Model year record

2012 BMW 6 Series recalls & problems

The 2012 BMW 6 Series has 1 safety recall and 2 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (1 complaint).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints2filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Engine and engine coolingApr 10, 2012

Engine › Other fuel types › Turbo/supercharger

Recall 12V1610002,846 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 5-SERIES, 5-SERIES GRAN TURISMO, MODEL YEAR 2012 6-SERIES CONVERTIBLE, 7-SERIES, X5 SAV, AND X6 SAV VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 8- OR 12-CYLINDER, TURBOCHARGED, ENGINES BECAUSE THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CAN OVERHEAT.
Risk: THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.
Fix: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Typical mileage*
Electrical system	1	—
Engine	1	—
Unknown or other	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Engine
BMW GROUP ISSUED VOLUNTARY RECALL NO. 18V-248: ELECTRONIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE. PRIOR TO RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE BY MAIL, MY CAR'S INSTRUMENT PANEL REGISTERED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AND ON COLD STARTUP: "ENGINE TEMPERATURE HIGH, DRIVE MODERATELY..." . THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ NORMAL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED (BOTH STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING). THE BMW SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME THE MESSAGE WAS DUE TO THE RECALLED AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE, 18V-248. IN ADDITION, THE TURBO COOLANT LINES WERE FOUND TO BE LEAKING WHICH THE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME WERE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IT SEEMS A FAULTY AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WOULD CAUSE OR…
May 20, 2018 · 38,000 miles
Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, IN A THUNDERSTORM IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE INTERSTATE, WHEN HE NOTICED A BOLT OF LIGHTING LAND JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE INTERSTATE IN THE GRASS. 31 OF 43 ELECTRICAL MODULES FAILED IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING THE ENGINE, STEERING, BRAKES, RADIO AND THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE COULDN'T BE RE-STARTED, OR EVEN SHIFTED INTO TO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP FOR 105 DAYS, WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. NONE OF THE REPLACED PARTS EXHIBITED ANY PHYSICAL STIGMATA OF HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE AND THERE WAS NO BURNING, SCORCHING, OR MELTING EVIDENT ON ANY OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS INSIDE THE REPLACED COMPONENTS. THE…
Jul 22, 2011 · 2,345 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
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…
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021