TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOUR ORGANIZATION TAKING AN INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT BMWNA IS WELL AWARE OF, BUT INSISTS THAT IT IS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR" FOR MY CAR/TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT, BUT THEY WERE TOLD BY BMW THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR." THE PROBLEM OCCURS WH…
2009 BMW M3 powertrain problems
moderate 24 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
24
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
THE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT) IN MY CAR, A 2009 BMW M3 ROUTINELY HESITATES WHEN PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR IN 2ND GEAR. THE HESITATION IS LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE PUT ME AND MY PASSENGERS IN GRAVE DANGER. IN FACT, IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS WHEN MERGING WITH HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR
HELLO, I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 BMW M3 WITH THE DCT TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION ACTS LIKE A SEQUENTIAL MANUAL SHIFTER, ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO SHIFT UP AND DOWN AT THEIR WILL. THESE SHIFTS HAPPEN INSTANTANEOUSLY, WITHIN FRACTIONS OF A SECOND. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT TO 1ST GEAR ON ITS OWN, INSTEAD OF RELYING ON DRIVER INPUT, AS A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE. A…
M-DCT TRANSMISSION LAG. WHEN YOU'RE TURNING AND CARS MAY BE COMING AT YOU THERE IS NO POWER, CAUSING SERIOUS ENDANGERMENT. *TR
THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN- LIKE FOR A TURN, BUT DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DCT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT GEAR TO SELECT BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THERE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN THE ONSET OF POWER- UP TO 2-3 SECONDS. BY THIS TIME, THE DRIVER IS USUALLY REALLY DIGGING INTO THE THROTTLE. THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY PICKS A GEAR,…
I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO-LANE STREET (ONE-LANE EACH DIRECTION) AND AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT I TURNED ON MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND STARTED TO MOVE INTO THE DEDICATED LEFT-HAND TURN LANE. AS I DID THIS I NEEDED TO DOWNSHIFT AS I SLOWED DOWN FOR THE STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD AT THE LIGHT. WHEN I SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO MOVE INTO THE TURN LANE MY CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO…
THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2009 BMW M3 COUPE WITH THE DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT). I AM EXPERIENCING MAJOR SHIFT LAG TRYING TO REACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING DOWN. BASICALLY, THE 2ND GEAR WILL FAIL TO CATCH / ENGAGE WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL CAUSING THE CAR STALL FOR A SECOND OR TWO. AFTER THAT, THE GEAR WILL ENGAGE ABRUPTLY AND I WILL BE PULLED VIOLENTLY FORWARD. THIS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERA…
HELLO. I HAVE A 2009 BMW M3 WITH THE DCT TRANSMISSION. I AM EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT DELAYS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO A LOWER GEAR. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN, LIKE FOR A TURN, BUT DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DCT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM FIGURING OUT WHAT GEAR TO SELECT BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THERE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DEL…
2009 BMW M3 DCT (DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION) EXHIBITS A SERIOUS LAG/HESITATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A RAPID ROLLING STOP. WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS IN AN INTERSECTION OR AT A STOP LIGHT, A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS OF BEING T-BONED OR SLAMMED IN THE REAR. WHEN REPORTED TO BMW THEY CLAIM IT "WORKS AS DESIGNED". GUESS SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE BMW WILL RESOLVE THI…
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) DEAR [XXX], I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOUR ORANIZATION TAKING AN INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT BMWNA IS WELL AWARE OF, BUT INSISTS THAT IT IS "NORMAL BEHAVIOR" FOR MY CAR/TRANSMISSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT, BU…
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2009 BMW M3?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 24 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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