RoadVitals

2009 BMW 5 Series Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Latest Oct 20, 2016
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 BMW 5 Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Fuel system436.4%
  • Electrical218.2%
  • Engine218.2%
  • Airbags19.1%
  • Brakes19.1%
  • Exterior lighting19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

"TAKATA RECALL" BMW SENT ME A NOTICE OF RECALL: DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE IN MARCH 2016, HOWEVER, UNTIL NOW 10/20/2016, THE LOCAL DEALER NEVER CALL ME TO REPLACE THE FRONT AIR BAG. ANOTHER PROBLEM: I SMELL GAS COMING OUT FROM THE FUEL TANK WHEN PARKING IN THE GARAGE, HOWEVER, I CAN NOT FIND ANY LEAK FROM THE GAS TANK. I FEEL MY BMW X5 V8 2009 MAY BE CAUGHT IN FIRE IF I DROVE LONG DISTANCE AND THE CAR HEATED UP.

NHTSA ID 10917599 · filed Oct 20, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 5 SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S POWER SEIZED AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/05/2017*CT UPDATED 01/23/17.*JB

NHTSA ID 10913718 · filed Oct 4, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE GROUNDING WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR TO THE TAIL LIGHT BULB HOLDER MELTED AND MELTED PARTS OF THE CONNECTOR. THIS RESULTED IN NO SIGNAL, BRAKE AND RUNNING REAR LIGHTS. A RECALL HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BMW E46 3 SERIES FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM (SEE BELOW). THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE 5 SERIES AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID 10533930 · filed Aug 6, 2013

CURRENTLY HAVE A 2009 BMW 550I. VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ONGOING AND UNIDENTIFIABLE ELECTRICAL ISSUE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OFTEN AND WITHOUT INITIAL NOTICE "LOOSE POWER" AND GO INTO A "SAFETY MODE" OPERATING AT A REDUCED POWER BY NOT GOING ABOVE 30MPH AND/OR 3000RPM'S. VEHICLE WITH OFTEN START "BOGGING" AND "SHUTTERING(SHAKING)" AND WILL OFTEN ATTEMPT TO "SURGE" FORWARD WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC OFTEN TRYING TO CAUSE A REAR END ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE INFRONT. THE DRIVER OF THE BMW OFTEN HAS TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE SURGES FROM ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO SHOT FORWARD AT STOPS. ISSUES STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2011, TOOK IT TO FAIRFAX BMW WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE VEHICLE HAD SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY. NO FIX WAS PROVIDED IN THE SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. ISSUES PERSISTED THROUGH JANUARY AND TOOK IT TO BMW OF ALEXANDRIA WHERE THEY REPLACED A TRANSMISSION SOLENOID AND A INTAKE SENSOR, IN THE SHOP FOR ROUGHLY 7 DAYS. ELECTRICAL ISSUE REAPPEARED IN MARCH IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 7 DAYS AND HAD THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED. VEHICLE ISSUE RESURFACED SEVERAL WEEKS LATER AND A ENGINEER FROM NJ CAME DOWN AND DETERMINED A FAULTY OIL SENSOR WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OFTEN ?THINK? IT WAS OUT OF OIL VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 7 DAYS. VEHICLE POTENTIALLY WAS FLOODED WITH OIL FROM SERVICE TECH'S ADDING MORE OIL EACH TIME THE VEHICLE "THOUGHT" IT WAS OUT OF OIL. VEHICLE AS OF 5-21-2011 SUFFERED AGAIN FROM THE SAME ISSUE AND WAS DROPPED BACK OFF AT BMW OF ALEXANDRIA WITH VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT IDENTIFYING ?ENGINE MALFUNCTION?. SENT SEVERAL EMAILS TO BMW CORPORATE WITH LITTLE RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ID 10402394 · filed May 23, 2011

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE STALL IS RELATED TO THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR NOT PROPERLY WORKING AND THE FUEL SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE A 2009 BMW 528I. IN APRIL 2014 BMW DID A RECALL RELATED TO THE CAMSHAFT FOR 2010 - 2014 528 BMW'S. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THE NATIONAL BMW DEALER TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2009 AND TO SEE IF THEY WERE GOING TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE THE 2009 MODELS. THEY TOLD ME NO AT THIS TIME THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING EXPANDING THE RECALL. I ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT I HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THAT COULD BE RELATED TO THE CAMSHAFT. THE CAR'S FUEL SYSTEM WAS LEAKING.THE GAS WAS NOT PROPERLY GOING TO THE ENGINE AND IT WAS FLOWING BACK INTO THE CAR AND THE EXHAUST. YOU COULD SMELL GAS IN THE CAR AND SEE PUDDLES OF GAS WHEN THEY LIFTED THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I WAS DRIVING A BOMB. I PAID $450 TO HAVE THAT REPAIRED. BMW NEEDS TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE THE 2009 CARS. *TR

NHTSA ID 10586316 · filed May 3, 2014

DRIVING ON A POSTED SPEED LIMIT ROAD OF 30MPH WHEN WE SEE THIS MESSAGE ON OUR SCREEN "ENGINE MALFUNCTION POWER REDUCED". *JS

NHTSA ID 10585353 · filed Apr 28, 2014

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

"TAKATA RECALL" BMW SENT ME A NOTICE OF RECALL: DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE IN MARCH 2016, HOWEVER, UNTIL NOW 10/20/2016, THE LOCAL DEALER NEVER CALL ME TO REPLACE THE FRONT AIR BAG. ANOTHER PROBLEM: I SMELL GAS COMING OUT FROM THE FUEL TANK WHEN PARKING IN THE GARAGE, HOWEVER, I CAN NOT FIND ANY LEAK FROM THE GAS TANK. I FEEL MY BMW X5 V8 2009 MAY BE CAUGHT IN FIRE IF I DROVE LONG DISTANCE AND THE CAR HEATED UP.

NHTSA ID 10917599 · filed Oct 20, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 528. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND IT MOVED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER SENT A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE; THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,200.

NHTSA ID 10374916 · filed Jan 6, 2011

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE GROUNDING WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR TO THE TAIL LIGHT BULB HOLDER MELTED AND MELTED PARTS OF THE CONNECTOR. THIS RESULTED IN NO SIGNAL, BRAKE AND RUNNING REAR LIGHTS. A RECALL HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BMW E46 3 SERIES FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM (SEE BELOW). THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE 5 SERIES AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID 10533930 · filed Aug 6, 2013

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .