YearToAvoid

2009 BMW 535i Fuel System Problems

NHTSA has 42 owner complaints about fuel system problems in the 2009 BMW 535i, 59% of all 71 complaints for this model year. That is the highest fuel system complaint count among 10 535i model years. These complaints report 2 crashes and 1 fire. Median mileage at failure: 70,000 miles.

Fuel System complaints
42
59% of 71
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
70,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 BMW 535i fuel system complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 18, 2009, latest Dec 1, 2023.

2009 BMW 535i fuel system complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2009Jul 2010Apr 2013Apr 2015Nov 2016Aug 2017Feb 2019
42 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2009 to Dec 2023; peak Dec 2009 (3).

Fuel System recalls for the 2009 BMW 535i

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Fuel System complaints by 535i model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200815 (20%)
  2. 200942 (59%)
  3. 201034 (59%)
  4. 201135 (31%)
  5. 201215 (28%)
  6. 20133 (8%)
  7. 20141 (3%)
  8. 20151 (4%)
  9. 20160 (0%)
  10. 20170 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 BMW 535i have fuel system problems?
NHTSA has 42 owner complaints about the fuel system in the 2009 BMW 535i, 59% of all complaints for this model year, including 2 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 70,000 miles.
Which BMW 535i year has the most fuel system complaints?
The 2009 BMW 535i has the most fuel system complaints (42), compared with 42 for the 2009.
Is there a fuel system recall for the 2009 BMW 535i?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 BMW 535i is classified under fuel system. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.