Most common 2009 BMW M3 problems
Share of the 45 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW M3 complaints by model year
Best M3 years: 2007, 2006, 2017. Years to avoid: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2010, 2003. Compare all years →
2009 BMW M3 recalls (5)
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.
Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009 328i and 328xi, 2009-2011 335d, 2008-2012 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible, and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and secure the positive battery cable connector, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system › Wiring
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018.
Power train › Clutch assembly
BMW is recalling 2,500 my 2008-2009 m3 passenger vehicles with an optional double clutch transmission. The problem involves the double clutch gearbox. In a situation of rapid vehicle deceleration, the transmission software May perform a multistage downshift.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine and transmission electronic control unit with updated software free of charge. The recall began on December 3, 2008. Owners May contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 BMW M3:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2009 BMW M3 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 24 →
Hello, I recently purchased a 2009 BMW M3 with the DCT transmission. The transmission acts like a sequential manual shifter, allowing the driver to shift up and down at their will. These shifts happen instantaneously, within fractions of a second. Additionally, when coming to a stop, the car will downshift to 1st gear on its own, instead of relying on driver input, as a matter of convenience. All of this is normal, advertised, and expected behavior. There are times, however, when the car is decelerating but not coming to a full stop (when taking a turn at an intersection, for example), that the transmission will begin its automated downshifts but then become incredibly unresponsive. In these cases, if I press on the accelerator before coming to a full stop, I'll notice a significant lag before the engine actually revs up. …
With the dual clutch automatic transmission in d mode, when slowing from 50 or 60 MPH to 15-20 MPH the transmission will not downshift and stays in 6th or 7th gear. Even with the accelerator to the floor the car will not select an appropriate gear which makes the car barely accelerate at all creating a safety hazard. This car has little to no torque (by design) at very low rpms, and it basically just sits there and doesn't move. A driver often slows like this when making a left or right hand turn and having the car just sit there under those conditions presents a huge safety issue in terms of being either rear-ended or being hit by oncoming traffic. The entire nature of the automatic program on this car is unpredictable; in some cases it will downshift, in others (as described above) it will not, which adds to the unsafe nature of this defect. …
Air bags
Takata recall hello madam/ sir, I received a safety recall notice - 16v-071 regarding faulty drivers side airbags in my 2009 BMW M3. The notice (attached) clearly states that in an event of airbag getting deployed, the airbag might explode causing serious injury or death.BMW says that they don't have any information of when new parts will be available. To avoid any potential issue of something happening, I have been renting a car for a while. I have also contacted BMW and have been unsuccessful so far to receive any help. BMW told me that BMW dealership of ann arbor will contact me for alternate transportation and then BMW of ann arbor told me that they are not supporting this recall. I have just been going back and forth with BMW and the dealership without any assistance. …
I received a recall for the airbag on my car. I contacted BMW to replace but they were unable to replace at that time. I have tried to contact them since to arrange replacement and they have not returned my calls.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2009 BMW M3. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the driver's and passenger's side turn signal failed to illuminate. Additionally, the headlights and dashboard lights would flicker on and off. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the electrical wiring insulation was frayed and damaged. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
Shortly after purchasing my BMW 2009 M3, I noticed a rare but very disturbing pattern on take off. I had car checked in dealer and I was told it was likely secondary to my driving style! This uncontrolled take off is like hi rev and rapid acceleration periodically alternating with deceleration for few seconds. I had this happen prob a dozen time so far(36K on car). On day of my accident, in stop and go traffic with speed less than 5 miles per hour, car literally went off on me. It accelerated to hit the car in front and then managed to push the car into another 3 cars in front, before it came to a stall. I am not sure if it was exactly like my previous episodes because the distance between my car and next car was short. What I am sure is that I had no control on car.
2009 BMW M3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.0L 8-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 BMW M3 a good car?
Based on 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 M3 rates avoid: 4.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the M3 at the same age. It is one of the M3 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 BMW M3?
The transmission & drivetrain — 24 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the air bags (8) and electrical system (6).
How many recalls does the 2009 BMW M3 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 BMW M3, the most recent from January 15, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW M3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2006 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2010 and 2003. See the full BMW M3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 BMW M3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 4,000 miles; 82% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.