2009 BMW 3 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 3 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 BMW 3 Series. That ranks 7th out of 20 3 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (15 complaints, 28%), typically at around 75,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 9 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 53owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 BMW 3 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 15 | 28% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 15% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 11% | 89,800 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 9% | 65,350 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 9% | 52,250 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 8% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 6% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 6% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 6% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 6% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 6% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 6% | 41,750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 57,895 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 2% | 59,700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 150,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 BMW 3 Series recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
4 months ago my car stopped suddenly mechanic changed fuel pump , couple weeks after that it happens again i took it back and the mechanic said everything is ok , i went home and today i was driving on the highway when the car suddenly stopped again, i was so scared i just want to know if you going…
I took my car to a bmw dealership in cannonsburg, pa. Had no issues whatsoever dropping it off. I had driven 3 hours to get to the dealership for the recall. By the end of the day i received a call telling me my car was over heating and not drivable. How is that my responsibility? When obviously i…
Recall # 17v676, 17v683 it has been nearly a year and i'm still unable to make repair appointment with bmw dealer for reason of parts unavailable. My air conditioning system couldn't keep car cool enough as heat from the engine is high.
In november 2017 i received two (2) recall notices for my 2009 bmw 328i. I was advised that the blower motor wiring (recall campaign # 17v-676) and pcv valve heater (recall campaign # 17v-676) were defective. I was further notified that no remedy for either defect was available at that time. It is…
Fuel injectors began leaking and have become faulty causing mis-firing. Bmw had a similar recall involving cars with the same model year and engine as my car but has refused to claim it was also involved in the recall.
Other BMW 3 Series years
← 2008 3 Series · 2010 3 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 3 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 3 Series | 21 | 0 |
| 2012 3 Series | 7 | 3 |
| 2011 3 Series | 1 | 2 |
| 2010 3 Series | 30 | 2 |
| 2009 | 53 | 1 |
| 2008 3 Series | 68 | 2 |
| 2007 3 Series | 115 | 1 |
| 2006 3 Series | 202 | 3 |
| 2005 3 Series | 25 | 0 |
| 2004 3 Series | 77 | 0 |
| 2003 3 Series | 73 | 0 |
| 2002 3 Series | 26 | 0 |
| 2001 3 Series | 36 | 1 |
| 2000 3 Series | 88 | 1 |
| 1999 3 Series | 6 | 1 |
| 1998 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 3 Series | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 3 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 3 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 BMW 3 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 BMW 3 Series?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 BMW 3 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 3 Series model years, the 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.