2012 BMW 550i reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 BMW 550i holds 35 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 6 550i years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Turbocharger and Fuel pump.

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (13 of 35), then Fuel and propulsion system (11) and Tires (8). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2013

The 2013 550i has 15 complaints, 1 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 BMW 550i. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall engine and cooling, engine, gasoline, turbocharger 2018-04-18 · NHTSA campaign 18V248000

Summary 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.

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.

Recall Fuel pump 2016-10-17 · NHTSA campaign 16V746000

Summary 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.

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.

Complaints by component (35 total)

Engine

Fuel and propulsion system

Tires

Electrical system

Powertrain

Wheels

Fuel system, gasoline

Steering

Engine and engine cooling

Exterior lighting

Service brakes

Speed control

Suspension

Show 5 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"I was driving when the vehicle engine randomly shut down with out warning I was on the freeway at the time and could have been hit by a car. I took thr car to an auto repair shop, had the problem inspected snddiagnosed…"
Speed control, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2023-09-02
"The contact owns a 2012 BMW 550i. The contact stated after parking and exiting the vehicle, he noticed coolant leaking on the front driver’s side and saw white smoke exiting near the water pump. The contact stated the…"
Engine and engine cooling, Engine · filed 2021-11-30
"My car died in an intersection unexpectedly as if my battery had died. My infant was in the backseat. This was suck a busy intersection that police dept had to park behind me to keep me from being hit. The car could not…"
Powertrain, Electrical system, Engine · filed 2021-11-17
"Engine is available for inspection upon request. Earlier this month, my 550i completely shut off at a traffic light. When attempting to restart the engine, the Starter strained very hard and smoke came out of the…"
Engine · filed 2021-07-10
"2012 F10 had issues while running as car installed and stopped completely multiple times in traffic. Fuel supply sign came on. Diagnosed as low pressure fuel pump degraded and need replacement. Same recall took place…"
Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2021-06-23

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2012 BMW 550 I 4 DR RWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars
2012 BMW 550 I GT 4 DR RWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars
2012 BMW 550 I Xdrive 4 DR AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars
2012 BMW 550 I Xdrive GT 4 DR AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
550i	4.4L, 8-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	15	22	17 MPG	$4700
550i	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	15	23	18 MPG	$4450
550i Gran Turismo	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	15	22	18 MPG	$4450
550i xDrive	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	15	20	17 MPG	$4700
550i xDrive Gran Turismo	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	15	19	17 MPG	$4700

Specs and fitment

F10/F07 generation, 2012–2016

Body styles Sedan, Gran Turismo

Oil 0W-30

Tire size 245/40R19, 245/40R20, 245/45R18, 245/45R19, 245/50R18, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V248000 covers certain 2011-2012 550i, 550i xDrive, and 550i Gran Turismo models (with 750i/750Li, X5/X6 50i/M, and other N63 applications) where the electric auxiliary water pump circuit board can overheat and increase fire risk; dealers replace the pump. Recall 15V718000 covers certain 2016 550i models (with other 5 Series) for a child-seat related concern on that campaign list.

Compare

Next year 2013 BMW 550i See every BMW 550i model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 BMW 550i reliable?

What are common problems with a 2012 BMW 550i?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (13 of 35), then Fuel and propulsion system (11) and Tires (8). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2012 BMW 550i more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 550i has 15 complaints, 1 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 BMW 550i been recalled?

The 2012 BMW 550i has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 BMW 550i?

Owners have filed 35 complaints about the 2012 BMW 550i with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 BMW 550i get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 BMW 550i is 17.4 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US BMW 550i use?

0W-30

What tire sizes fit a US BMW 550i?

Published US specs commonly list front 245/40R19, 245/40R20, 245/45R18, 245/45R19, 245/50R18, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent) and rear 245/40R19, 245/40R20, 245/45R18, 245/45R19, 245/50R18, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US BMW 550i?