Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 BMW 328i owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
One recall was for air bag deployed I had the light for it on but it was on when I got it the original owner said it popped on him well he was parked and he never fixed it or did anything ... The other was a part of the computer pretty much in charge of cooling the car down it can make fire from melting and cause unfixable/ to constant issues .... Well my hole engine stopped working it was getting too hot miss firing coolent mixing with oil and started to smoke it was white smoke that came out didn't smell like anything crazy maybe mostly coolent and pretty much it had electric issues since I got it so the recall issue makes sense so I took it in to bmw Riverside they said they will fix all that and contact me it's been almost 2 weeks I live in my car I'm disabled and a mom I can't even go drive and see my child over this I have no income disabled type thing and no word what's wrong …
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The message "Do Not Drive" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V017000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Car running lean oil leak getting hot,loss of power,jolting forward also my car has been in dealership shop for 2 years I'm being charged for services I know weren't done,overcharged,and my car still isn't fixed also the service manager told me he was aware of the recalls,when I told him to this was 4 days ago,however my car is being withheld from me,recalls have been known if it's been two yrs,they filed a lien June of last year I opposed it and they never responded back! My car still sits there causing injury to my livilyhood I've missed almost 1year of work I live in the Sierra's where it snows I can't get to work with no car!
My mat sensor in my passenger seat is not working properly. Nobody ever really sits in the passenger seat and the light came on stating that someone is sitting in the passenger seat when there is actually nobody sitting in the seat! Which means the airbag will not deploy this seems to be an issue with many 09 bmw 328i vehicle's! I noticed through research that vehicles prior to said year had same issues and was part of a recall. I feel this should also be part of a new recall with this vehicle year
Code is coming up for passenger seat occupancy sensor which possibly affects airbag deployment in the event of a collision. It has been noted that the passenger seat occupancy sensor has been a part of prior BMW for 2008 and earlier.
Seat occupancy sensor -- seat belt is inoperable on passenger side. Seat belt stuck in passengers seat back. "Active fault for seat occupancy sensor." Belt tensioner - "Drive belt starting to walk off tensioner pulley"
"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.
My passenger airbag off and seatbelt warning lights are constantly lit up on both the dash and the airbag light on the roof. This began a couple months ago one day when I started the car and has been constant since. I brought my car in to be diagnosed and was told that I have a faulty passenger occupancy sensor, and was quoted $1,100 to repair. It has come to my attention that there was a recall on this sensor in many 2004-2007 BMW vehicles including the 328i, just not my year. I have seen a large number of complaints online by other owners of the same problem that also feel that our vehicles should be included in the recall of a faulty part that is damaging to the safety and general functioning of the vehicle. We have all already just had to wait for over a year to have the Takata recall done, mine is just now being completed. …
" Takata recall " : I remember the moment my car accident happened ( 7-18-17 ) : when I arrived del mar pharmacy's parking lot ([redacted] ), absolutely I slowed down my car and approaching the parking space. When my car 's front tires touch one side of the pavement ( there are 2 pavements separated apart about 3 feet with soil where are planted with flowers, each pavement is approximately 1/2 foot thick and 1/2 foot high ). While I stepped on my car's brake pedal, I felt the car suddenly lose control and it jumped on my side's pavement, and almost at the same time, both air bags burst, made the car ran over to almost a half of the distance between 2 pavements ( about more than 2 feet ) and hitting the rear of another parking car ( on opposite side of my car's parking space ( lot ). …
Airbag system fault due to occupancy seat sensor p/n 65779153119. This sensor is used on BMW e90, e91, e92, e93 models from 2006-2012. BMW recalled only 2006 and 2007 models in 2014( recall notice 17V428) then revised in 2017 to include more vehicles. In addition, they issued a sb -10056703-9690 in 2017 to extend warranty to 15 years for this sensor. Since the exact sensor is fitted on vehicles from 2006-2012, and numerous individuals have reported the fault, I believe my e93 should be covered in the recall or the 15 year extended warranty. Based on research, many people have resorted to a bypass device. This extinguishes the fault but presents an issue if the front seat passenger is an infant/ or under 40 pounds. Airbags will deploy in case of an accident and death/ serious injury is possible.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi,…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020.
Airbag complaints in other 328i years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2009 BMW 328i?
NHTSA has 63 complaints about the air bags of the 2009 BMW 328i, 33% of the model year's 193 complaints. The component named most often is sensor › occupant classification (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 BMW 328i airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 24V-513 (inflator module, Jul 3, 2024); NHTSA recall 20V-017 (inflator module, Jan 15, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 BMW 328i airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.