There are 8 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2009 BMW 3 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. NO CARS WERE IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE RULING OUT A ROCK. IT WAS COUPLED WITH A LOUD NOISE AND GLASS FALLING INTO THE CAR AND DOWN THE BACK OF THE CAR.
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING HOME, POWERFUL IMPLOSION, GLASS EVERYWHERE.
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FLEMINGTON BMW DEALER (908-788-2691, LOCATED AT 216 US-202, FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME BY THE SAME DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. FE
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HEARD AND EXPLOSION. ACTUALLY MY SUNROOF BURST IN TO PIECES WITHOUT ANY REASON. *TR
SUNROOF EXPLODED UPWARD MAKING A "GUN SHOT" TYPE SOUND LEAVING A BASKETBALL SIZED HOLE IN THE ROOF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335 DIESEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW MIRROR DID NOT DIM ACCORDING TO NHTSA RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR DIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 05/10/12*LJ UPDATED 05/14/12
AFTER ONLY 16,000 MILES OF USE, THE WINDSHIELD FIRST APPEARED TO BE COMPLETELY "SANDBLASTED" WITH TINY INDENTATIONS. WHEN DRIVING INTO THE SUN THE GLARE BECOMES SO INTENSE THAT YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE THE ROAD. YOU EFFECTIVELY BECOME BLINDED AND CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACT TO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. THE SAME SITUATION OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN DRIVING TOWARDS ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS RARELY DRIVEN ON HIGHWAYS AND IS ALWAYS GARAGED. BMW DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE, WILL NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY AND CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WILL NOT PERFORM IN THE SAME MANNER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD EXHIBITED SEVERAL CRACKS VARYING IN SIZE FROM A HAIRLINE CRACK TO CRACKS THE SIZE OF A PENNY. THE DEALER ADVISED HE COULD NOT ASSIST AND ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO VARIOUS ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WOULD CONTINUE TO FIND CRACKS ON THE WINDSHIELD ON A DAILY BASIS. SHE BELIEVED THE WINDSHIELD TO BE DEFECTIVE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,500. UPDATED 09/29/10. *LJ
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026