BMW Z4 · model year

2009 BMW Z4

26 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009BMWZ4 carries 26 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 Z4 is wheels with 11 filings, followed by engine (4) and electrical system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2009 Z4. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

26
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

26 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
WHEELS11
ENGINE4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SEAT BELTS2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
STEERING1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES1
AIR BAGS1
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION1

Recalls (4)

17V68300030/10/2017

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

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 sho

09V32700011/08/2009

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 Z4 30I AND 35I VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 10 AND MARCH 19, 2009. A DEFECTIVE CRIMP CONNECTOR IN A BELT TENSIONER WIRING PLUG MAY LEAD TO INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THAT CONNECTION.

13V04400007/02/2013

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-

22V11900002/03/2022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi);

Recent Complaints

20240209AIR BAGS

The airbag sensor in my passenger seat has failed. I have been quoted approximately $2000 to repair this. However researching online I see BMW Service Bulletin SB-[XXX] which indicates this may be a widespread problem? [XXX] I am concerned to take passengers in the vehicle as I do not know if the airbags will deploy, or deploy at the wrong "rate" based on my understanding of how the sensors work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240209AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

The airbag sensor in my passenger seat has failed. I have been quoted approximately $2000 to repair this. However researching online I see BMW Service Bulletin SB-[XXX] which indicates this may be a widespread problem? [XXX] I am concerned to take passengers in the vehicle as I do not know if the airbags will deploy, or deploy at the wrong "rate" based on my understanding of how the sensors work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240209SEAT BELTS

Drivers side seat belt frayed at the point where it comes out of the vehicle when I am seated and buckled in. This is nearly impossible for me to see and I only saw it by chance pulling the seat belt out for some incidental reason. I am unclear how long it had been like this. Otherwise this defect is completely hidden as it disappears into the vehicle when I unbuckle.

20200901SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELT IS FRAYING AT THE POINT WHERE IT MOST COMMONLY RESTS AGAINST THE CHASSIS WHILE I AM WEARING IT. IT SEEMS TO BE RUBBING AGAINST THE CAR CAUSING IT TO FRAY. I ONLY NOTICED IT BY CHANCE, AS IT IS NOT A COMMON SPOT TO LOOK AT WHILE SEATED IN THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 38,000

20200722SERVICE BRAKES

EBRAKE FAILURE. I WENT ON THE Z4 FORUM AND MANY PEOPLE REPORT THIS SAME ISSUE OF THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE / EMERGENCY BRAKE SIMPLY FAILING TO WORK.

Mileage: 5

20200722WHEELS

WHEELS DEVELOPED CRACKS AND AIR WAS LEAKING.

20180917ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20180904ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW Z4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED MCKENNA BMW AT (562) 219-4570 (LOCATED AT 10900 FIRESTONE BLVD, NORWALK, CA 90650) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20170803ENGINE

ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED AND SHUTDOWN WHILE IN MOVEMENT WITH POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE CANNOT BE TURNED ON UNTIL FULL STOP IS ACHIEVED AND TRANSMISSION PLACED IN "P." IDLE ENGINE RPM CONTINUES TO VARY DRASTICALLY UP AND DOWN WITH INDICATION A PROBLEM PERSISTS AND IS LIKELY POSE THE SAME SAFETY RISK. I BOUGHT VEHICLE USED ON 2012 AND HAD THE ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TWICE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP TOOK MONTHS TO APPARENTLY RESOLVE. I AM BACK AT RISK.

Mileage: 98,000

20170803ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED AND SHUTDOWN WHILE IN MOVEMENT WITH POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE CANNOT BE TURNED ON UNTIL FULL STOP IS ACHIEVED AND TRANSMISSION PLACED IN "P." IDLE ENGINE RPM CONTINUES TO VARY DRASTICALLY UP AND DOWN WITH INDICATION A PROBLEM PERSISTS AND IS LIKELY POSE THE SAME SAFETY RISK. I BOUGHT VEHICLE USED ON 2012 AND HAD THE ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TWICE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP TOOK MONTHS TO APPARENTLY RESOLVE. I AM BACK AT RISK.

Mileage: 98,000

20170803FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED AND SHUTDOWN WHILE IN MOVEMENT WITH POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE CANNOT BE TURNED ON UNTIL FULL STOP IS ACHIEVED AND TRANSMISSION PLACED IN "P." IDLE ENGINE RPM CONTINUES TO VARY DRASTICALLY UP AND DOWN WITH INDICATION A PROBLEM PERSISTS AND IS LIKELY POSE THE SAME SAFETY RISK. I BOUGHT VEHICLE USED ON 2012 AND HAD THE ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TWICE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP TOOK MONTHS TO APPARENTLY RESOLVE. I AM BACK AT RISK.

Mileage: 98,000

20140630WHEELS

REAR WHEELS ON BMW Z4 CRACKED DURING NORMAL ROAD USAGE. BOTH CRACKED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THESE ARE 19" WHEELS WITH RUN FLAT TIRES AND 296 WHEEL DESIGN. THESE WHEELS DON'T SEEM TO BE DESIGNED FOR PUBLIC ROAD USAGE BUT ARE ADVERTISED AS SUCH. THEY CANNOT WITHSTAND EVEN MINOR ROAD IMPERFECTIONS. BMW REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY AND DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE WHEEL DESIGN AS DEFECTIVE DESPITE NUMEROUS REPORTS WITH THIS EXACT WHEEL. THEY NO LONGER SELL THE WHEEL ON NEW VEHICLES AND IN FACT EVEN REDESIGNED THE WHEEL IN 2012. *TR

Mileage: 25,000

20140611ENGINE

THE CAR HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIME WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IN SOME INSTANCES I DID NOT HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP SUCH AS CROSSING A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, JUST SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY. AS I WENT TO ACCELERATE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH NO POWER. CAR STARTS RIGHT BACK UP EACH TIME BUT YOU MUST STOP TO PLACE THE CAR IN DRIVE(AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). NEARLY HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE, SOLD ME A $400 BATTERY AS THE FIX. CAR STALLED ON THE WAY HOME FROM DEALERSHIP. RETURNED THE CAR BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE AND SINCE THE INSTANCES DID NOT PRODUCE A FAULT CODE THEY COULD DO NOTHING. CAR CONTINUES TO STALL WHICH MAKES IT A SAFETY HAZARD. THERE ARE 100'S OF POST ON BMW FORUMS WITH THE SAME ISSUE BUT BMW CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP IN AND MAKE THEM ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THIS IS NOT THE KNOWN BATTERY CABLE ISSUE, THAT WAS REPLAC

Mileage: 28,000

20140510WHEELS

WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR ONE MORNING THE SENSOR WENT OFF LETTING ME KNOW THAT I HAD A LOW TIRE PRESSURE. I WENT AND FILLED THE TIRE TO THE PROPER LEVEL; I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, THEN THE NEXT FOLLOWING MORNING THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY FOUND THAT THE RIM WAS CRACKED IN 4 PLACES. I WAS WONDERING HOW THE RIM COULD HAVE GOTTEN CRACKED CAUSE I BARELY DRIVE THE CAR, SITS IN THE GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME, I DRIVE ON EVEN ROADS WHEN I DO, BUT I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 4 MONTHS, PURCHASED IT FROM CAR MAX. I WENT TO VARIOUS POSTS AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIMS THAT BMW PUT ON THE Z4 35I BECAUSE THEY ARE RUN FLAT TIRES (WHICH MY CAR INITIALLY HAD ON THEM). WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, RUN FLATS WASN'T ON THIS CAR. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE WHEELS (RIMS) BECAUSE IF THE RIM FAILED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY...IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. *TR

Mileage: 21,159

20140123WHEELS

ALUMINUM WHEEL (STYLE 296) CRACK ON THE INSIDE BEAD. CAR HAS 22,000 MILES ON 1/23/14 AND 3 WHEELS CURRENTLY HAVE CRACKS. THE CRACKS PREVENT THE TIRES FROM MAINTAINING AIR PRESSURE AND LOWERS THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE RIM, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. BMW IS ONLY OFFERING TO REPAIR ONE WHEEL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE RUNOUT ON THE OTHER 2 WHEELS WAS 0.059" WHICH THEY ARE CLAIMING INDICATES THAT THE WHEELS ARE DAMAGED DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD BUT OFFERED NO VISUAL EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES THERE IS A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE OF THE 296 STYLE WHEEL AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE DESIGN OF THE 19" WHEEL, THE USE OF 30 SERIES (REAR) OR 35 SERIES (FRONT) RUN-FLAT-TIRES AND THE NEGATIVE CAMBER. THE NEGATIVE CAMBER PUTS THE MAJORITY OF THE FORCES AND LOAD FROM THE ROAD ONTO THE INSIDE BEAD OF THE RIM. THE RUN-FLAT-TIRES HAVE EXTREMELY STIFF AND SHORT SIDEWALLS TO ALLOW THE TIRES TO BE DRIVEN WITH NO AIR, WHICH TRANSMITS THE FORCES FROM THE ROAD DIRECTLY TO THE RIM WITH

Mileage: 22,000

20130728WHEELS

I HAD A SLOW TIRE LEAK SO I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET CHECKED. TURNS OUT MY 2 REAR WHEELS ARE CRACKED.THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM FOR OWNERS WITH THE 296 WHEEL ON THE Z4. *TR

Mileage: 23,000

20130523STEERING

MY REAR RIMS HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN QUICK LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE AND IN SOME CASES DESTROYING TIRE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES, HOWEVER THUS FAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ISOLATED TO THE REAR (MODEL 296 19") RIMS. IN THE 16 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES INCLUDING ON 5/11/2012, 9/9/12, 4/12/13 AND 5/23/13. EACH TIME I HAVE PURCHASED A NEW RIM OR HAD THE EXISTING RIM REPAIRED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEALER. IN NONE OF THESE CASES HAS THERE BEEN ANY IMPACT OR DRIVING CONDITION THAT EXPLAINS THE FAILURE. *TR

20130523WHEELS

MY REAR RIMS HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN QUICK LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE AND IN SOME CASES DESTROYING TIRE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES, HOWEVER THUS FAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ISOLATED TO THE REAR (MODEL 296 19") RIMS. IN THE 16 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES INCLUDING ON 5/11/2012, 9/9/12, 4/12/13 AND 5/23/13. EACH TIME I HAVE PURCHASED A NEW RIM OR HAD THE EXISTING RIM REPAIRED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEALER. IN NONE OF THESE CASES HAS THERE BEEN ANY IMPACT OR DRIVING CONDITION THAT EXPLAINS THE FAILURE. *TR

20121108WHEELS

I HAD TWO OF THESE RIMS BEND AND CRACK ( MODEL 296) I HAD THE RIM AND TIRE WARRANTY THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR AND BMW COVERED A REPLACEMENT FOR ONE AND PAID TO HAVE THE OTHER STRAIGHTENED. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

20121101WHEELS

BOTH REAR WHEELS DEVELOPED CRACKS. THESE WERE 19 INCH BMW STYLE 296 WHEELS WITH RUN-FLAT TIRES. *TR

Mileage: 18,000

Compare 2009BMWZ4 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 BMW Z4 have?
The 2009 BMW Z4 has 26 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 BMW Z4?
Yes, the 2009 BMW Z4 has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV). Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 BMW Z4?
The most-complained component for the 2009 BMW Z4 is WHEELS with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2009 BMW Z4 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.