Check a VIN

2012 BMW 328I electrical problems

23 complaints (18% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 84,000.

owner complaints
23
of this car's complaints
18%
typical mileage
84,000
crashes
0
recalls
1

Which part fails

Owners did not name a specific part.

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

BMW 328I electrical problems in other years

1996200020102016

Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 BMW 328I electrical

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Fire or smoke 9

Related recalls

Electrical system: wiring: connectors/plugs/receptaclesReported August 13, 2024 · 720,796 vehicles affected
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.

Recall number 24V608000 · Recall details

What 2012 BMW 328I owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Mar 2, 2026 · Electrical · NC

The inner film on the central display console that shows navigation, multimedia and other information detached and made the display unreadable.

Filed Jul 31, 2025 · Electrical · WI

Dealer refused to cover DME that failed immediately after recall 24V‑608 work. In early June 2025, I contacted my local BMW dealership about an overheat notification I received while driving. They confirmed there was an open recall on the vehicle for a water pump connector (Recall 24V‑608). I had the vehicle towed to their location. They sent me a video walkaround that characterized everything looked good, except the water pump connector which had failed. Several days later, I was informed the recall repair had been completed but when they plugged in the new water pump connector, the DME shorted and they had to unhook the battery. Despite my best attempts to get this consequential damage covered as part of the recall work, BMW refused. I was told I had to come pick up the car as-is or pay for repairs. When I looked into the issue further online, I learned that if I had chosen to pick up the car, hook up the battery and attempt to start and drive it, I could have found myself stuck inside the car (electronic locks) with a DME that literally caused the whole car to start on fire. Thank goodness I didn't go that route. After further investigation into the recall issue (24v-608), I have learned the entire basis of the recall was risk of a "thermal event" caused as a result the faulty water pump connector shorting out. BMW never denied this when I brought it up. It is infuriating that BMW is suggesting the DME shorting out is not related to or covered by the water pump recall issue. A risk of thermal event is stated in the recall notice, and the DME literally shorted out DURING the recall repair work. They quoted me something like $5,000-7,000 to have the car drivable again. I'm at a complete loss.

Filed Jul 18, 2025 · Electrical · 161,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, and shortly afterwards the vehicle lost motive power in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuse box. The contact was informed that the fuse box had melted and was stuck to the battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 161,000.

Filed Jul 17, 2025 · Electrical · CA

My BMW IS OVERHEATING ITS BEEN IMAT BMW OF DOWNTOWN FOR 8 days and they’re trying to charge me to repair my melted fuse box,cooling systems and battery, damage that has occurred as a default of the pcv

Filed Apr 29, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 140,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge started to indicate that the engine was overheating, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The VIN was included, but the vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Filed Apr 14, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · GA

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part needed for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Jan 27, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 114,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, a message to pull over immediately was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the timing chain had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Dec 2, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · CA

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Dec 2, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · CA

The contact owns a vehicle 2012 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Nov 19, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 125,000 miles · NV

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump plug connector. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 125,000.

Questions about the 2012 BMW 328I electrical

Does the 2012 BMW 328I have electrical problems?

Owners have filed 23 complaints about the electrical of the 2012 BMW 328I, 18% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2012 BMW 328I electrical problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 84,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2012 BMW 328I electrical?

Yes, 1 recall: 24V608000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the BMW 328I have the most electrical problems?

The BMW 328I model years with the most electrical complaints are 2011 (130 complaints), 2007 (129 complaints) and 2008 (85 complaints).

Other 2012 BMW 328I problems

Engine 71Airbags 26Transmission 20Fuel system 10Seats 8Acceleration 6Seat belts 5Lights 4Visibility 3Brakes 2Steering 2Body 1Tires 1

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2012 BMW 328I?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history