | TELEMATICS UNIT DEACTIVATION DUE TO 3G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY DISCONTINUATION: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. |
| 10200249 | The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. The decision to phase out 3G network technology was made at the discretion of the respective cellular carriers and lies beyond the control of BMW. Due to the phase-out, BMW Assist and ConnectedDrive services will no longer be supported after this date. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation