IllustrationRIGHT REAR ROADSIDE PARKING AND TAIL LAMP LED FAILED. THESE LAMPS SHOULD NOT FAIL WITHIN THIS TIME FRAME. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS ISSUE UNTIL I WAS WAMING UP CAR AND CLEANING OFF SNOW WHEN I SAW THE DIFFERENCE.
2009 BMW 1 Series
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 1 Series years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
6 reportsI HAVE A 2009 528I . WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD MY HEADLIGHTS WHEN ON LOWBEAMS GO OUT . THE BRIGHTS WORK BUT NOT THE LOWBEAMS THE CAR CONTROL SAYS LOWBEAM MALFUNCTION . FIRST IT WAS THE LEFT LIGHT AND THEN THE RIGHTFRONT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR LONG AND ITS A WONDERFUL CAR. BUT THIS IS NOT SAFE AND NEED TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN…
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I HAVE A 2009 528I . WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD MY HEADLIGHTS WHEN ON LOWBEAMS GO OUT . THE BRIGHTS WORK BUT NOT THE LOWBEAMS THE CAR CONTROL SAYS LOWBEAM MALFUNCTION . FIRST IT WAS THE LEFT LIGHT AND THEN THE RIGHTFRONT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR LONG AND ITS A WONDERFUL CAR. BUT THIS IS NOT SAFE AND NEED TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS FOR THIS OR WHAT CAN BE DONE.
REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT. VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. THEY DECLINED TO FIX THE PART UNDER WARRANTY. CLASSIC BMW IN PLANO,TX. *TR
UNSAFE EQUIPMENT: DRIVER'S SIDE PARKING/RUNNING LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS ON THE DASH REGARDING IT'S FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE INDICATOR LIGHT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE TAIL LIGHT LENS ASSEMBLY. THEREFORE MAKING REPAIR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE BMW REPAIR/SERVICE FACILITY DID NOT CARRY THIS I…
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UNSAFE EQUIPMENT: DRIVER'S SIDE PARKING/RUNNING LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS ON THE DASH REGARDING IT'S FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE INDICATOR LIGHT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE TAIL LIGHT LENS ASSEMBLY. THEREFORE MAKING REPAIR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE BMW REPAIR/SERVICE FACILITY DID NOT CARRY THIS IN STOCK AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN FOR 4 1/2 BUSINESS DAYS. LUCKILY I WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE SINCE I WAS UNDER WARRANTY. BMW IS AWARE OF A DEFECT IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES (SIB 63 03 10) DUE TO A RUBBER SEAL CAUSING A CHEMICAL CORROSION/LEAKING ISSUE WITH THE EMBEDDED LED LIGHTS. I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE REPLACING ALL BMW 1 SERIES TAILLIGHTS THAT WERE EXPOSED TO THE RISK AS A MATTER OF SAFETY AND NOT DIFFER THE COSTS/RISKS TO DRIVER SAFETY. *TR
2009 BMW SERIES 1 - TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK - REPLACED ONCE AND FAILED AGAIN. BMW KNOWS THERE'S A PROBLEM AND STATED THAT IT MIGHT TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET REPLACEMENT LIGHTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CITED BY THE POLICE DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT OPERATING. WHEN SHE ARRIVED TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE DISCOVERED THERE WAS ONLY ONE TAIL LIGHT OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHILE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CITED BY THE POLICE DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT OPERATING. WHEN SHE ARRIVED TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE DISCOVERED THERE WAS ONLY ONE TAIL LIGHT OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHILE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000.
Official recalls
110V254000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Jun 10, 2010
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INSULATION AROUND THE PRE-TENSIONER COULD IGNITE.
Remedy: VEHICLES PRODUCED UP THROUGH DECEMBER 2009 WILL RECEIVE NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR UNITS AND A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS, WHILE VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN JANUARY 2010 AND MAY 2010 WILL RECEIVE A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.