2012 BMW X3 Sav recalls & problems
The 2012 BMW X3 Sav has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 6 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is engine (3 complaints).
Recalls0safety recalls
Complaints6filed by owners
Crashes · fires1 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2012 BMW X3 Sav.
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* |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 59,500 mi |
| Service brakes | 1 | — |
| Steering | 1 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
| Wheels | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- May 21, 2015 · 40,000 milesWheels
THE PROBLEM STARTED OUT AS AN INTERMITTENT 'TPMS MALFUNCTION WARNING'. FIRST TRIP TO BMW SERVICE CENTER I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. INTERMITTENT TPMS WARNINGS CONTINUED. SECOND VISIT TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER RESULTED IN ONE TPM SENSOR BEING REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY THE INTERMITTENT TPMS MALFUNCTION WARNINGS CONTINUED TO OCCUR EVERY SO OFTEN. DURING THE PAST YEAR THE MALFUNCTION WARNINGS OCCURRED WITH EVER INCREASING FREQUENCY UNTIL THE TPMS MALFUNCTION BECAME PERMANENT. AT MY LATEST VISIT TO MY BMW SERVICE CENTER I WAS TOLD THE TPMS CONTROLLER MODULE WAS BAD (RDC MODULE). I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $850 TO REPLACE. A COWORKER WITH A 2012 BMW X3 HAD THE SAME INTERMITTENT TPMS MALFUNCTION… - Aug 1, 2018 · 45,500 milesPower train
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION BUCKS AND JERKS, SEARCHING AROUND FOR THE RIGHT GEAR. AFTER GOOGLING THIS, IT IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM THAT COSTS THOUSANDS TO FIX. WE'VE ALREADY SPENT APPROXIMATELY $1,500 ON IT, AND IT'S STILL HASN'T GONE AWAY. NEXT WOULD BE THE TRANSFER UNIT, WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $5,000. THE CAR ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES ON IT. THE LACK OF ACCELERATION IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF DANGER, MERGE SAFELY INTO TRAFFIC, ETC. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. - Aug 12, 2018 · 59,500 milesEngine
I WAS DRIVING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON A HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE IN MY 2012 BMW X3 35I SEIZED AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I HAD TO GLIDE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE BMW DEALER (LAUREL BMW WESTMONT) THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE WHICH WOULD COST $22K. BMW USA OFFERED TO PAY 60% OF THE COST AND WOULD NOT DISCUSS THE SAFETY ISSUES. THE CAR HAS 59.5K MILES AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED. - Apr 11, 2018 · 77,500 milesSteering
WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES IN WARM WEATHER, THE STEERING FEELS "STICKY" AND IS HARD TO KEEP IN THE LANE. IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU ARE FIGHTING TO MAKE THE SMALL CORRECTIONS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE CAR FROM DRIFTING OUTSIDE THE LANE, AND THAT THE STEERING IS "LOCKED" INTO POSITION. IT MAKES DRIVING THE CAR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD ON THE HIGHWAY UNBEARABLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED IN ONLINE BMW FORUMS BY MULTIPLE OTHER BMW X3 OWNERS. NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP CAN IDENTIFY WHAT CAUSES THE ISSUE, NOR HOW TO FIX IT. A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN TRIED: NEW BATTERY, NEW STEERING MODULE SOFTWARE, A REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFT, AND AN… - May 7, 2018 · 65,000 milesEngine
BOLTS HOLDING THE VARIABLE CAMSHAFT TIMING VANOS HOUSING ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND BMW NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A RECALL IN 2014 FOR 156000 VEHICLES. HOWEVER, I HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND BMW SAYS I MUST PAY ALMOST $4,000.00 BECAUSE IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL...EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. - Apr 30, 2016 · 12,000 miles · crashService brakes
IN 3 OCCASIONS (WITHIN 2 YEARS DURATION) WHEN I BRAKED THE CAR (BRAND NEW 2012 X3 2.8I) GENTLY TO STOP IT, IT SLOWED DOWN FIRSTLY BUT ALL IN A SUDDEN IT ACCELERATED WITH ENGINE REVVED UP (WITH NOTICEABLE ENGINE NOISE), THE BRAKE SEEMED LOSING POWER AT ALL. THE FIRST TWO TIMES I COULD BE ABLE TO STOP IT (BY FLOORING THE BRAKE) BEFORE HITTING THE ROADBLOCK AND THE CARPARK ENTRANCE GATE, THE THIRD TIME I COULD DO NOTHING BUT HIT INTO ANOTHER CAR IN THE CARPARK DUE TO THE SHORT DISTANCE. I'M SURE THAT I WAS NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL ACCIDENTALLY FOR I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PRESSING THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR IN ALL THREE CASES. I FOUND A SIMILAR RECALLS FM MY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AUTH (REF:…
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
- EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · openDesiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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…