MSRP: $34,900 - $60,800
Invoice: $32,110 - $55,935
MPG: 23 City / 34 Hwy
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BMW 3-Series Recalls & Reliability

Scorecard

Overall: 2012 BMW 3-Series U.S. News Best Cars 8.6
Critics' Rating: 9.2
Performance: 8.6
Interior: 7.5
Safety: 9.6
Reliability:
How we calculate scores
Research analyzed for this review

Pros & Cons

  • Powerful turbocharged engines
  • Increased back seat and trunk space in sedan
  • Unrivaled handling
  • Small trunk in coupe and convertible
  • Bland exterior styling
  • Firm suspension won't appeal to all buyers

Research Other Years

Review Last Updated: 4/26/13

Recalls

There has been 1 safety recall issued from NHTSA.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINTRecall Date: 04/19/2012
  • Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE HEAD RESTRAINT MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE DOWN SLIGHTLY IF IT WAS ADJUSTED TO THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 12V176000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 7,600
  • Summary: BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 19, 2011, THROUGH MARCH 18, 2012, THAT HAVE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS THAT EXCEED THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT LIMIT OF 25MM IN THE HIGHEST POSITION. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202A,"HEAD RESTRAINTS."
  • Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ATTACH A CLAMP TO THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT POSTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
  • Notes: 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.

Reliability

Our reliability score is based on the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) rating or, if unavailable, the J.D. Power Predicted Reliability rating.

Predicted Reliability Score
  • Key:
  • Among The Best
  • Better Than Most
  • About Average
  • The Rest

J.D. Power and Associates Power Circle Ratings do not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards. See JDPower.com for more information on Power Circle Ratings. Your experience may vary.

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Warranty

BMW protects 2012 3-Series buyers with a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Free maintenance is also provided during that time, including wear-and-tear items, like brake pads, brake discs and wiper blades. Roadside assistance is covered for four years with no mileage limit.

Next Steps: BMW 3-Series