Car · BMW recalls

2012 BMW X3 recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 BMW X3, filed between May 23, 2016 and August 8, 2017. Each one is below with what is wrong and the free fix.

Save my car and watch its recalls Check repair status at NHTSA

Part	Filed	Advice
Air bags: inflator module	August 8, 2017	Dealer fix
Child seat: latch strap	May 23, 2016	Dealer fix

Air bags: inflator module

Campaign 17V495000 · Filed August 8, 2017

What is wrong. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.

Show NHTSA's full text

BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, and M6 Convertible vehicles and 2013 M6 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.

What could happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Child seat: latch strap

Campaign 16V333000 · Filed May 23, 2016

What is wrong. The affected vehicles have lower anchor bars for securing child restraint seats that may become damaged when using the European-ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.

Show NHTSA's full text

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017, X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i, vehicles manufactured July 2, 2010 to April 14, 2016, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014 to March 31, 2016, and 2015-2017 x4 xDrive28i, X4 xDrive35i and X4 xDriveM40i vehicles manufactured March3, 2014 to April 15, 2016. The affected vehicles have lower anchor bars for securing child restraint seats that may become damaged when using the European-ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.

What could happen. Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. The recall began on July 13, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Check that your car is on the list

Most campaigns cover only cars built in a certain date range or at a certain plant, so a 2012 BMW X3 may or may not be included. The VIN is the only sure test. It is 17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield and on the driver door jamb sticker. Look up your VIN at NHTSA to see whether a campaign is open for your exact car.

How to confirm the repair is free

Call any authorized BMW dealer service desk and give them the VIN and the campaign number from the list above.
Ask them to confirm the campaign is open for your car. If it is, the parts and labor are covered.
If the dealer says the part is not in stock, ask for a written note with the date, and ask about a loaner if the notice says not to drive the car.
Keep the repair order. It shows the campaign number and proves the work was done.

If you already paid for a repair that a recall later covered, BMW may owe you a refund. Ask the dealer or BMW customer service about reimbursement, and keep your receipts.

Other model years of the X3

More: all BMW recalls, check-engine codes, car repair costs.

2012 BMW X3 recall questions

How many recalls does the 2012 BMW X3 have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 BMW X3. A campaign can cover only some cars of that model year, so check your VIN to see whether yours is included.

Is a recall repair on a 2012 BMW X3 free?

Yes. A safety recall repair is free at an authorized BMW dealer, whatever the age or mileage of the car and no matter who owns it now.

How do I know if my 2012 BMW X3 was already fixed?

Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows whether a campaign is open for that exact car. You can also ask a dealer to run the VIN, or look at the service history paperwork for the campaign number.

Source: NHTSA recalls API, checked 2026-10-29. Text is NHTSA's wording of each campaign. New campaigns are added over time. Not a repair shop, estimates only.