NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 BMW 6 Series Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 BMW 6 Series has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 BMW 6 Series. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 BMW 6 Series owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 6 Series, describing incidents dated July 22, 2011 to May 20, 2018.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11101170 · Filed June 11, 2018
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…
ODI #10429457 · Filed October 11, 2011
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…

Read all 2 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2012 BMW 6 Series in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA21-002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Open since September 17, 2021

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP

NHTSA #12V161000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Other Fuel Types — Turbo/Supercharger · NHTSA notice

Reported April 10, 2012 · BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

Potentially affected: 2,846 vehicles

Owners notified April 30, 2012 · Vehicles built April 1, 2011 – May 11, 2011 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF SAFETY RECALL 11V521.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 BMW 6 Series. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 BMW 6 Series.

Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #11101170

Incident: May 20, 2018 · Filed: June 11, 2018

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 INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF FAILING TURBO COOLANT LINES. IN ADDITION, A FAILING CIRCUIT BOARD COULD RENDER OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES IN THE VEHICLE THAT BMW IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING IN THIS RECALL. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE AND COMPEL BMW GROUP TO EXPAND ON THIS RECALL.

Electrical System

ODI #10429457

Incident: July 22, 2011 · Filed: October 11, 2011

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 MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT ASSERTED THAT THE BMW WARRANTY DID NOT COVER MALFUNCTIONS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES SUCH AS THUNDERSTORMS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,345. UPDATED 03/07/12

Other BMW 6 Series model years

Check your 2012 BMW 6 Series VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 6 Series at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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