The 2009 BMW 7 Series has 3 recalls, the most serious being a brake booster that can lose power assist, making the brake pedal significantly harder to push and potentially eliminating power-assisted braking entirely.
A check valve in the brake vacuum pump can seep oil over time, and that oil can work its way into the brake booster. In everyday driving this may gradually reduce how much assistance the brakes provide, and in a worst-case scenario the driver could experience a sudden and complete loss of power-assisted braking, requiring substantially more pedal force to slow the vehicle. There is also a concern with the seat sensor cluster unit, a component that helps determine how the airbag system responds based on who is sitting in the front passenger seat. If an incorrectly programmed sensor cluster was installed during a prior service visit, the airbag system may not respond correctly in a crash. The third recall is a labeling issue: the tire information placard on certain vehicles lists seating capacity as five passengers when the actual capacity is four, which could lead an owner to incorrectly load the vehicle.
At a glance
What can fail
Some vehicles have a Sensor Cluster Unit with incorrect programming that may not properly trigger airbags, seat belt pretensioners, or active head restraints during a crash, increasing injury risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the Sensor Cluster Unit with a correctly programmed one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
At a glance
What can fail
A check valve in the brake vacuum pump may leak small amounts of lubricating oil. Over time, this oil can contaminate the brake booster.
What the fix does
Dealers will repair the vehicle at no charge by repairing or replacing the affected brake vacuum pump component.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tire information label lists the vehicle's seating capacity as five passengers, but the actual capacity is four passengers. The tire size, pressure, and weight capacity on the label are correct.
What the fix does
A corrected tire information label will be applied to the vehicle.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
