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2012 BMW 750li
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
26 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 26, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Engine problems dominate (58% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#22 of 525Among the 2012 models with a matured record, the 2012 BMW 750li ranks #22, scoring higher than 93% of them. See the 2012 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 BMW 750li, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (15) · Transmission & drivetrain (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Engine
58%15 complaints
“I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE CUTOFF AND LOCKED UP. OIL LEAK ALL OVER HIGHWAY. ENGINES WAS BLOWN DUE TO FREQUENT OIL LEAKING. WAS PUTTING OIL IN …”
Transmission & drivetrain
23%6 complaints
“WELL AT THE 60K MILE MARK THE MOTOR WAS BLOWN, COME TOO FIND OUT MANY CARS THIS SAME MODEL AND YEAR ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES... THE SUSPENSION HAS BEEN CHANGED A COUP…”
Electrical system
15%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE CUTOFF AND LOCKED UP. OIL LEAK ALL OVER HIGHWAY. ENGINES WAS BLOWN DUE TO FREQUENT OIL LEAKING. WAS PUTTING OIL IN …”
Wheels
15%4 complaints
“MY PIRELLI RUN FLAT TIES ONLY LASTED LESS THAN 8,000 MILES. THE FRONT TIRES ARE BALD! THE REAR TIRES HAVE APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES LEFT. UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS NOT AN …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 26 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 3 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Engine And Engine Cooling · 18V248000
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.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this BMW before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 BMW 750li. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 BMW 750LI beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every 750li model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 BMW 750li against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.