2012 BMW 328I Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 130 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 BMW 328I overview page.
What owners report
“WHILE IN MOTION ON A COUNTY ROAD, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP…”NHTSA complaint 11383126 — filed 12/12/2020
“FAILING TIMING CHAIN. MANUFACTURING DEFECT BUT NOT COVERED BY BMW BECAUSE "THE VIN DOESN'T SHOW AS COVERED IN OUR SYSTEM". SOME OTHER VEHICLES HAD EXTENDED…”NHTSA complaint 11372942 — filed 11/04/2020
“TIMING CHAIN PROBLEMS, THE CAR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD”NHTSA complaint 11364827 — filed 10/17/2020
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2012 BMW 328I have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2012 BMW 328I: 20 of 130 complaints on file (15.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2012 BMW 328I have in total?
130 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 1 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
