repaired · 2026 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
2009 BMW 328iProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 193 owner complaints about the 2009 BMW 328i, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-513 the manufacturer reports only 19% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 BMW 328i has problems
193 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
63Air bags5 crash/fire/injury
61Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
47Engine7 crash/fire/injury
21Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
20Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
14Seat belts
9Steering
8Seats
8Exterior lighting
3413 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 63 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 61 | 8 |
| Engine | 47 | 7 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 21 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 20 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 14 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 2 |
| Seats | 8 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 0 |
| 13 other systems | 34 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2009 BMW 328i 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 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.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Electrical system
Risk. A loss of electrical power can cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q3
Emission control: crankcase (pcv)
Risk. An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2019 Q3
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.
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.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
75kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 26 air bags complaints. 77% were reported before 100,000 miles.
4under 30k miles20under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other 328i 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 328i median. How we score
'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What 328i owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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"
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…
One recall was for air bag deployed I had the light for it on but it was on when I got it the original owner said it popped on him well he was parked and he never fixed it or did anything... The other was a part of the computer pretty much in charge of cooling the car down it can make fire from…
Own a 2009 328i?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.