repaired · 2021 Q2
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2009 BMW 135iProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 29 owner complaints about the 2009 BMW 135i, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-071 the manufacturer reports only 47% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 18, 2022. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 BMW 135i has problems
29 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
13Fuel system, gasoline
4Electrical system
3Air bags
3Engine and engine cooling
3Exterior lighting
2Fuel/propulsion system
2Engine
1Fuel system, other
1Service brakes
11 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system, gasoline | 13 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system, other | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 |
| 1 other systems | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2009 BMW 135i recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
repaired · 2018 Q1
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. If there is a loss of electrical power to the vehicle, the vehicle may unexpectedly stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other 135i year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 135i median. How we score
'08'09'10'11'12'13
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 BMW 135i, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What 135i owners report
Recent fuel system, gasoline complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I OWN A 2009 BMW 135I WITH THE N54 TWIN TURBO ENGINE. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND SUDDENLY DECELERATED. A WARNING LAMP ON THE DASH CAME ON INDICATING THE CAR WAS ONLY OPERATING AT HALF ENGINE POWER. THE CAR WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGHLY AND…
2009 BMW 135I HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN A BAD PROBLEM WITH 3 MODEL YEARS (2008, 2009, AND 2010) OF BMW 135I CARS. LUCKILY MY CAR WAS FIXED DUE TO LONG START CRANKS BEFORE THE COMMON SYMPTOM OF ENGINE DYING DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR
MY 2009 BMW 135I BEGAN EXPERIENCING "LONG CRANKS" WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE COLD. WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THE CAR BEGAN EXPERIENCING INTENSE VIBRATION WHEN ACCELERATING. FOLLOWING THE VIBRATION, THE CAR EXPERIENCED LACK OF POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THIS COULD RESULT…
Own a 2009 135i?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.