2009 BMW 5 Series

Typical pattern

2.6% of complaints about the 2009 BMW 5 Series came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2009 vehicle — around the middle of the 212 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (35 complaints), typically at 8.9 yr or about 85,000 miles.

Covers 3 variants: 535I (100), 528I (33), 528XI (9)

Complaints: 155
Median age at failure: 8.3 yr
Median mileage: 80,325 n=113
Crash / fire / tow: 9% of reports
Safety recalls: 4

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

22V119000 2022-03-02

Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.

An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.

12E029000 2012-08-10

Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan

This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.

This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.

12V126000 2012-03-26

Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 6-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 M5, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 M6 VEHICLES. THE INSULATED BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PANEL, WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE BOLT CONNECTION. AS IT LOOSENS, AN INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE AT THIS CABLE CONNECTION IS POSSIBLE AND COULD CAUSE THE CABLE CONNECTION TO OVERHEAT.

OVERHEATING COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN USE. AS A PRECAUTION, OWNERS ARE ADVISED TO PARK OUTSIDE UNTIL THE REMEDY HAS BEEN MADE.

10V446000 2010-10-01

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Engine 74,238 mi 5.6 yr in service

DRIVING ON A POSTED SPEED LIMIT ROAD OF 30MPH WHEN WE SEE THIS MESSAGE ON OUR SCREEN "ENGINE MALFUNCTION POWER REDUCED". *JS

Engine 89,000 mi 7.6 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 528I. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEAD CYLINDER BULLET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

Engine 93,827 mi 7.8 yr in service

ECCENTRIC SHAFT SENSOR FAILS SUDDENLY AND THEIR ISSUE OF VECHILE STALLING WHILE DRIVING I GOT JERKING MOTION WHEN DRIVING , IT HAD STALLED @ TRAFFIC SIGNAL IT MAY LEAD TO IMPACT

Fuel system 59,500 mi 8.1 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 5 SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S POWER SEIZED AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/05/2017*CT UPDATED 01/23/17.*JB

Other 5 Series model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2009 BMW 5 Series

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other 5 Series model years

How to read this