2009 BMW 3 Series Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 3281. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT SATED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT OIL HAD SPILLED ONTO THE ECCENTRIC SHAFT SENSOR AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED A TSB-10076476-5448 ECCENTRIC SHAFT SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 IGNITION COILS IN LESS THAN A YEAR. #1. WAS TOLD BY WARRENTY CO THAT THERE IS ALSO A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) FROM BMW RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAND OF COILS (BOSCH) THAT WERE INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY, & THEY WANT SHOPS TO REPLACE THEM WITH AN UPGRADED BRAND (DELPHI). THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THESE IGNITION COILS. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR CHANGING THEM OUT?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE DRIVING 55 TO 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC LOCATED A LEAK AT THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR HOSE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE RADIATOR HOSE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JULY 20, 2019 WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO LONG BEACH BMW (1660 EAST SPRING STREET, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755, (562-427-5494) TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE RESULTS OF THE TEST WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED BRIAN HARRIS BMW (12336 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70817) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
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 NOW SEPTEMBER 2018. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW AND BEEN ADVISED THAT AT THIS TIME A REMEDY REMAINS UNAVAILABLE. I AM CONSIDERING SELLING OR TRADING IN MY VEHICLE BUT BECAUSE THIS RECALL HAS NOT YET BEEN COMPLETED MY RESALE PRICE MAY BE LOWERED. IF TWO (2) RECALL REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN PERFORMED 10 MONTHS AFTER A RECALL NOTICE HAS BEEN ISSUED, WHY BOTHER ISSUING THE RECALL NOTICE IN NOVEMBER 2017 IF IT IS FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN BUREAUCRATIC PAPER SHUFFLING FOR BMW TO CLAIM TO THE NHTSA THAT BMW IS GOING TO FIX A DEFECT WHILE ACTUALLY DOING NOTHING TO REMEDY THE DEFECT?
I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FROM BMW IN 11/17 FOR A BLOWER MOTOR WIRING. I CALLED MY BMW DEALER TODAY, AND THEY SAY THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THIS. WHY DOES IT TAKE OVER 6 MOS TO FIX A RECALL?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BMW OF RIVERSIDE (3060 ADAMS STREET, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA 92504, (951) 373-5000) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I HAD TO REPLACE THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION PCV VALVE HEATER AND HARNESS IN APRIL OF 2017 BECAUSE IT MELTED. THIS COST ME $3000 AT PATRICK BMW IN SCHAUMBURG, IL. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A RECAL # 17V-683 CONCERNING THIS. I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW ABOUT THE RECALL. HOWEVER, I'M LOOKING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR MY OUT OF POCKET CHARGES. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CLOSEST DEALER, I WAS TOLD I HAD TO WAIT TO RECEIVE THE REIMBURSEMENT. THEREFORE, I'D LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT. IN ADDITION, I SMELL A BURNT SMELL FROM TIME TO TIME. I KNOW THERE IS A BLOWER MOTOR RECALL AS WELL. I'VE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BLOWER MOTOR ON MY CAR SINCE THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING IT. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THE SMELL - I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A BURNING SMELL. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE THE SMELL IS NOT CONSTANT ONLY ON OCCASION. MY FEAR IS MY CAR WILL CATCH ON FIRE AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO ME OR MY PROPERTY. PLEASE TELL ME MY RIGHTS CONCERNING FILING A CLAIM ON BOTH RECALLS. ONE FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND THE OTHER FOR REPLACING THE BLOWER MOTOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 3281. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, SMOKE AND FLAMES EMERGED FROM THE HOOD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND KNEES; HOWEVER, MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT PROVIDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335XI. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT FISHTAILED INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000.
VEHICLE IN STRAIGHT, FORWARD MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEED (APPROX. 60MPH) AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED DRAMATICALLY. REACHING A SAFE RESTING AREA POSED SIGNIFICANT RISK DUE TO LACK OF WARNING OR DESCRIPTIVE VEHICLE FAULT. SMOKE AND/OR STEAM EMITTING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE APPEARS TO BE FAULTY ELECTRIC WATER PUMP AT 56,000 MILES/5 YEARS IN SERVICE. SECOND OCCURRENCE.
DRIVING OR STANDING THE ENGINE STALLS. ONE RECALL WAS DONE AND WITH NO RESULTS. *TR
ON THE HIGHWAY STUCK IN TRAFFIC GOING ABOUT 30-35 MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6-7 TIMES NOW. 2 OF THOSE TIMES I WAS TAKING A SLOW LEFT HAND TURN IT HAS DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC ALMOST HITTING ME. 2009 BMW 335D. *TR
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
I HAD A LOW BATTERY ISSUE ON MY 2009 BMW 328I ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER I HAD IT SERVICED FOR A BATTERY CABLE RECALL AT MOTORWERKS BMW DEALER IN BLOOMINGTON, MN. MOTORWERKS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TIRES PLUS REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY FOR HALF THE PRICE COMPARED TO MOTORWERKS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AFTERMARKET ALTERNATOR THAT TIRES PLUS INSTALLED CAUSED MY CAR TO OVER HEAT BECAUSE IT WAS OVER CHARGING. I EVENTUALLY TOOK MY CAR BACK TO MOTORWERKS TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. I EMAILED THE SERVICE CONSULTANT IF IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR TO MALFUNCTION SO QUICKLY ON A 2009 BMW 328I. I ALSO INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT MOTORWERKS FOR A BATTERY CABLE RECALL IN MARCH 2013 AND ASKED HIM IF IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR ISSUE WAS RELATED WITH FIXING THE BATTERY CABLE. HE STRANGELY HAS NOT ANSWERED MY QUESTION WHICH MAKES ME WONDER IF THEY ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ORIGINAL BAD ALTERNATOR IF IT WAS RELATED TO THE BATTERY CABLE RECALL SERVICE. I'M ALSO WONDERING IF OTHER 2009 3 SERIES BMW OWNERS HAD A LOW BATTERY ISSUE DUE TO A BAD ALTERNATOR AFTER HAVING THEIR CARS SERVICED FOR THE BATTERY CABLE RECALL IN MARCH 2013. IF THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR ISSUE IS FOUND TO BE RELATED WHILE SERVICING THE BATTERY CABLE RECALL THEN I WOULD LIKE TO GET A FULL REFUND FOR THEIR SERVICE ON MY NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. THANK FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE MY CAR ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335I COUPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AS THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION REDUCE POWER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR 15 MINUTES TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ALLOWED IT TO SIT BEFORE RESTARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
I PURCHASED A 2009 BMW 238I. I TOOK IT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE ON 30 SEPT 11. I DROPPED IT OFF, GOT A LOANER, AND WENT TO WORK. BEFORE I DROPPED IT OFF THAT MORNING THE CAR RAN GREAT, IT HAD NO TICKING, NO ENGINE LIGHTS NOR LOSS OF POWER. I HADN'T HEARD FROM BMW SO I CALLED THEM, THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TALKED TO BMW NA AND I NEED TO AGREE TO THEM REMOVING MY VALVE COVER, AT MY EXPENSE $700. I SAID THAT I ONLY WANTED AN OIL CHANGE. HE TOLD ME THEY TERMINATED MY WARRANTY. MY WARRANTY WAS FOR 4YR/50,000 MILES, IT HAD NOT EXPIRED. I WAS VERY UPSET AND MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CALL BMW NA AND THE SUPERVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT THE SERVICE CENTER SAID AND THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO TALK TO. DISAPPOINTED, I PICKED MY CAR UP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR MADE SOME LOUD TICKING NOISES AND THE CAR SEEMED TO BE EXPERIENCING SOME POWER LOSS, IN THE MIST OF HIGH TRAFFIC. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN IT STARTED AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT OVER TO GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY. AND AS I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF (NO POWER), I BARELY MADE IT OFF THE ROAD. IT JUST SHUT OFF! I HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW. THAT WEEKEND THE CAR CRANKED UP AND IT SEEMED TO BE NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT AROUND THE BLOCK TO SEE IF IT WAS OKAY. THE TICKING RETURNED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN AND I HAD TO COAST IT OFF THE ROAD ONTO CHURCH GROUNDS AND CALL A TOW TRUCK AGAIN. AND NOW IT WILL NOT CRANK AT ALL. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND I HAVE TO RENT A CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL RECALLS, FOR EXAMPLE: BMW HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL AND VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS AND SAFETY RECALLS AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAFETY AND HOW BMW TERMINATES A LOT OF PEOPLE'S WARRANTIES PRIOR TO THEIR EXPIRATION DATE. BMW SEEMS TO BE PUTTING ALL OF OUR LIVES AT RISK AND TERMINATING WARRANTIES AT WILL. *TR
ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF WHEN CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. THIS SITUATION HAPPENS WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY ON HOT DAYS WITH THE AC RUNNING. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES UNDER THE SAME SCENARIO. *TR
2009 BMW 335I HAS HAD ENGINE RUN AT HALF POWER NUMEROUS TIMES. ONLY ONCE WAS IT ABLE TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN TIME FOR THEM TO RETRIEVE ANY DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION AND ACT ON IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, HOWEVER IT HAS SUFFERED SIMILAR BEHAVIOR SINCE THIS POINT AND SUPPOSEDLY THEY ARE UNABLE TO RETRIEVE DATA, EVEN WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO OF THE EVENT OCCURRING AND STATE THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS RELYING ON THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A TURN AT A REASONABLE SPEED PRIOR TO TRAFFIC ARRIVING AND THE CAR SIMPLY GAVE OUT AND REDUCED ITSELF TO HALF POWER (PER THE ERROR ON THE SCREEN). QUITE NEARLY GOT ME IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FILING DATE ON THIS IS THE MOST RECENT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, OF THE INCIDENT OCCURRING. I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS SITE UNTIL NOW SO IT'S POSSIBLE THE DATE IS OFF BY AS MUCH AS 4-6 WEEKS. *TR
MY BMW TURNED OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STOPPED. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2009 BMW 3 Series has 45 Engine complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.