10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
84,627 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 BMW 535 fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2009 BMW 535 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #26

Jul 042021

535

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car stop running completly when I was wainting at the stop light An anounsmemt came out in my dash saying that I have to repleaced the fuel pump I know that there was a recall abuot this problem but I never got any notice or letter from bmw

- South Elgin, IL, USA

problem #25

Feb 132019

535

  • 121,300 miles
Vehicle was operating on public highway at 40 mph in forward gear. Electronic fuel pump stopped causing immediate engine power failure and loss of forward movement control. It was snowing and there was no shoulder. No safe lane or other area to coast immediately inoperable vehicle into. Heavy traffic repeatedly nearly collided. No way to secure immediate safe removal of inoperable vehicle off roadway. Emergency flashers quit after 30 minutes. Wrecker too 2.5 hours to arrive, while drive was forced to choose between unsheltered freezing snow and ice, and remaining in vulnerable vehicle for tow truck to arrive. Vehicle displayed "fuel pump failure" on diagnostic lcd screen in vehicle. Three hours later, vehicle started up and ran without incident, after sitting. Problem has occurred three times over the past fife years, and occurs without warning while engine is running.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #24

Jul 242018

535

  • 129,500 miles
At least once or twice a week my vehicle all of a sudden lose power the engine malfunction light come dash. Then on the idrive system it always say "fuel pump" problem. This problem occurs unexpected and has put me in dangerous situation on the highway. I pull over to the shoulder and put the flashers on. After about ten minutes the flashers go off and the car is able to drive again. Lastly, the problem always happen unexpected regardless on city street or highway. I can be traveling at 25 to 75mph and it just randomly happens. Many occasions I do not feel comfortable traveling in the far left lane. Due to moving to the left shoulder and cars traveling at a higher rate of speed.

- Chester, VA, USA

problem #23

Jun 132018

535

  • 128,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Fuel pump failures, car shut down while driving on the highway (numerous times) lost power steering while going over 60 mph. Cost over $10,000 to make repairs on the vehicle because BMW said it is no longer under warranty.

- Monterey, CA, USA

problem #22

May 262018

535

  • 115,000 miles
The car shuts off unexpectedly when it's being used because of the fuel pump. I think it's unfair that the 2008 models got recalls up to 10 yrs and 120,000 miles. I feel like the 2009 BMW xi was missing from this recall. The same high pressure fuel pump was the problem for the recall. I'm both close to reaching my 120,000 miles or the 10 yr mark so it would be amazing to see something being done about this soon.

- Salem, MA, USA

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problem #21

May 022018

535

  • 127,000 miles
Fuel pump error while driving and the car shuts down, we lose power steering and have done so on the highway, and city numerous times.

- Goldsboro, NC, USA

problem #20

Apr 052018

535

  • 130,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Stopped in traffic at a red light after approximately 15 minutes of driving. The light turned green and upon acceleration, the engine stopped in the middle of the intersection.the "fuel pump" warning came up on my screen. The vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the repair shop where it did not exhibit any problems, according to the mechanic the vehicle ran fine. Nonetheless, the fuel pump was replaced. Drove the car for two days before it broke down again. Same scenario, stopped at a stop sign, proceeded to accelerate and the engine stopped. Vehicle had to be towed to the repair shop for the second time in three days. Awaiting to see if a new hpfp will resolve the issue.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #19

Oct 272017

535

  • 89,992 miles
My 2009 BMW 535I xdrive has been owned by me for 6 years. It has less than 90,000 miles on it. Since I became owner, it had 2 fuel pump failures, one water pump failure, and now fuel injector failure. When its fuel injectors failed on 10/27/17, the car's engine started shaking right after I turned it on. The car was parked overnight and I proceeded on the side street at 10 miles an hour speed towards work in the morning. Car then lost power and would not accelerate. Very dark, dense, black smoke was coming out of the tail pipe. After towing it to the dealer because it was unsafe to drive, I have been told by BMW dealer that the fuel injectors are malfunctioning and rather than spraying the fuel inside the engine, they were dumping it in large amounts instead. This created a state of too much unburned fuel inside the engine and it caused the black smoke. Cost of repair estimate was $3075. I was told that the catalytic converter may have been affected as well due to this dysfunction and as a result I might need replacement as well adding another $1500 to the cost. I have learned of similar reports of fuel injectors problems in this particular model, placing the cars, the drivers, and the passengers at risk. Seeing the dark, dense, black smoke coming out of the tail pipe seemed very unsafe and extremely hazardous and should trigger recall of such deficient fuel injectors. I believe the fuel injector malfunction caused an abnormal fire inside the engine which caused such dark smoke to occur.

- Westlake, OH, USA

problem #18

Aug 272017

535

  • 98,000 miles
Gas tank will only fill half way before the gas blows back up through the filler pipe onto the ground and my pants - safety issue

- Edgewater, MD, USA

problem #17

Aug 272017

535

  • 98,000 miles
Fuel pump cut out unexpectedly while driving at posted speed limit of 60 mph. Almost run over by tractor trailer while pulling car to side of the road. Car was later re-started.

- Edgewater, MD, USA

problem #16

Aug 082017

535

  • 113,502 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I am requesting NHTSA investigate this known dangerous defect and issue a mandated recall to protect the public. Fuel pump failure or related failures can cause a car to be unable to move out of a dangerous highway after engine power failure at idle, causing risk to human life. On 08-08-17, I was on interstate in stopped traffic. My 2009 BMW 535xi with 115, 502 miles on it quit running. Traffic cleared and I could not get the vehicle to start, run, and move. It would start, but it would then quit running before I could place it in gear. Interstate traffic was approaching at 60 to 70 mph. My three passengers got out and pushed the vehicle while I steered it in neutral, not running, off the roadway. We had a near miss collision from approaching vehicles on the interstate. The dash display said "high pressure fuel pump failure." After sitting 5 minutes, the car started and appeared to run normally. I E-mailed BMW and they said they had extended their warranty on high pressure fuel pump to 10 years or 120,000 miles, and said take it to BMW service center. On 08-10-17 BMW dealer diagnosed it and said it was the "low pressure fuel pump located inside the fuel tank had failed." They offered to replace it at a cost of $2,079.90, stating "BMW does not offer recalls." Four people were almost killed. BMW has "extended the warranty to 120,000 miles on high pressure fuel pump" but not on the "low pressure fuel pump." I asked service tech if he was sure it was "low pressure fuel pump failure" if vehicle could run intermittently. He offered no satisfactory explanation, comparing it to a "light bulb than can work some times and not work some times." I am requesting NHTSA investigate this known dangerous defect and issue a mandated recall to protect the public.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #15

Apr 102017

535

  • 102,000 miles
I was driving on the highways, amidst other vehicles when the engine completely lost power and stopped running. I was very lucky that I did not create an accident. The vehicle just shut itself off while going 60!! I lost power steering but managed to pull off to the side of the road. The vehicle would then not start and on the idrive it gave me a fuel pump warning. About an hour later after calling for assistance, I started the vehicle and it was as if nothing had occured. The warning dissappearing and it drove normally. It has since then done this same thing 4 other times. I have read many other complaints similar to mine and want to know if this vehicle is recalled and if not then why is it not recalled?

- Winthrop, WA, USA

problem #14

Mar 242017

535

  • 115,600 miles
Takata recall. The vehicle just shuts right off without any warning sign or check engine light. The vehicle loses power on the highway without any warning sign and it's absolutely dangerous and it can causes a serious accident. BMW has issued a recall on later models but not this model. Once the vehicle turns completely off a message on the vehicles idrive displays "fuel pump failure." After the vehicle cools down for 20-30 minutes it starts back up and it happens again without notice maybe days later or weeks later. It's a dangerous issue and there's no way to detect it so warranty companies are giving a hard time to cover the costs and it's listed as covered under extended warranty. Very dangerous issue and it's something BMW should look into with the older model as well. Currently there's a recall on the 2010-2011 models for doing the same exact thing with the high pressure fuel pump.

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #13

Feb 282017

535

  • 100,000 miles
My 2009 BMW 535I X drive continues to have stalling issues. I'm tired of taking it in to BMW to have them charge me and say nothing is wrong just to have my car constantly shutting down over and over. My car has pretty much been rebuilt because of this issue and it continues to happen. I do not feel that I should have to keep paying for a problem that is not resolved. My high pressure fuel pump, fuel pump, battery, high and low pressure senors have been replaced. I've had my oil changed and fuel line flushed and the problem is still occurring. I truly enjoy the vehicle when its working but I'm just at the point of trading it in for another vehicle other then BMW.

- North Babylon, NY, USA

problem #12

Oct 132016

535

  • 93,000 miles
Fuel pump!, near the gas tank. I can't go very far in my car without it cutting off. I have had it diagnosed by BMW. I have been towed off the highway ( grand central exit 19) while being stuck in an unsafe condition on 10/13/16. I hear 3 consecutive beeps then within 5 minutes or less the car shuts down and the system shows fuel pump!. I have had the high pressure fuel pump replace by BMW, however that does not seem to be the problem. I am not enjoying my car. The recall announced on 10/28/2016, should also include the 2009 BMW 5 series. I love the BMW cars, however it has become the ultimate driving nightmare. Please include the 2009 series in the recall.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #11

Sep 012016

535

  • miles
"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.

- Mechanicsburg, PA, USA

problem #10

Mar 112016

535

  • 42,000 miles
The car engine *completely* shutdown while being driven, *without* any warning; had just exited major interstate highway (I-95), and was still on exit ramp when this happened. The car was still in motion, the driver, luckily, was able to bring the car to the side of the ramp without any other damage. Diagnosis by nearest BMW dealer service indicated a simultaneous short circuit in the ekps (controller?) module, a fault in the main (low pressure) fuel pump and another short circuit in fuel pressure sensor. All this happened, simultaneously, without warning, in a very well maintained, dealer-serviced, low mileage (42000 miles) BMW 535I (yr 2009) vehicle. The fact that the engine *completely* shutdown, on an exit ramp of a major highway, and could not be restarted created a very hazardous condition for the driver of the vehicle and for other drivers on the road was well. Had this happened on the highway itself, and not on the exit ramp, there could have been a serious accident. Car engines of this sort ought to have *significant amount of redundancy* built into them so they don't shut down while in motion due to a "sensor" short circuit. The amount of electronics being used in modern cars has increased exponentially, but I feel that the manufacturer may not have built enough safeguards / redundancies in their systems to prevent this from happening. This was a major malfunction in a moving vehicle (and this could have easily happened at high speeds as well; luckily it occurred at a slower speed on an exit ramp). Such incidents need to be investigated thoroughly.

- Chadds Ford, PA, USA

problem #9

Mar 012016

535

  • 86,680 miles
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. Both service centers refuse to replace fuel pump that is under extended warranty which is the prime problem. I told them the fuel pump is under extended warranty. They name other stuff instead of replacing the problem the car is a safety hazard. BMW is not sticking to keeping their cars safe. I believe is acting in a discriminatory way and want more money out of greed. Please see attached documents

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #8

Mar 072016

535

  • 8,100 miles
Takata recall, I bought the car back in late August, at a dealership called deluxe auto located in linden, New Jersey. The dealership offered me a warranty, 30 days free and 90 days to decide to get the warranty or not. The initial offer was about 60$ monthly, at 79K miles. After having the car for a month driving on the highway late at night the car starting shaking and turned off on the highway. Fuel pump errors. Car was towed off the highway. After a few hrs car started and ran normally. Went to the dealership, got warranty. The offer now was at 120$ a month. They did the job, car ran normally. Happened again in brooklyn, sent car back to dealer they said nothing came up on the computer, nothing they can do. After a few months same thing happened. This time in Connecticut, sent it to the nearest mechanic shop, bill came to 850, not including towing 138$. now back to my dealership, when I went to them to pay for the warranty, my father used his credit card, since then I figured it would charge it monthly automatically. That is not the case, as I found out the dealership said nothing they can do. Other problem, car started leaking oil, on oil housing unit, engine oil valve. Got them both fixed at about 500$ at a local mechanic shop. Now a week later, at 1am of March 7th of 2016 I'm starting the car, it turns on and gives an error "engine reduced power" and "engine pressure too low, shut off engine immediately ". I'm about to be 22, gonna start college soon, I have been making payments to a 20K car, on top of all the maintance problems that this dealership sold me and tricked me into. I dont know if me writing all this would help me in any way but this sucks, on top of me being trapped on a highway until a tow truck comes, in nyc, 2 times where cars fly by you I want that when dealership sell cars to be sure that the customers are safe driving them.I hope it helps.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #7

Mar 012016

535

  • 84,000 miles
Car stopped while on freeway moving at 50 miles per hour with my visually impaired grandchild very scary. Warning light came on fuel pump malfunction and car just stopped. Took it to conrad they say it is the high pressure fuel pump and I need to take it to BMW under recall BMW says it is the low pressure fuel pump but they are not sure it will fix the problem. BMW need to fix this problem I thank god we were not hit yesterday on the freeway.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

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