2009 BMW 328i engine problems

The 2009 BMW 328i has 68 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 23% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

Engine complaints

23%

Share of year

Crash-involved

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

328i engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

17V683000EngineOctober 30, 2017 · 740,561 units

Defect

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Consequence

An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners report

“Unknown/ Had recall on pcv heater control valve done by authorized BMW DEALER about 2 weeks ago. On date May 5 2023 Parked car, shut of engine,a smell of plastic and smoke started coming from hood area, flames erupted right away . Total loss”
Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · May 5, 2023 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2009 BMW 328i have?

NHTSA has 68 complaints about the 2009 BMW 328i engine — 23% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2009 BMW 328i engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 17V683000.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.