2012 BMW 650i Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 6 650i years
The 2012 BMW 650i ranks worst of 6 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 20 NHTSA complaints, mostly engine-related (60% share). Two recalls cover the engine water pump and fuel system, and owners reported engine failures around a median of 67,000 miles.
- Complaints
- 20
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 17
- 15 city / 22 hwy
Top 2012 BMW 650i problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine12 (60%)
- Structure & Body4 (20%)
- Airbags2 (10%)
- Brakes2 (10%)
- Fuel System2 (10%)
- Other2 (10%)
- Seat Belts2 (10%)
- Electrical System1 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (5%)
What owners report
- Engine loses power unexpectedly and enters a drivetrain failure mode that reduces power substantially, sometimes recurring after repairs.
- Engine overheats during gradual acceleration with the check engine light on, tied to a failed electric auxiliary water pump.
- Brakes vibrate or judder violently at highway speed, diagnosed as warped rotors and worn pads.
- Fuel pump failures cause the vehicle to stall while driving around 70 mph.
- Front passenger seat heater or seat cooling emits smoke and small fire without warning.
- Front passenger airbag warning light illuminates due to a cracked occupant detection mat sensor.
2012 BMW 650i recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V248000Apr 18, 2018Engine47,806 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
- NHTSA 16V746000Oct 17, 2016Fuel System136,188 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 BMW X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo, 2011-2012 528i, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i and 550i xDrive and 2012 535i ActiveHybrid, 640i Convertible, 650i Convertible, 650i xDrive Convertible, 650i Coupe and 650i Coupe xDrive vehicles. The affected vehicles have in-tank fuel pumps that may have insufficiently crimped wire contacts.
Risk: The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
2012 BMW 650i fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15 MPG
- Highway
- 22 MPG
- Combined
- 17 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other 650i years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 BMW 650i reliable?
- Among 650i model years tracked, 2012 has the highest Complaint Index at 100 and ranks worst of 6 years, with 20 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2012 BMW 650i?
- Engine problems make up 60% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 67,000 miles, including power loss and water pump failures.
- Does the 2012 BMW 650i have any recalls?
- Yes, it has 2 recalls: one for replacing the electric auxiliary water pump (engine) and one for the fuel pump module (fuel system). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- Are there fire risks with the 2012 BMW 650i?
- NHTSA lists 2 fire complaints for this year, both tied to Structure & Body and Electrical System issues involving seat heaters or seat cooling smoking.
- How does the 2012 compare to other BMW 650i years?
- 2012 has a Complaint Index of 100, higher than 2013 (80), 2014 (60), 2010 (40), 2015 (20), and 2017 (0), making it the worst-ranked year of the 6 tracked.