2009 BMW 128i US

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the exterior lighting. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Exterior Lighting1
000
Electrical System1
010
Air Bags1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 9, 2019100,000 milesFL

EXTERIOR HEATED MIRRORS WITH DIMMING HAVE TURNED A DARK BROWN COLOR. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A LARGE PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS MODELS/YEARS BMW'S. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL BMW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM OFTEN BUT BMW NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT DEAL WITH IT. I CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH A CUSTOMER SERVICE AND A SUPERVISOR THAT THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THE EXTERIOR MIRRORS A SAFETY ISSUE. (KATRINA EMPLOYEE # 8936 AND RENZO EMPLOYEE # 7647.) IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITH THESE DEFECTIVE MIRRORS AND I HAVE HAD TO ORDER REPLACEMENT OF THE MIRROR GLASS FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. I AM ATTACHING PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHOW THE ISSUE.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 8, 2017NY

"TAKATA RECALL"

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 21, 201693,000 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I US. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CENTER REAR BRAKE LIGHT LENS WAS DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LENS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Feb 8, 20119,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TAILLIGHTS FAILED AND TOXIC BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTING INTO THE INTERIOR CABIN OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES BUT OPTED TO PLACE DEODORANT TO THE AIR CONDITIONER AS A REMEDY. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT ONE POUND OF FREON HAD LEAKED THAT THE VALVE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER REPAIRS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNSATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE AND SHE WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jan 5, 20116,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE AND DUE TO THE DESIGN HE WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE BULB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE IN NORTH AMERICA. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 6,000.

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20117000Routine
2009 — this page5010Routine

Compare every 128i US year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.