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U.S. public vehicle records

2009 Bmw 335I problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

85 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

50,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 59 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 85 complaints (34.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Fuel system concerns2428.2%
Engine operation1214.1%
Electrical and battery issues1214.1%
Transmission and shifting44.7%
Braking behavior44.7%
Steering behavior11.2%

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.

Air Bags
29
Fuel System, Gasoline
23
Electrical System
15
Engine
10
Fuel/Propulsion System
8
Exterior Lighting
6
Seat Belts
6
Seats
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags29
Fuel System, Gasoline23
Electrical System15
Engine10
Fuel/Propulsion System8
Exterior Lighting6
Seat Belts6
Seats4

Air Bags: 29; Fuel System, Gasoline: 23; Electrical System: 15; Engine: 10; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Exterior Lighting: 6; Seat Belts: 6; Seats: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
24
25,000 to 49,999
5
50,000 to 74,999
8
75,000 to 99,999
7
100,000 to 149,999
14
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00024
25,000 to 49,9995
50,000 to 74,9998
75,000 to 99,9997
100,000 to 149,99914
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 26 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.

2010
19
2011
5
2012
4
2013
1
2014
3
2015
2
2016
10
2017
10
2018
7
2019
2
2020
8
2021
6
2022
4
2023
1
2025
1
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
201019
20115
20124
20131
20143
20152
201610
201710
20187
20192
20208
20216
20224
20231
20251
20262

2010: 19; 2011: 5; 2012: 4; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 10; 2017: 10; 2018: 7; 2019: 2; 2020: 8; 2021: 6; 2022: 4; 2023: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 24 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 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 10307440 · 2010-02-08 (February 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.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10307440 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10325696 · 2010-04-14 (April 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…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10325696 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10343401 · 2010-07-15 (July 15, 2010)

FUEL PUMP FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND ENGINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,315 miles reported. Look up ODI 10343401 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10640632 · 2014-10-01 (October 1, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT WOULD ONLY ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT ELECTRICAL CONTACT POINTS MAY HAD DAMAGE THE GROUND TERMINAL AND HOUSING OF THE CONNECTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V407000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10640632 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11076055 · 2018-03-03 (March 3, 2018)

STARTING WITH ELECTRICAL THE DASH SCREEN HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN SINS I BOUGHT THE CAR. DEALER CANT REPLICATE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS SO OFTEN. WATER PUMP AND GAS PUMP HAVE GAVE ME PROBLEMS EVEN AFTER THEY FIX IT. AFTER RECALL FOR HEATER ISSUES, MY CAR ABSORBS FUMES FROM THE ENGINE. ADVISER AND SUPERVISOR FROM BMW DEALER SAY THAT IS NORMAL CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE CAR GETS THE HEAT FROM. CENTER DIVIDER FROM INSIDE OF THE CAR GETS EXTREMELY HOT WHEN I HAVE HEATER ON, TO WHERE I CAN FEEL THE HEAT GO THROUGH MY JEANS. ADVISER…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11076055 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10345026 · 2010-07-24 (July 24, 2010)

I OWN A 2009 BMW 335. IT WAS PURCHASED IN EARLY 2009. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF THE PART, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF TROUBLE. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, MY CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER. CONCURRENT WITH THAT POWER LOSS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT APPEARED ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ADDITIONALLY, AN ICON (IT LOOKED LIKE A TRANSMISSION) LIT UP AS WELL. WHEN THE POWER LOSS FIRST OCCURRED, I WAS IN THE FAST LANE ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD TO WORK EXTREMELY QUICK TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, FOR FEAR THAT SO…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345026 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10474481 · 2012-09-10 (September 10, 2012)

IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT BMWNA IS WELL AWARE OF, BUT INSISTS THAT IT IS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR" FOR MY CAR/TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT, BUT THEY WERE TOLD BY BMW THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR." THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN- LIKE FOR A TURN, BUT DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DCT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT GEAR TO SELECT BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THERE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN THE ONSET OF POWER- …

Owner-reported narrative. 20,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474481 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10491572 · 2013-01-06 (January 6, 2013)

I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOUR ORGANIZATION TAKING AN INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT BMWNA IS WELL AWARE OF, BUT INSISTS THAT IT IS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR" FOR MY CAR/TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT, BUT THEY WERE TOLD BY BMW THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR." THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN- LIKE FOR A TURN, BUT DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DCT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT GEAR TO SELECT BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 39,190 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491572 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11725997 · 2026-03-21 (March 21, 2026)

2009 BMW 3 Series with factory optioned Sport Steering wheel has no recalls, but still has a 2017 production Takata PSDI-5 airbag with the yellow sticker. This airbag was replaced during the interim period, before the revised design was released. It was manufactured in 2017, but used the same design as the original. This airbag is now 9 years old, and I fear it has the same shrapnel risk as the original unit replaced in 2017. East Bay BMW did not take my concern seriously when I made an appointment, citing the fact that there were no recalls fo…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11725997 at NHTSA ↗