2012 Bmw 328I XDRIVE - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

"as i was going down the highway may car lost power. i had to pull onto the shoulder and turned the car off. i then tried to start it but is would not start back up. i left it on the side of the highway for a few hours. went back and it started back up but it was in limp mode, so i drove it to a shop. this car gave me no problems until this point. the shop i took it to couldn't help me. so i took it to century bmw in greenville sc. they told me i needed a motor that was going to cost me $14,000 to fix. i asked them to put my motor back together ( the top part of the motor). they informed me it would cost me $600 to do so. i got my car back with the motor not put back like they got it. it has been sitting every since."

"my 2012 bmw 328i (f30 with n20 engine) had the dreaded timing chain guide failure, which is a very common issue with the n20 engine. there has been a warranty extension- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/mc-10142923-9999.pdf and class action settlement- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/mc-10201140-9999.pdf for this. but these doesn't address the safety concern. there has been numerous reports of timing chain & guide failures happening everyday in the various forums. the broken guides can lead to sudden engine failure and a loss of power to the vehicles. if this happens on the highway, this could be life threatening for the passengers. i kindly request nhtsa to look into this problem and issue a recall."

"bmw drivetrain malfunction. timing chain replacement kit. pump module with vanos units and solonoids"

"the contact owns a 2012 bmw 328i. the contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that the "contact bmw" and "stop driving" messages were displayed. the contact stated that the power brakes and power steering became inoperable whenever the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled at various speeds and became more frequent. the contact pulled off the roadway and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. the contact stated that the vehicle started and shifted to limp mode. the contact disconnected the battery to reset the function on the vehicle. the contact stated that after one failure, the vehicle failed to start and was towed to his residence. the vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 96,000."

"i hear a whining noise coming from the engine and sounds like the timing chain is getting ready to snap. this is a common problem in this type of engine, resulting in a damaged engine."

"on 23 nov at approx 8:30 pm i was on i35n heading home in my 2012 bmw 328i. out of nowhere i get a low oil pressure light, followed immediately by the drivetrain malfunction light. i pulled over to the side of the road immediately for safety. i stopped the engine and sat for a couple of minutes to see if the error may have cleared, which it did not. i attempted to restart the engine and it would not start again. i had the vehicle towed to bmw. upon speaking to bmw today, i was told that the cause of failure was a timing chain malfunction/break which renders the engine inoperative. the cost of a replacement is approx 15k-17k i was told. at no time did i get any indication or warning that something was wrong with the car. the car had been running fine until this incident, now i'm without a car and have to make a tough decision because of it. i've owned this car since it was brand new and never had an issue with it until now."

"the contact owns a 2013 bmw 328i. the contact stated that while his daughter was driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled with the check oil warning light illuminated. the low oil pressure and drive train message were displayed. the vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. the approximate failure mileage was 123,000."

"n20 timing chain failure/broke. my daughter's safety was put at risk because the chain broke while she was driving on a 2 lane back road, causing the vehicle to go into limp mode. the car stopped suddenly, in the middle of the road. the problem has been confirmed at the bmw service center. we have since found out that this is a known problem that bmw north america is aware of, and several class action lawsuits have been filed. the "transmission malfunction warning" appeared on the dashboard within seconds before the timing chain failure."

"the car is burning oil badly and making an annoying squeaking noise due to a valve cover gasket failure. i took the car to the bmw dealership for diagnosis and i’ve been told it’s a common problem with all bmw once they reach 50k miles and up. the mechanic said it’s because the part is made with a cheap plastic and it’s get worn easily by the heat . it’s cost up to 2000 dollars to fix, bmw should have a recall to resolve the issue."

"bmw says this car has a defective timing chain module that will cause engine failure. i had to have my car towed because of this problem. the engine failed while i was on the highway."