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
388 reports, newest first.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 20, 2010
2009 BMW 335I HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED ON MAY 30TH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME WITH REDUCED POWER. I SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT THE CAR TO MOUNTAIN VIEW BMW ON JUNE 10TH. NEW FUEL PUMP WAS INSTALLED WITH SOFTWARE UPDATE. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 2, 2010
DURING ROUTINE DRIVING THERE IS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE PUMP HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY BMW AND THE CAR IS GOING BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR A SECOND TIME TO REPLACE THE PUMP AGAIN. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 30, 2010
2009 BMW 335I, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. 9500 MILES ON VEHICLE. ENGINE IS SLOW TO START. WHILE DRIVING AND RPM ABOVE 3000, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE REDUCES POWER SIGNIFICANTLY. IF PUMP WERE TO FAIL COMPLETELY, ENGINE WOULD DIE, LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM ON HIGHWAYS WITH DENSE TRAFFIC. AFTER READING INTERNET BLOGS ON VEHICLE, THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FOR BMW N54 ENGINES. SOME DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE PUMP REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH SAME OUTCOME EACH TIME. *TR
Structure, May 28, 2010
PAINT DEFECT ON NEW CAR, 2009 BMW , PURCHASED ON MARCH 2010. THE PAINT IS PEALING IN 4 PLACES. CAR PURCHASED NEW IN MARCH 2010. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS PEALING IS FROM A "EXTERNAL SOURCE". THIS IS NOT PLAUSIBLE AS PEALING IS IN 4 SPOTS, TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. BMWS OWN WARRANTY VENDOR FOR BODY WORK INDICATED THAT IS WAS "APPARENTLY A PAINT DEFECT ".THE BMW REGIONAL INSPECTOR SAID NO, AN EXTERNAL PROBLEM, DENYING WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING ( PAINTING )DEFECT.. BMW, OFFERED, A "GOOD FAITH" ADJUSTMENT OF 50% OF REPAIR COST BUT IF IT IS A DEFECT IT SHOULD BE COVERED IN FULL AS PART OF THE WARRANTY. CLEARLY A NEW CARS PAINT ON A BMW SHOULD NOT BE PEELING IN A FEW MONTHS IN 4 PLACES AND BMW SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND COVER A PAINT DEFECT. *TR
Vehicle speed control, May 27, 2010
MY 2009 BMW 335I HAS A SIGNIFICANT LAG-TIME BETWEEN WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AND WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE CAR IS AT A DEAD STOP. WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, IT TAKES ABOUT ONE FULL SECOND BEFORE IT LUNGES FORWARD SUDDENLY. THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WHICH I CAN REPLICATE EVERY TIME I PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL FROM A DEAD STOP. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, OR WHEN I AM TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER HOW QUICKLY MY CAR RESPONDS TO THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE NOTICED THIS SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR IN AUGUST 2009. MY BMW DEALERSHIP AND ANOTHER BMW DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS CLEARLY ABNORMAL TO ME. SEVERAL BULLETIN BOARDS ON THE INTERNET ALSO REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 14, 2010
FUEL PUMP FAILED ON BMW 335I. ON THE FREEWAY, CAR INFORMATION PANEL INDICATED "ENGINE MALFUNCTION -- REDUCED POWER" AND THE CAR WENT INTO A LIMP MODE, WITH RADICALLY LOW POWER AND ROUGH RUNNING. BECAUSE OF THE PREVAILING SPEED OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY INABILITY TO MAINTAIN NORMAL FREEWAY SPEED DID NOT SERIOUSLY ENDANGER ME OR OTHER MOTORISTS. I AM REPORTING THIS FAILURE BECAUSE I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE SAME FAILURE IS EPIDEMIC WITH ALL APPLICATIONS OF THE ENGINE IN MY CAR. INJURIES ARE INEVITABLE IF THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP IS NOT REDESIGNED. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 26, 2010
FOURTH REPLACEMENT OF HPFP ON 2009 BMW 335 XI LESS THAN 12K MILES. LESS THAN 12 MONTHS OLD. *TR
Fuel system, Diesel, Apr 16, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335D (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN COLD WEATHER, THE AREA THAT FILTERED THE DIESEL FUEL BECAME FROZEN AND CAUSED THE SENSORS TO FREEZE AS WELL. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,800.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 14, 2010
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM THE OWNER OF A 2009 BMW 335I PURCHASED AUGUST 2009. ON APRIL 6, 2010, I STARTED THE ENGINE IN THE MORNING AND WAS GREETED WITH LONG CRANKS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON WITH AN ERROR MESSAGE OF ENGINE FAILURE, REDUCED POWER. THE CAR HAS BEEN FINE BEFORE THIS MORNING AT 7,200 MILES APPROX. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN. THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR STALLED AND COMPLETELY LOSE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON THE INSIDE STREET CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO QUICKLY PUT THE GEAR IN P AND RESTART THE CAR. I INFORMED THE DEALER ABOUT THE STALL AND ENGINE FAILURE BUT WAS MET WITH NO REGARDS. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AS I DO NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALL AND SHUT DOWN AGAIN. [XXX] *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 9, 2010
VEHICLE LOST POWER, ENGINE LITE CAME ON. TOOK FOR REPAIR, WAS TOLD SINCE IT WASN'T DOING IT @ TIME I BROUGHT IT IN BMW WOULDN'T REPAIR. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER> SAME THING HAPPENED BUT IT DIED THIS TIME & LEFT ME STRANDED. MY NEW CAR NOW HAS 7,000 MILES AND I DON'T TRUST IT! CALLING THEM TO COME GET IT TODAY. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 19, 2010
BMW 335I CAR HAS CRANKING PROBLEMS. DEALER RESET COMPUTER. WHILE DRIVING AT HI-WAY SPEED CAR FAILED. POWER WENT TO HALF. SPEED DROP FROM 65 TO 35 IN SECONDS. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP WHICH BMW HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS. CAR HAS 6,600 MILES. *TR
Wheels, Mar 19, 2010
WHILE DRIVING EAST ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, ON FEBRUARY 18, 2010 , NEAR EXIT 42, LONG ISLAND, NY, AT 50 MPH, I HIT A POT HOLE. THE POT HOLE WAS NOT IMPEDING TRAFFIC IN ANY SIGNIFICANT FASHION, HOWEVER, I IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A FLAT TIRE INDICATION FOR THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I HAVE RUN-FLAT TIRES, BUT COULD BARELY CONTROL THE CAR. THIS WAS UNUSUAL AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRES PREVIOUSLY, AND NEVER HAD TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE CAR. NEVERTHELESS, I CONTINUED TO EXIT 42, EXITED THE HIGHWAY, AND PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. UPON INSPECTION IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE TIRE, BUT WAS DUE TO THE RIGHT FRONT ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEEL WHICH HAD BROKEN IN HALF. AT THIS POINT THE WHEEL CONSISTED OF TWO HALVES, THE OUTER HALF ATTACHED TO THE AXLE, AND THE INNER HALF HELD ONLY LOOSELY BY THE TIRE. LATER INSPECTION INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE, BUT THAT THE WHEEL, ONLY, WAS BROKEN ALONG AN IRREGULAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL LINE APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL AND 4 INCHES FROM THE OUTER WHEEL LIP (THE LIP WHICH FORMS THE SEAL BETWEEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL). ALTHOUGH THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE WHEEL HAD BENT SLIGHTLY DUE TO THIS POT HOLE IMPACT (OR PERHAPS AN EARLIER IMPACT), THE WHEEL WAS NOT OTHERWISE SEVERELY DEFORMED. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010. THIS SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF THE SAME CAR, BUT OTHERWISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE VERY SIMILAR. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AGAIN ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, BUT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, AS A RESULT OF IMPACT WITH A POT HOLE, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN DIFFICULT. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED 6 DAYS AFTER THE CAR WAS RECEIVED FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER REPAIR OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS INSPECTED DURING THE FIRST REPAIR, AND FOUND TO BE IN DRIVABLE CONDITION. *TR
Fuel system, Gasoline, Feb 8, 2010
I WAS DRIVING AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2009 BMW 335I WENT OUT AND I RECEIVED A WARNING SIGN INDICATING REDUCED POWER. THE CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. POTENTIALLY UNSAFE WITH CARS COMING AT ME AS MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.