NHTSA recall 12V176000
A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.
| Published by | NHTSA (United States) |
|---|---|
| Campaign number | 12V176000 |
| Manufacturer | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC |
| Reported | 2012-04-20 |
| Owners notified | 2012-05-30 |
| Component | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT |
| Units potentially affected | 7600 |
What is wrong
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 19, 2011, THROUGH MARCH 18, 2012, THAT HAVE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS THAT EXCEED THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT LIMIT OF 25MM IN THE HIGHEST POSITION. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202A,"HEAD RESTRAINTS."
What can happen
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE HEAD RESTRAINT MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE DOWN SLIGHTLY IF IT WAS ADJUSTED TO THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
The remedy
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ATTACH A CLAMP TO THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT POSTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
Notes
CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
| 2012 BMW 3 SERIES | Built 2011-10-19 to 2012-03-18. Listed under a family name that covers this model. |
|---|---|
| 2012 BMW 3 SERIES | Built 2011-10-19 to 2012-03-18. Listed under a family name that covers this model. |
| 2012 BMW 3 SERIES | Built 2011-10-19 to 2012-03-18. Listed under a family name that covers this model. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
| B110321 | 2021-07-06. Service bulletin. B58 ENGINE: ENGINE OIL FILTER REMOVAL PROCEDURE AND TOOLS . A. For the B58 engines, a BMW Oil Catch special tool for use in conjunction with removing the engine oilfilter insert is now available. |
|---|---|
| B520718 | 2019-02-25. Service bulletin. SEAT THIGH SUPPORT UPHOLSTERY IS PROTRUDING. The upholstery may dislodge slightly from the thigh support base over time from repeated compression due to normal use. |
| B520818 | 2019-02-25. Service bulletin. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SPORADIC MOVEMENT. Occasional stopping of seat adjustability movement in the driver and front passenger seats when occupied. |
| 651013 | 2018-12-03. Service bulletin. "The replacement OC3 seat mat (front passenger seat occupancy) will not enable when following ISTA Repair Instruction REP 65 77 604, ""Replacing sensor mat (OC3 mat) for passenger seat occupancy detector."" 1. When the new mat is installed in the vehicle, too much pre-load pressure will prevent the mat from being enabled. ISTA/P WILL NOT enable the new part, and will cause permanent damage to it. 2. The new part has incorrect coding." |
| 520213 | 2018-11-26. Service bulletin. Front Seat Headrest Height Changes. The left or right front seat headrest can no longer be lowered to its lowest position, and is at a different height than before. |
| 520113 | 2018-11-26. Service bulletin. "Front Crash-Active Headrest Has Limited Height Adjustment. INFORMATION This bulletin will help you understand the features of the crash-active headrest and explain the benefits to your customers and center staff. 1. Learn the safety features and operation of the front seat and crash-active headrest. Photos A and B: In the event of an accident, the rear passenger must be able to move the front seatback forward, regardless of the seat position. This allows the rear passenger an easy exit from the rear seat of the vehicle, even if the electrical power source is no longer available. 2. When the seatback is manually moved, the headrest must have free movement throughout the full range of the seatback. Photos C and D: The headrest and seatback must be able to move fore and aft without contacting the roof or sun visor, regardless of seat position. The headrest height will automatically adjust to maintain this clearance, regardless of seat position. 3. In case of an accident, the crash-active headrest will be automatically activated forward to reduce the distance between the occupant's head and the headrest. This results in increased safety for the occupant. Photo E shows the headrest in the normal position. Photo F shows the headrest in the ""active"" position and will not contact the roof. Note: The headrest's chrome bar supports can be seen. " |
| B520916 | 2018-11-05. Service bulletin. ?REAR SEAT RATTLE . Rear bench seat backrest rattles when driving on uneven roads. Rear bench seatback rattles between the attachment points and retaining clip contact surfaces. |
| B520317 | 2018-11-05. Service bulletin. ?MISSING AUDIO NOTIFICATION WHEN STORING SEAT MEMORY . When saving seat memory settings (Memory 1 or Memory 2) with a vehicle without navigation, there is no audio tone confirmation. Software error in control unit of Seat Module 2. |
| B520318 | 2018-10-09. Service bulletin. MEMORY SEAT ADJUSTMENT IS LIMITED: After programming the vehicle with ISTA 4.10.2x, the adjustment range of the memory seat may restricted. |
A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.