10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,046 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 328 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2009 BMW 328 Owner Comments (Page 3 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #31

Nov 012017

328

  • 60,000 miles

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

2 recalls needed: 17V-676: Blower motor wiring and 17V-683: PCV valve heater. Got a letter from BMW saying these recalls are not ready but my car has a really bad burning smell from the air vents and need it fixed as soon as possible.

- Monterey Park, CA, USA

problem #30

Nov 062017

328

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact smelled an abnormal burning odor in the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the vehicle was leaking oil under the engine valve cover. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V676000 (engine and engine cooling) and 17V683000 (electrical system); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Plaza BMW (11858 olive blvd, creve coeur, mo) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The technician stated that the failure was not related to the recalls. The manufacturer was unable to confirm when the parts were to become available. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Cape Girardeau, MO, USA

problem #29

Sep 012017

328

  • miles
Burning odor when heating and/or air conditioning activated.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #28

Dec 082017

328

  • miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 17V676000 (electrical system) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the recall notification in October of 2017. The contact called center BMW dealer (5201 van nuys blvd, sherman oaks, ca 91401, 910-907-99595) and was informed that the parts were unavailable for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the parts were unavailable. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was invalid.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #27

Nov 132017

328

  • miles
The car has had a strong smell of melting plastic coming from the air flow in the vehicle. It has happened over the course of 3 weeks and not sure what the melting plastic is coming from. It happens when the car is in motion and especially worse when the heater is on.

- Riverbank, CA, USA

problem #26

Dec 012017

328

  • 149,000 miles
My car is experiencing plastic burning odor and smoke from the cooling vents, BMW has opened a recall but they don't have the parts to complete the repairs.

- Pompton Lakes, NJ, USA

problem #25

Oct 252017

328

  • miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V676000 (electrical system) and 17V683000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer (BMW of arlington, 1105 E lamar blvd, arlington, tx 76011) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was contacted at 800-424-9153, but the contact was hung up on each time, which prevented the contact from speaking with a representative. A case number was not provided. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #24

Oct 272017

328

  • miles
NHTSA #17V-683 NHTSA #17V-676 no remedy available.

- Hercules, CA, USA

problem #23

Apr 222017

328

  • 128,098 miles
While driving on the interstate, I accelerate and without warning, dashboard lights up with "service engine soon" and various other lights, power steering goes out, and I have to maneuver car across lanes of oncoming traffic to a safe shoulder. I turn on hazards, remove key and wait several minutes. The car turns over but doesn't start. I wait longer, turn off hazards, re-insert key and car starts up. I am able to continue driving, but avoid hard throttle. This happened 2 months ago, and I took it to a licensed mechanic who diagnosed as faulty fuel pump and replaced it. The car then had vacuum leak followed by a complete replacement of valve cover. The issue I experienced on the interstate was identical to what occurred before those repairs were done and bears a striking resemblance to issues described in the 2013 battery cable recall, yet my VIN # is not included.

- Albany, OR, USA

problem #22

Oct 112015

328

  • 77,000 miles
"takata recall" I have a complaint filed regarding an electrical issue I had with my vehicle which resulted in a motor vehicle crash (NHTSA id number: 10781956. My car was equipped with takata airbags, 4 of 6 airbags deployed. The airbag from the driver side caused injuries to my face and arm. I received a recall letter from BMW 4 months after the accident that resulted in the need for physical therapy due to the injuries to my arm and shoulder from the impact of the airbag, which also cut my forearm. The steering wheel on my vehicle froze while driving and in my attempt to get the wheel to turn, my brakes also failed. I had both arms covering the wheel to try and get it to budge. The only way my vehicle stopped was because I crashed into a car waiting at the opposite light. Both arms were covering the airbag at the time it deployed.

- Hamden, CT, USA

problem #21

Dec 012016

328

  • 100,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. While stationary, the vehicle would not start when prompted. The vehicle was diagnosed as having an electrical failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #20

Oct 202016

328

  • 51,500 miles
Recall 13V044000 electrical system car is still affected by this recall and unsafe for driving. Vehicle has been losing power, stalling, jerking, sensors faulty, recall16V071000 airbags unsafe hazzard my son was driving the vehicle and the lights and sensors started to go, the headlight went out on the highway, he managed to get into the emergency lane and the vehicle completly stalled. He had no light including hazards on a busy highway at night. He could have been killed losing power while driving especially on the interstate. This has happened on more than one occasion and needs to be repaired, or refunded by BMW immediately. My son is 23 years old and should not have to fear for his life whenever he drives his vehicle. BMW claims the recall work was done, but this vehicle is obviously not repaired as far as the electrical system. The vehicle has lost power while I was driving on the city streets. I was stalled at the stop light and had to leave the vehicle on the side of the road abandoned. The vehicle jerks and loses power every time it's driven now.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #19

Oct 302016

328

  • 119,000 miles
Electrical dafety, battery wire pulls loose from fuse box, causing car to shut down, even while in motion, therefore losing brakes and steering. Thas exactly what happened to my car on the interstate in traffic. I narrowly avoided a crash and peake BMW in kener, la refuses to tow the car, fix it in a timely manner, or offer a rental or loaner at no cost.

- Slidell, LA, USA

problem #18

Mar 282016

328

  • 94,000 miles
While driving back from gulf shores Alabama my headlights started flickering on and off while driving on the highway the power went off on the radio lights on the dashboard went off the steering wheel locked up and an sos button came on. The windshield wipers stopped and it was torrential rains and total darkness on interstate 75. When I could see well enough to get over to the brim I googled the codes that were flashing and was given further instruction on how to get my car started again. The headlights flickering on and off and visibility ( with the rain ) was impossible. Several various codes continued to pop up and this happened until we arrivd at our destination. It was if the whole computer board had gone haywire.every code imaginable came on and we had to stop to figure out what to do to get the car going. Since then my BMW will not start unless the battery is charged. It says battery discharging or battery was disconnected so I have to keep battery cables with me at all times. So last night I'm having the airbag code come on which I do have a recall on that, as well. I have taken several pictures of the various codes involved which I will attach.

- Raceland, KY, USA

problem #17

Feb 202016

328

  • 89,000 miles
Noticed a very slight tapping when the car was first cranked--but no engine warning lights. After driving it for a few miles, a warning light indicating "charging malfunction" flashed on, and the battery symbol appeared. Because I was the passenger, I googled "BMW 328I charging malfunction" and the first result that came up read "BMW/ January 2013/ recall campaign no. 12V-550: Engine belt idler pulley bolt" for mys 2009-2012 BMW X5 xdrive 35S savs. Before I could inform driver, he complained that he had lost power steering. As we were literally yards from our destination, we parked, and returned to the car two hours later. When we recranked the car, same warnings. We decided to drive to local BMW service station. At a stop light a few miles further, many warning lights turned on simultaneously, the windshield wipers turned on, but the panel said it was still drivable and needed service soon. When the light changed, the panel went off, and the car was stopped dead in the middle of a major road. Pushed it to the side of the road to find the bolt broken and the pulley and belt loose. Upon having it towed to BMW repair, we were told the A/C compressor w/clutch, belt tensioner and belt, and oil filter housing gasket needed to be replaced to the tune of about $5090. (car had been given a clean bill of health during last oil change, and the A/C was working well earlier that morning.) wondering why the ebip bolt was recalled in so many other BMW models that year but not in ours. Information contained in their recall notification exactly matched the description of our problem.

- Savannah, GA, USA

problem #16

Oct 222015

328

  • 10 miles
He tenido varios problemas con el carro, corriendo al voltear SE me apago dos veces Y fue muy peligroso porque los carros que iban atras casi me pegan Y claro SE molestaron mucho al sacar la vuelta rapido para no golpear mi carro, lo lleve al mecanico Y tardo mucho para hallar el problema, la flecha derecha (blinking light) esta quebrada lo hace muy rapido Y al checar me dijeron que SE tiene que reparar todo incluido el foco de atras, problema con los cables de bateria eso si me lo arreglaron gratis porque tiene recall, pero luego la bateria empezo a fallar Y hubo que cambiarla, el volante esta muy duro Y al voltear tengo que hacerlo con mucho cuidado para no pegarle al del otro carril, el mecanico no ha podido componer ese problema, a veces SE hacelera solo cuando estoy haciendo un alto Y no SE ni porque lo hace, Y tampoco SE cuando va a pasar.

- San Juan, TX, USA

problem #15

Jan 112016

328

  • 139,000 miles
While making a left turn, to proceed up the street leaving work, several malfunction lights displayed on the dash and than my car shuts down completely; no inside nor outside lights (it was dark outside), no dings or anything. I thought maybe I needed a jump. Called a co-worker before he left work, whom also has a BMW. He said it was not a jump I needed and proceeded to go in the trunk to locate my battery. As soon as he was able to remove the plastic screws and wiggle the panel, trying to get it from under the wall panels that was holding it in place, all my lights came back on. However, a restraint system malfunction light remained on the dash. Thank god I was driving at a low speed and on a residential street, no cars around me nor had I made it to the hwy to head home, some 30 minute ride. I don't want to think of what could have happened! the restraint system malfunction is said to have something to do with the passenger side and the airbag. I feel I am driving in a very unsafe high costing vehicle, and either way, I, my passenger or someone else could seriously get hurt with this car on the road with these issues.

- Lithia Springs, GA, USA

problem #14

Aug 112015

328

  • 40,000 miles
Coupe of time the vehicle lost power as the result SRS & airbag light now stay on.

- Missouri City, TX, USA

problem #13

Nov 032015

328

  • 89,500 miles
Car experienced complete electrical system failure. All systems shut down (lights, ignition, locks, dashboard, gauges, radio). Car could not be operated. Locks would not operate using dash mounted button, door pulls or key fob. Drivers door could only be opened from outside using valet key. Emergency lights inoperable. Problem occurred 10/29, started 2 hours later. Failed again 10/30 at 5pm. Restarted on 10/31. Dealer unable to duplicate. Car started 11/3 and failed 11/3. battery checked--fine. Ibs checked--fine. (this car is not currently listed as part of the ongoing BMW battery cable recalls, but seems to exhibit exact same symptoms).

- Rockville, VA, USA

problem #12

Oct 052015

328

  • 104,000 miles
Battery and starter all checked out. But break pedal stiffens up and car will not start. I have read on internet and watched a few videos about the same problem. How many people have to suffer and pay for bmws problems.

- Jonesboro, LA, USA

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