2009 BMW 5 Series problems and complaints
Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 BMW 5 Series. The most-reported areas: Engine (35), Fuel/Propulsion System (30), Fuel System (20).
Key takeaways
- 110 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 1 reported injury.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 35 | 32% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 30 | 27% |
| Fuel System | 20 | 18% |
| Gasoline | 19 | 17% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 12 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 11 | 10% |
| Power Train | 7 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 4% |
| Tires | 4 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 BMW 5 Series 4-DR w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
| 2009 BMW 5 Series Wagon w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Power Train - filed 2025-07-11
I believe using the manual shift mode for normal usage of optimal shifting in certain driving situations and gentle downshifting caused a malfunction in the functionality of the transmission that led to a complete transmission failure. I don’t believe it’s a mechanical issue or result of misuse. There were no warning s...
Service Brakes - filed 2025-05-12
Vehicle fail breaks malfunction. No response to the brakes. Push many times no break response vehicle hit vehicle in front of it could not be avoided That rotors are less than one year old there about six or 7000 miles on them. They are basically new new tires car will maintain no lights on dash no warning no airbag d...
Tires - filed 2024-05-13
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 535I equipped with Mastercraft Tires, Tire Line: Stratus, Tire Size: 225/50/R17. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the passenger's side rear tire was bubbling, and the vehicle was unstable. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the road and the contact observed that the...
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More for the 2009 BMW 5 Series
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.