Your vehicle report
2009 BMW 535I
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 71
- Received Sep 2009 to Jul 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel pump fails and engine stalls16 complaints · 23% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving6 complaints · 8.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Check engine light comes on repeatedly5 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #13V407000BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 71 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 16 | 23% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 8.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 7.0% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 4 | 5.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 4.2% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 4.2% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 4.2% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 3 | 4.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #13V407000September 11, 2013134,100 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: tail lights
BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).
Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2009 BMW 535I.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN