2009 Bmw 1 SERIES: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
18 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
35,818 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 8 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 18 complaints (38.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 16.7% |
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 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Seats | 1 |
Air Bags: 7; Exterior Lighting: 5; Electrical System: 4; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Seats: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 10 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 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 7; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10355237 · 2010-09-13 (September 13, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CITED BY THE POLICE DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT OPERATING. WHEN SHE ARRIVED TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE DISCOVERED THERE WAS ONLY ONE TAIL LIGHT OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHILE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10355237 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10360184 · 2010-10-12 (October 12, 2010)
2009 BMW SERIES 1 - TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK - REPLACED ONCE AND FAILED AGAIN. BMW KNOWS THERE'S A PROBLEM AND STATED THAT IT MIGHT TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET REPLACEMENT LIGHTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10360184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418491 · 2011-08-11 (August 11, 2011)
UNSAFE EQUIPMENT: DRIVER'S SIDE PARKING/RUNNING LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS ON THE DASH REGARDING IT'S FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE INDICATOR LIGHT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE TAIL LIGHT LENS ASSEMBLY. THEREFORE MAKING REPAIR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE BMW REPAIR/SERVICE FACILITY DID NOT CARRY THIS IN STOCK AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN FOR 4 1/2 BUSINESS DAYS. LUCKILY I WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE SINCE I WAS UNDER WARRANTY. BMW IS AWARE OF A DEFECT IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES (SIB 63 03 …
Owner-reported narrative. 18,533 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418491 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10465459 · 2012-07-12 (July 12, 2012)
REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT. VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. THEY DECLINED TO FIX THE PART UNDER WARRANTY. CLASSIC BMW IN PLANO,TX. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 27,635 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10629242 · 2014-08-28 (August 28, 2014)
WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED I PASSED OVER THE TRANSITIONED BETWEEN A MILLED ROAD SURFACE TO EXISTING PAVEMENT. ON DAY ONE I NOTICE A SMALL PIECE OF RUBBER HANGING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE (LEFT) RIM BUT THE TIRE WAS HOLDING AIR. ON DAY TWO THE PASSENGER SIDE, RIGHT FRONT TIRE SPONTANEOUSLY BLEW. THE DRIVING SURFACE APPEARED NORMAL. DAMAGE WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE RIGHT TIRE HOWEVER PASSPORT BMW TOLD ME THAT THE TIRE HAD A RIP AROUND THE RIM. THE TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE RUN FLAT MODEL 215/40R18 85Y. THE TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 85 % OF IT'S TREAD AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10629242 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683388 · 2015-02-13 (February 13, 2015)
ON NOVEMBER 28, 2014, MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2009 BMW 1-SERIES CONVERTIBLE FROM A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER. WE ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY CONTRACT THROUGH THE DEALER. A FEW WEEKS LATER, MY WIFE NOTICED THE AIR BAG ICON ON THE DASHBOARD WAS LIT AND A AIR BAG "OFF " LIGHT LOCATED ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR STAYED ON. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY DID HAVE THE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT TO DO SO.THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT HAD THE EQUIPMENT TO TEST IT. A…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10766298 · 2015-09-21 (September 21, 2015)
CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR UP TO 100,000.I KEPT EXPERIENCING THE CAR VIBRATING AS WELL AS THE LOW OIL LIGHT APPEARING WITHIN WEEKS OF SERVICING THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK NUMEROUS TIMES AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY . IN JULY APRROX AT 106,000 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED WAS TAKEN ONLY TO BMW FOR SOLVE THE ISSUE HAVE PAID OVER $3800.00 FOR REPAIR AND LIGHT IS STILL ON. WAS TAKEN ON FRIDAY SEPT 18 AND ON SUNDAY SEPT 20 THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TWICE WITH 2 …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10766298 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10781451 · 2015-10-12 (October 12, 2015)
I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A ELECTRICAL RECALL. DEALER DID A RECOMMENDED SERVICE CHECK. LISTED 3 MAJOR ISSUES THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITH A CAR THAT HAS 61,452. 1. REPLACE OIL PAN GASKET 2. REPLACE OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKETS 3. REPLACE VALVE COVER GASKET. ALL OF THESE ISSUES DUE TO OIL LEAKS. HOW IS IT THAT A CAR BUILT TO LAST CAN HAVE MAJOR FLAWS LIKE THIS. THIS CAR IS NOT DRIVEN ON A RACETRACK NOR DRIVEN IN EXTREME CLIMATES FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. THE COST TO REPLACE THESE IS OVER 2700 PLUS TAX. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ISSUE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10781451 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
10V254000 · Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Reported: 2010-06-10 (June 10, 2010)
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.
Consequence: THE INSULATION AROUND THE PRE-TENSIONER COULD IGNITE.
Remedy: VEHICLES PRODUCED UP THROUGH DECEMBER 2009 WILL RECEIVE NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR UNITS AND A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS, WHILE VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN JANUARY 2010 AND MAY 2010 WILL RECEIVE A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA campaign record ↗