2009 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 388 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 15 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 17 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, crankcase (pcv)Mar 2, 2022
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Campaign 22V119000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, cooling system, fanAug 10, 2012
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
Campaign 12E029000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
33 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud squeaky sound. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PCV valve had failed. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The contact drove the vehicle to his residence. Later when the vehicle was started there was a large white cloud of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was driven to his spouse's medical appointment; however, the vehicle could not be started, and the contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact made several attempts to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The contact had experienced a similar failure several months prior and had taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated there was a burning odor coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving to her nearby residence. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly and she could smell a strong burning odor inside the vehicle while driving. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was associated with the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V1190000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms part not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Coolant) however, the contact stated that he smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the recall notice and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was approximately 123,492.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced an unstated failure and the vehicle was no longer being driven. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had been notified about the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, she saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light, the brake warning light, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that upon turning on the air conditioner, smoke would come inside the vehicle through the vents. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where an unknown repair was completed; however, the failure persisted. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 216,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Apr 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle went into limp mode and the engine overheated. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to her residence. The contact then towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing a wiring harness replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the water pump and the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact had the vehicle repaired for a second time however, the vehicle continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 8, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BMW OF RIVERSIDE (3060 ADAMS STREET, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA 92504, (951) 373-5000) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Jun 14, 2018, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE WOULD EMIT THROUGH THE VEHICLE VENTS AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIR. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Engine, May 21, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF ATLANTIC CITY AT 609-568-9200 (6037 E BLACK HORSE PIKE, EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ 08234) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Jan 11, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEATING SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER (BMW OF FREEPORT, 291 W SUNRISE HWY, FREEPORT, NY 11520) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Diesel, Oct 24, 2013
THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY CAR 2009 335D PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2009 FROM MOMENTUM BMW IN HOUSTON, TX. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE PRIMARILY FOR ITS ADVERTISED FUEL ECONOMY OF CITY/HWY 23/36 COMBINED WITH SUPERB PERFORMANCE. I PRIMARILY USE THIS CAR FROM HIGHWAY DRIVING FROM SAN ANTONIO TO HOUSTON, APPROX. 150 MILES EACH WAY. I GO TO HOUSTON TWICE A MONTH TO VISIT MY TWO SONS WHO ARE DOCTORS. I HAVE PUT ON AN AVERAGE OF 10,000 MILES PER YEAR, AND TODAY HAVE APPROX. 40,000 MILES. I ALSO PURCHASED BMW EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 7 YRS./70K MILES. BEFORE ALL THE MAJOR SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE UPDATES, I USED TO ROUTINELY GET AROUND 36-38 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH AND SINCE ALMOST 1 YEAR OR MORE, I AVERAGE LIKE 28-30 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAS DROPPED BY MORE THAN 6-8 MPG BEFORE THESE UPDATES FOR BOTH HIGHWAY AND CITY MPG. BEING AN ENGINEER BY TRAINING, THIS IS A STATISTICAL AVERAGE FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAVE MENTIONED MANY TIMES SINCE 2012 TO PRESENT TO THE BMW DEALER IN SAN ANTONIO THAT MY FUEL ECONOMY HAS SUFFERED SUBSTANTIALLY. I ALSO HAD THE SHOP FOREMAN AT BMW DEALERSHIP VERIFY BY TEST DRIVING FOR ALMOST 40 MINUTES EACH WAY ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT THE MAX. I GOT WAS 30.6MPG WITH AVERAGE SPEED OF 65MPH. FROM DAY ONE, I HAVE ONLY PUT EITHER SHELL OR CHEVRON DIESEL FUEL IN THIS CAR. THIS CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE BMW OF SAN ANTONIO. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT I NO LONGER CAN GET THIS FUEL ECONOMY AND BMW DEALER HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR EFFORTS IN FIXING THIS ISSUE BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE IT. I NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ANY OF MY OTHER GERMAN CARS THAT THEY STILL GIVE ME THE SAME FUEL ECONOMY OF WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THEM BUT IN FACT IN MOST CASES THE FUEL ECONOMY HAS IMPROVED AFTER THE ENGINE BREAK IN PERIOD. FOREMAN STATES THAT IT NEEDS DECARBONIZATION BUT BMW DOES NOT WANT TO PAY FOR IT AND IT IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Sep 16, 2013
I HAVE A 2009 BMW328XI, WHICH I BOUGHT BRAND NEW AND PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR. I ONLY HAVE 59,000 MILES. ON AUGUST 3, 2013 THE CAR TEMPERATURE LIGHT WENT ON, FIRST YELLOW AND NOT EVEN TWO SECONDS LATER RED. WITH OUT WARNING THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE. SO I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. THINKING THE CAR IS OVER HEATING. INSTEAD, AFTER GETTING IT TOWED FOUND OUT THE WATER PUMP AND ELECTRIC THERMOSTAT WENT. I AM VERY UNHAPPY THAT A 4 AND HALF YEAR OLD CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE SUCH PROBLEMS. I'VE HAD MANY HIGH END CARS IN THE PAST FOR 11 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IN SUCH A SHORT LIFE OF A CAR. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 18, 2012
I BUY MY 2009 BMW 335I WITH 39,700 MILES, FULL BMW SERVICE WAS DONE THE SAME DAY, MY NEXT SERVICE WAS AT 49,000 MILES HOWEVER AT AROUND 48,000 MILES. WHEN DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 50MPH I HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE PASSING LANE AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE ABOUT AT 65MPH THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE VERY BAD AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOSS POWER HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 20-25MPH COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS IN THE FASTER LANE AND CAR SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY!! THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO MOVE ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE SLOWER LANE WITH LITTLE ISSUE. AFTER I PULLED OVER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND OPEN THE HOOD AS MY OIL TEMP WAS JUST ABOUT AT 250*, UNDER HOOD TEMPS WAS HOT BUT NOT ANYTHING CRAZY, EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD SO I STARTED THE CAR AND IT IDLE LIKE NORMAL AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOW GONE, I CLOSE THE HOOD AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR LIKE NORMAL, SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL BMW DEALER IN MY WORK AREA AND THEY TOLD ME THE ISSUE I AM HAVING IS CAUSE BY THE HPFP HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, SO THEY REPLY IT AND EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL FOR ANOTHER 2,000 MILES THEN I HAD THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN! THIS TIME I WAS HEADING HOME AND IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE WITH MOVING TRAFFIC OMG THAT WAS BAD ALL MOST CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH ALL THE CARS, TRUCKS BEHIND ME HAD TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY .. WAS GOING 30MPH AND TRIED TO SPEED UP TO 60 .. AT AROUND 45MPH CAR LOST POWER AND WAS SHAKING WORST THAN THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AGAIN THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, I TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAITED FOR 5-6MIN THAN TURN IT BACK ON, THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAIN ON, MY OIL TEMP WAS AROUND 190*, THE CAR STILL IDLE AND DRIVE AS NORMAL EVEN WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON, TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALER IN MY HOME AREA AND THEY FOUND THIS TIME IS TWO BAD INJECTORS ONE AT CYLINDER 1 AND THE OTHER AT CYLINDER 5 .COST OF REPAIR $1.1K. *JS
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Dec 18, 2011
VEHICLE OIL TEMP WAS JUST UNDER 250. VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON AN INCLINE. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND YOU CAN FEEL THE VEHICLE MISFIRING IN THE GAS PEDDLE. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHAKE IN PARK. DEALER ADVISED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 30 MIN BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN. SEEMS TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE ENGINE TEMP INCREASES TO JUST UNDER 250 OR DRIVING ON A INCLINE ON THE HWY. PREVIOUSLY HAD NO ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL DEALER REPLACED A HFP (RECALL NOTICE) DURING AN OIL CHANGE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 11/23/11 THAT THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX. PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD INJECTORS WERE MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO PROGRAMMING AND ALSO BAD GAS. I HAVE ALWAYS USED PREMIUM 91+ OCT GAS. RECENTLY THE DEALER PUT IN A FUEL ADDITIVE AND ADVISED ME TO USE SHELL OR CHEVRON PREMIUM GAS IN THE FUTURE. I DROVE OUT THE FUEL ADDITIVE TANK, NO ISSUES AND REFUELED AT SHELL USING PREMIUM 91 POWER V. FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ON THE HWY ONCE AGAIN AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS FORCED TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY TO A SPEED / GEAR WHERE I WOULDN'T SHAKE. PREVIOUS DRIVING HISTORY IN EU WITH NO ISSUES ON THE AUTOBAHN AND THE VEHICLE IS A US SPEC. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SHIPPED TO CA, I DROVE IT TO AZ (800 MILES) WITH NO ISSUES AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL SEPT WHEN I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND MY HFP REPLACED. MY FIRST LONG HWY DRIVE SINCE THE OIL CHANGE / HFP WAS REPLACED, WE ENCOUNTERED THIS ISSUE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 7, 2011
I PURCHASED A 2009 BMW 238I. I TOOK IT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE ON 30 SEPT 11. I DROPPED IT OFF, GOT A LOANER, AND WENT TO WORK. BEFORE I DROPPED IT OFF THAT MORNING THE CAR RAN GREAT, IT HAD NO TICKING, NO ENGINE LIGHTS NOR LOSS OF POWER. I HADN'T HEARD FROM BMW SO I CALLED THEM, THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TALKED TO BMW NA AND I NEED TO AGREE TO THEM REMOVING MY VALVE COVER, AT MY EXPENSE $700. I SAID THAT I ONLY WANTED AN OIL CHANGE. HE TOLD ME THEY TERMINATED MY WARRANTY. MY WARRANTY WAS FOR 4YR/50,000 MILES, IT HAD NOT EXPIRED. I WAS VERY UPSET AND MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CALL BMW NA AND THE SUPERVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT THE SERVICE CENTER SAID AND THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO TALK TO. DISAPPOINTED, I PICKED MY CAR UP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR MADE SOME LOUD TICKING NOISES AND THE CAR SEEMED TO BE EXPERIENCING SOME POWER LOSS, IN THE MIST OF HIGH TRAFFIC. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN IT STARTED AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT OVER TO GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY. AND AS I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF (NO POWER), I BARELY MADE IT OFF THE ROAD. IT JUST SHUT OFF! I HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW. THAT WEEKEND THE CAR CRANKED UP AND IT SEEMED TO BE NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT AROUND THE BLOCK TO SEE IF IT WAS OKAY. THE TICKING RETURNED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN AND I HAD TO COAST IT OFF THE ROAD ONTO CHURCH GROUNDS AND CALL A TOW TRUCK AGAIN. AND NOW IT WILL NOT CRANK AT ALL. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND I HAVE TO RENT A CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL RECALLS, FOR EXAMPLE: BMW HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL AND VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS AND SAFETY RECALLS AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAFETY AND HOW BMW TERMINATES A LOT OF PEOPLE'S WARRANTIES PRIOR TO THEIR EXPIRATION DATE. BMW SEEMS TO BE PUTTING ALL OF OUR LIVES AT RISK AND TERMINATING WARRANTIES AT WILL. *TR