2009 BMW 328I: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 193 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (26% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jul 2024
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 193 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Seat occupancy sensor -- seat belt is inoperable on passenger side. Seat belt stuck in passengers seat back. "Active fault for seat occupancy sensor." Belt tensioner - "Drive belt starting to walk off tensioner pulley"”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2025
“I was driving my car when all of a sudden the lights in the odometer started flickering and the car started putting and then shut off. Basically broke down on me. I cannot get it to stay on it feels like it has no power.”Owner report · Engine · Dec 2024
“Car running lean oil leak getting hot,loss of power,jolting forward also my car has been in dealership shop for 2 years I'm being charged for services I know weren't done,overcharged,and my car still isn't fixed also the service manager told me he was aware of the recalls,when I told him to this was 4 days ago,however my car is being withheld from me,recalls have been known if it's been two yrs,they filed a lien June of last year I opposed it and they never responded back! My car still sits there causing injury to my livilyhood I've missed almost 1year of work I live in the Sierra's where it snows I can't get to work with no car!”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2023
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering assist while driving at an undisclosed speed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact used excessive force while driving back to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where metal shavings were found in the steering pump. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jul 2023
“Unknown/ Had recall on pcv heater control valve done by authorized BMW DEALER about 2 weeks ago. On date May 5 2023 Parked car, shut of engine,a smell of plastic and smoke started coming from hood area, flames erupted right away . Total loss”Owner report · Engine · May 2023
“The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud squeaky sound. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PCV valve had failed. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Apr 2023
“The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The message "Do Not Drive" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V017000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Air · Feb 2023
“The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jan 2023
“My mat sensor in my passenger seat is not working properly. Nobody ever really sits in the passenger seat and the light came on stating that someone is sitting in the passenger seat when there is actually nobody sitting in the seat! Which means the airbag will not deploy this seems to be an issue with many 09 bmw 328i vehicle's! I noticed through research that vehicles prior to said year had same issues and was part of a recall. I feel this should also be part of a new recall with this vehicle year”Owner report · Seat Belts · Nov 2022
“vehicle caught on fire while no one was driving and the engine was not on. It was parked for approximately 45 minutes. The fire started at the front under the hood. It destroyed melted the engine parts”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2022
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009 328i and 328xi, 2009-2011 335d, 2008-2012 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible, and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and secure the positive battery cable connector, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion of a previous recall, number 18V-314.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sports wagons manufactured March 2007 through June 2011; and 2009-2011 Z4 vehicles manufactured March 2009 through June 2011. In February 2013, BMW recalled 504,545 vehicles. In July 2013, BMW informed the agency that it was adding 1-Series, 3-Series, and Z4 vehicles, representing an additional 12,094 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 516,791. The connector for the positive battery cable connector and the corresponding terminal on the fuse box may degrade over time. Over time, the high current flow and heat from electrical resistance may lead to a breakage of the connection, and a loss of electrical power to the vehicle.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector and secure it with an improved method, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2009 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 328I by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2009 BMW 328I reliable?
NHTSA has 193 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2009 BMW 328I. The most complained-about area is air bags (26% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2009 BMW 328I problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 79,500 miles or less.
Does the 2009 BMW 328I have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:wiring. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.