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BMW 5 SeriesModel year report

2009 BMW 5 Series Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
59,500miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 BMW 5 Series (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2009 BMW 5 Series. The part named most often is fuel system, with 4 complaints (50% of the total), followed by electrical system (2) and engine (2). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 59,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 76 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 10 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the cables and 16 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “On september 10, 2016 I purchased this car and I have been experiencing stalling and jerking violently and I was told it was bad gas from dealership I purchased it from. I went to Bmw in october 2015 I was told it was fuel injectors I was told no recall on the car at that time. In march 2016 the car stopped on me and my visually impaired grandson without warning on the freeway. I took the car to conrad and was told it was the fuel pump so I took the car to different Bmw service center now I am told it the fuel pump but not the one under warranty. …”

NHTSA complaint #10840376, filed 2016-03, 86,680 miles

Electrical system: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #10533930, filed 2013-08, 53,000 miles

Engine: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #10586316, filed 2014-05, 83,000 miles

Air bags: “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 complaint #10917599, filed 2016-10

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 53,000 and 74,238 miles.

0%0–1014%10–2514%25–5043%50–7529%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 59,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20112013201420163
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 5 Series. 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
5 Series · sedan AWDnot rated3 / 5——4 · 10.5% risk
5 Series · sedan RWDnot rated3 / 5——4 · 10.5% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2009 model year: forward collision warning not available, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.

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.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 BMW 5 Series → · 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. 76 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 76 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW 5 Series

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20121040,0000———Not enough data
2011812,0004——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
2010653,0005———Not enough data
2009859,5003———Not enough data
200810526,7503——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
20071384,0893———Not enough data
20068565,0007——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20052170,5004———Stable
20046478,6256——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20031590,0000———Stable
2002785,0000———Not enough data

All BMW 5 Series model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 BMW 5 Series have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2009 BMW 5 Series as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 BMW 5 Series is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 4 complaints (50% of the total), followed by electrical system with 2.

Has the 2009 BMW 5 Series been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 BMW 5 Series reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 59,500 miles and the middle half falls between 53,000 and 74,238 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

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.