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BMW 335IModel year report

2009 BMW 335I Problems

Compared with other BMW 335I years

More complaints than typical for this model

83/100 2.1× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2010, 2011

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
85filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
50,000miles, 59 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 BMW 335I (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 335i most often describe sudden reduced-power episodes and long cranking traced to the high-pressure fuel pump, usually at very low mileage. A second large group reports airbag and passenger-seat occupancy/restraint warnings appearing at higher mileage, and some describe blower-motor wiring and headlight or taillight electrical problems.

  1. Fuel system

    High-pressure fuel pump failure and reduced power

    • 30 complaints (35%)
    • median 12,500 mi at 1.8 yrs old (30 state mileage)
    • filed 2010–2022

    Complaints describe long cranking at start-up, rough idle and stuttering, then a 'reduced power' or engine malfunction message with the car dropping to limp mode, sometimes stalling. Owners say the dealer often replaced the high-pressure fuel pump, sometimes after a software update that did not resolve the symptom, and that the problem returned in some cases. Several repairs happened within the first year or two of ownership. Mostly reported between roughly 2,000 and 30,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the high-pressure fuel pump and injectors were replaced, and which software version is installed. On a test drive, listen for long cranking and watch for a reduced-power message under acceleration.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving home from the dry cleaners. As I was trying to merge into the freeway, the car check engine light came on with about a 70% reduction in power. I couldnt merge onto the freeway safely, and had to pull tot he shoulder. The car is currently at Bmw dealer for repairs. It has been suggested that it is due to the fuel pump.”

    NHTSA complaint #10474082, filed 2012-09, 49,300 miles

    “The fuel pump on my 2009 Bmw 335I has failed and I believe it's starting to fail again but everytime I take it in they say it's fine and they cant do anything until it actually fails. Problem with that is if it fails on the highway doing 70mph then I'm going to be in a world of hurt. The pump has already failed once.”

    NHTSA complaint #10345597, filed 2010-07, 24,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Passenger airbag and seat occupancy warning lights

    • 29 complaints (34%)
    • median 96,000 mi at 10.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • filed 2014–2026

    Owners describe a restraint-system warning appearing, sometimes with an alarm about an unbelted passenger, and the passenger airbag indicator no longer showing active status. Complaints say dealers diagnosed the seat mat or occupancy sensor, and some owners mention that a repair or replacement airbag did not stop the warning from returning. Others report concerns about the Takata inflator recall process and parts availability. Covers a wide mileage range, with many reports above 100,000 miles and some at lower mileage.

    Recall 24V513000Recall 20V0170005 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that any open airbag recalls were completed by VIN, and confirm the passenger airbag indicator behaves correctly with a passenger seated and belted. A pre-purchase scan for stored restraint codes is worth doing.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I received a recall notice from Bmw (recall campaign no. 16v-071) a year ago. The recall notice informs me that the airbag can rupture in an accident and send metal fragments to the driver (myself) and other passengers. This is a concerning safety issue that still has not been addresses and resolved by Bmw. The recall notice advises me that there are no parts available to resolve this recall and that Bmw will advise me when there are. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10958654, filed 2017-03, 50,000 miles

    “Randomly while driving and sometimes when stationary my car's electrical system started going haywire including my gauges and the passenger airbag as well some other safety features with tthe seatbelt were disabled with & without a passenger in the car. I keep getting a warning screen that tread as follows: restraint system malfunction. Fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter. Continue to wear the safety belt. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11375586, filed 2020-11, 160,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Blower motor and wiring fires, headlight/tail light faults

    • 11 complaints (13%)
    • median 98,000 mi at 10.1 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2023

    Some complaints describe smoke from the vents and, in a few cases, fire spreading from the blower-motor wiring or from battery cables near the distribution box; owners link these to recall campaigns and note some vehicles were told their VIN was not covered. Others report headlight and tail light wiring with cracked insulation or bare copper, intermittent tail lamps, and short circuits requiring harness repair. Reported from about 50,000 to over 130,000 miles, with several vehicles well past 100,000.

    Recall 17V676000Recall 13V0440003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether recalls 17V676 and 13V044 were performed and inspect the headlight and taillight harnesses for cracked insulation or scorched connectors.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The wires on the inside of my headlights are cracked, and have a lot of bare copper showing. I noticed this when I went to change bulbs out. This is sealed from outside elements. Not sure if this is what caused the bulbs to go out. It did however create a short that needed to be cleared after I taped up the wires the best I could.”

    NHTSA complaint #11084750, filed 2018-04, 100,000 miles

    “Both my rear tail lights are malfunctioning and Bmw is well aware that the contacts or worn out and need replacing. There is even a service bulletin about it yet my service advisor claimed I had to replace both taillight assemblies at $200 apiece. My bumper-to-bumper warranty through Bmw does not cover taillights this is a big safety issue as my tail light intermittently work”

    NHTSA complaint #10743437, filed 2015-07, 6,500 miles
  4. Engine

    Limp mode, misfires and rough running from engine management

    • 6 complaints (7%)
    • median 69,700 mi at 5.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2011–2021

    Owners describe the engine going to half power, warning lamps coming on, misfiring that persists after a tune-up, rattling under the hood and poor fuel economy. Complaints mention the dealer could not retrieve stored faults after the event, and some describe injector or VANOS-related diagnoses. Reported mostly between roughly 25,000 and 95,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for a scan of stored and pending DME codes and service history for injector or VANOS work, and confirm the engine pulls smoothly through the gears without a power-reduction message.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My vehicles fuel consumption has worsened. Headlights flickers. Vehicle goes into limp mode often. Vehicle feels like it's choking or running on less cylinders. I have to constantly change my clock. Misfiring still occurring even after tune up. Loss of power. Waste gate rattle.”

    NHTSA complaint #10838120, filed 2016-02, 81,400 miles

    “I was driving on the interstate when my car started to lose acceleration. I could not accelerate up an incline. Then I heard a rattling. The next exit was a rest stop and as I was exiting my vehicle failed and shut down. I had no power at all. I coasted to a parking stall and turned the vehicle off after parking it safely. When I opened the hood the vehicle was not hot or smoking so I tried to start it. The car started but with a very loud knocking and rattling so I shut it off again and phoned the dealership. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11361169, filed 2020-09, 128,000 miles

Buying note. Ask for the full service history, especially fuel-pump and injector replacements and any software updates, and verify by VIN that all open recalls were completed. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a check of the lights, restraint indicators and wiring is worthwhile on a car of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 85 consumer complaints for the 2009 BMW 335I. 59 of the complaints include a mileage, and 49% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 128 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 BMW 335I model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 83 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (2), Brakes (1), Equipment (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “It's an ongoing issue which Bmw has failed to fix. I believe I have issues with my high pressure fuel pump. I have had the low pressure sensor replaced, and a software upgrade. Last night, the car had a rough idle, and the warning engine malfunction, reduced power was displayed. I drove home slowly. The car roughed idled. In addition, I called Bmw assist to file the complaint. There was a voluntary recall, but I have not received any type of notification for my vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #10378465, filed 2011-01, 22,000 miles

Air bags: “When a passenger is belted - with car running/driving - an alarm comes on - basically not recognizing when belted. Also the inactive airbag light is not on. When no passenger, the car used to light up the 'airbag not active' - it no longer shows that (light is always off) whether passenger there or not.”

NHTSA complaint #11310581, filed 2020-02, 103,000 miles

Electrical system: “I bought a 2009 Bmw 335I off of a friend of mine knowing that the car did indeed have few issues back in december of 2019. When I had received the car the back left strut was out. I replaced all of them including the brakes as well as preformed a simple service. I took the car in for a diagnosis for the car not wanting to start properly to Bmw for a proper check up. I legit get two starts before having to let it sit for a while before I can start it again. This has been an ongoing issue after what I thought could possibly be a starter issue. …”

NHTSA complaint #11351930, filed 2020-08, 100,000 miles

Engine: “It is a very dangerous problem with this vehicle that bmwna is well aware of, but insists that it is normal behavior for my car/transmission. I brought the car into the dealer, and they were able to reproduce it, but they were told by Bmw that this was normal behavior. The problem occurs when you slow down- like for a turn, but do not come to a complete stop. The dct transmission seems to have trouble figuring out what gear to select because when you step on the gas to accelerate, there is a very significant delay in the onset of power- up to 2-3 seconds. …”

NHTSA complaint #10474481, filed 2012-09, 20,400 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

49% of the 59 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 10,825 and 100,000 miles.

22%0–1019%10–258%25–5014%50–7512%75–10024%100–1502%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (59 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 50,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

19’11’13’15’17’19’21’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 BMW 335I. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
3 Series · sedan (side air bags) RWD/AWDnot rated4 / 4——4 · 10.3% risk
3 Series · wagon w/sab RWD/AWDnot rated4 / 4——4 · 10.3% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 BMW 335I version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
335i RWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual172620$4,100
335i RWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172620$4,100
335i xDrive 4WD/AWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172520$4,100
335i xDrive 4WD/AWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual162519$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 BMW 335I → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 128 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 128 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW 335I

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20151046,5003525—Not enough data
20142040,4005525—Stable
20134356,00025229 · FewerFalling
20122256,5003523—Rising
20119851,0007—2248 · TypicalStable
20104134,0004—2050 · TypicalRising
20098550,0004—2083 · MoreFalling
200820142,7724—20100 · MoreFalling
200728848,0005—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All BMW 335I model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 BMW 335I?

Owners of the 2009 335i most often describe sudden reduced-power episodes and long cranking traced to the high-pressure fuel pump, usually at very low mileage. The issues reported most often: High-pressure fuel pump failure and reduced power; Passenger airbag and seat occupancy warning lights; Blower motor and wiring fires, headlight/tail light faults.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 BMW 335I have?

NHTSA recorded 85 consumer complaints for the 2009 BMW 335I as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 BMW 335I is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 33 complaints (39% of the total), followed by air bags with 29.

Has the 2009 BMW 335I been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 BMW 335I get?

The EPA rates the 2009 BMW 335I (335i, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 BMW 335I reported?

Among the 59 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,000 miles and the middle half falls between 10,825 and 100,000 miles; 49% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.