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What 26 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 750li

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (26)Crash / fire / injury (3)Engine (15)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Electrical system (4)Wheels (4)Steering (2)Suspension (2)Airbags (1)Brakes (1)Engine & cooling (1)Fuel system (1)

4 of 26 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

Nov 24, 2025Electrical systemFire

I went outside and started my car, locked it and came back inside to grab a few things. Approximately five minutes later someone was banging on my door and ringing the doorbell. When I answered they said they had already call the fire department. My car's engine compartment was engulfed in flames and undercarriage covers were also burning. The rear bumper and light assemblies were melting. The doors were stuck windshield exploded and srs systems had activated. Fire department said it was electrical fire. USAA said it is a total loss and the electrical fire was in the engine compartment. My vehicle was parked on the street in front of my house and been driven the evening before and parked in front of my house. I have plenty of pictures.

NHTSA ODI 11701221

Feb 26, 2020Electrical system

AFTER A ROUND TRIP 25 MILES DRIVE AND PLACING THE CAR IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL, BECAUSE THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM WOULD LOCK THE CAR, BUT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES OPEN FROM THE INSIDE BUT THE PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT. THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11311745

Jul 15, 2019Electrical systemEngine

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 VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

NHTSA ODI 11231896

Aug 24, 2012Electrical systemEngineFire

DROVE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 P.M. CAR WAS LEFT IN THE GARAGE FOR THE NIGHT. AT 3:35 A.M. WAS AWAKEN BY MY DOG AND SMELLED SMOKE, STRONGEST IN THE AREA OF THE GARAGE. ONCE EXTINGUISHED BY FIREFIGHTERS THE CAR WAS PULLED OUT. THE LEFT FRONT NUMBER, HEADLIGHT, AND ADJACENT STRUCTURES WERE MELTED. EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE AND SMOKE DAMAGE IN THE GARAGE, AND A LESSER DEGREE IN THE HOUSE. CAUSE OF FIRE ORIGIN WAS NOT DETERMINED, BUT THE CAR WAS NOT EXCLUDED. CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE RELATED TO THE AUXILIARY COOLING PUMP ISSUE NOTED IN 2010 AND 2011 MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472433

Working with the data? Download all 26 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 BMW 750li verdict →