2009 Bmw 3 SERIES problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
53 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
68,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 37 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 53 complaints (28.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 9.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 9.4% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 7.5% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 5.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 5.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 15 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 3 |
Air Bags: 15; Electrical System: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Engine: 5; Exterior Lighting: 5; Unknown Or Other: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Seat Belts: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 9 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2010: 6; 2011: 5; 2012: 2; 2013: 4; 2014: 4; 2015: 6; 2016: 8; 2017: 10; 2018: 7; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10345223 · 2010-07-26 (July 26, 2010)
I OWN BMW 320D 2009, MY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE, AS MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATE BY ITS SELF, AS I GO DOWN FROM SAY 75 MPH AND RELEASE THE BRAKES, SUDDENLY THE CAR SPEEDS UP AGAIN. THIS IS HAPPEN TO ME SEVERAL TIMES AND BMW SAYS THIS WAS NOTHING I WAS ASSUMING THIS, AFTER COMPLAINED AND COMPLAINED, FINALLY AN IGINUER LOOKED AT MY CAR AND KEPT IT FOR A DAY, BUT ONLY TO SAY NOTHING IS WRONG. IT KEEPS HAPPENING AND HAPPENING AND BMW DOES NOT REACT, AS I MENTIONED TOYOTA IN ONE OF MY LETTERS TO THEM, THEY ANSWERED ME ANGRY WITH W…
Owner-reported narrative. 98,790 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10424808 · 2011-09-08 (September 8, 2011)
2009 BMW 328I. CONSUMER WRITES IN DISCONTENT REGARDING MAINTENANCE PERFORMANCE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE MAINTENANCE WAS NOT PERFORMED AS INDICATED ON THE INVOICE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID A COMPARISON OF THE BRAKE FLUID BEFORE HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND AFTER HE RETURNED FROM THE DEALER AND THE PICTURES SHOWED THE BRAKE FLUID HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10424808 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10333875 · 2010-05-30 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10333875 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10422252 · 2011-08-25 (August 25, 2011)
ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011, MY 2009 328I SHUT DOWN WITHOUT NOTICE IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-90 AT MILE MARKER 80.002 ABOUT A MILE FROM OHARE AIRPORT IN CHICAGO. IT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND I WAS LEFT TO CALL 911 AND SPEND 10 MINUTES WAITING FOR DOT TO TOW ME OFF THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TO A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO WAIT ANOTHER HOUR FOR AAA TO TOW MY CAR TO PERILLO BMW IN CHICAGO TO ASSESS THE ISSUE. JUNE 15TH 2011: ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER BRINGING MY CAR INTO THE ZIMBRICK BMW SERVICE FACILITY TO HAVE A SET OF AFTER-MARKET LED LIGHTS …
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10422252 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10744390 · 2015-07-28 (July 28, 2015)
WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION ENGINE LOST POWER AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK CAR TO BMW DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AND THE PUMP AND TANK HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10744390 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10345745 · 2010-07-27 (July 27, 2010)
BMW 328I STALLS- NO POWER UPON TAKE OFF AND WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10345745 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10592236 · 2014-05-18 (May 18, 2014)
CAR WAS RUNNING VERY BAD BOTH CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON WITH ONE BLINKING TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO CERTIFIED BMW DEALER WHO REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS, VALVE AND TUNED IT UP COST 3500 DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM THEY SAID IT'S GAS TO AIR RATIO IS NOT CORRECT THE CAR MISFIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS THE BMW DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER 1600-2700 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP AFTER THE FIRST REPAIRED I WAS BACK IN 2 DAYS LATER. DREYER AND REINBOLD IS THE DEALERSHIP. UPDATED 11/24/2014 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10556983 · 2013-12-22 (December 22, 2013)
2009 BMW 328I, THE DIRECTIONAL LIGHT AT TIMES BLINKS RAPIDLY AND A WARNING OF LIGHT PROBLEM ILLUMINATES. THE DIRECTIONAL BLINKS FAST AND LIGHT IS DULL ON EXTERIOR TAIL AND FRONT LAMPS. AT TIMES WORKS NORMALLY AND THEN BEGINS TO BLINK RAPIDLY WITH A BELL WARNING AND ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHT SIGN DISPLAYS. THIS PROBLEM HAS KNOWN TO BMW AS THE SERVICE DEALERS RECEIVED A BULLETIN. WILL NOT COVER IF OUT OF WARRANTY BUT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ENUMERATED BY MANY CUSTOMERS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 32,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556983 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10837318 · 2016-02-20 (February 20, 2016)
NOTICED A VERY SLIGHT TAPPING WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST CRANKED--BUT NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A FEW MILES, A WARNING LIGHT INDICATING "CHARGING MALFUNCTION" FLASHED ON, AND THE BATTERY SYMBOL APPEARED. BECAUSE I WAS THE PASSENGER, I GOOGLED "BMW 328I CHARGING MALFUNCTION" AND THE FIRST RESULT THAT CAME UP READ "BMW/ JANUARY 2013/ RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 12V-550: ENGINE BELT IDLER PULLEY BOLT" FOR MYS 2009-2012 BMW X5 XDRIVE 35S SAVS. BEFORE I COULD INFORM DRIVER, HE COMPLAINED THAT HE HAD LOST POWER STEERING. AS WE WERE LITE…
Owner-reported narrative. 89,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10837318 at NHTSA ↗