2012 BMW 6 Series
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Engine
Engine leads by volume: 13 of 23 complaints (57%) mention it.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2010 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | vs. 2012 Compact Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 4,300–4,850 | 3,000–4,550 | 3,000–4,100 | 3,100–4,100 | |
| Combined MPG | 16–18 | 17–26 | 19–26 | 19–25 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 14–15 / 21–23 | 15–23 / 19–32 | 16–23 / 24–32 | 16–22 / 24–32 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 494–555 | 342–523 | 345–475 | 353–469 | |
| Complaints filed | 5 | 23 | 22 | 13 | |
| Recalls issued | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 8 | 6 | 8 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2012 BMW 6 Series have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2012 BMW 6 Series?
Engine: 13 of 23 NHTSA complaints (57%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2012 BMW 6 Series get?
EPA rates it 17–26 MPG combined across 8 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2012 BMW 6 Series?
EPA estimates $3,000–$4,550 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (8)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 23 mpg | 18 mpg | $4,300 | 494 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Manual 6-spd | 8 | 4.4L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 22 mpg | 17 mpg (low) | $4,550 (high) | 523 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 23 mpg | 18 mpg | $4,300 | 494 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Manual 6-spd | 8 | 4.4L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 22 mpg | 17 mpg (low) | $4,550 (high) | 523 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 23 mpg (high) | 32 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | $3,000 (low) | 342 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 20 mpg | 30 mpg | 23 mpg | $3,350 | 386 g/mi |
| Configuration 7 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 20 mpg | 17 mpg (low) | $4,550 (high) | 523 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 8 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 15 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | 17 mpg (low) | $4,550 (high) | 523 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER · Campaign 18V248000 · Apr 20, 2018
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP · Campaign 16V746000 · Oct 17, 2016
Defect: 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.
Consequence: The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · Campaign 14V176000 · Apr 14, 2014
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.
Consequence: If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER · Campaign 12V161000 · Apr 11, 2012
Defect: 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.
Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.
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.