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2018 BMW i3 repairs by problem area

Engine (0%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (0%)

Brakes and Traction Control (0%)

Suspension and Steering (67%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (33%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (0%)

Other (0%)

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Chart based on 6 repairs.

See TSBs and recalls for the 2018 BMW i3.

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BMW i3 in California, United States Aug 2021 - Jun 2024
Nov 2022 27000 mi US $250	Safety belt failure warning on passenger seat

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BMW i3 in Michigan, United States Jun 2018 - Jun 2022
Nov 2018 2600 mi	Various electrical glitches, lights, warnings, back-up camera. Dealer loaded updated operating system Creaking noise when turning steering wheel, known defect, dealer replaced parts per TSB
Jun 2019 5100 mi	Loss of power steering, corrected by shut down and restart. Dealer unable to duplicate and found no codes
Jan 2020 11000 mi	Intermittent loss of power steering caused by defective software, took BMW one year to develop new software after problem reported by many owners. Creaking noise from steering mechanism when temperature below freezing.

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BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Mar 2022 - Jun 2022
Apr 2022 34000 mi US $150	12V battery replaced and complete computer system updated, replaced the park distance control modular

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BMW i3 in Pennsylvania, United States May 2021 - Jun 2022
Jul 2021 48000 mi	REX replaced due to metal shavings in oil.

BMW i3 in Pennsylvania, United States Dec 2020 - Jun 2022
Nov 2021 37000 mi US $220	Low voltage battery failed, producing a burning sulfur smell with steam coming out of the battery overflow valve behind the front right wheel. Electrical system stopped working, requiring use of physical key to access vehicle, which set off the car alarm until a tow could be arranged several hours later. Battery was covered under warranty as was the tow.

BMW i3 in Texas, United States Jun 2021 - Jul 2022
Mar 2022 42000 mi	Seat heater stopped working (think a spill) and module replaced. Covered under CPO warranty but would have been $700.

BMW i3 in California, United States Jun 2017 - Jun 2018
Dec 2017 6000 mi	Charging errors with DCFC (DC Fast Chargers)

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BMW i3 in California, United States Jan 2021 - Oct 2022
Jul 2021 30642 mi US $625	12v battery died

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BMW i3 in Oregon, United States Dec 2017 - May 2020
Feb 2018 11000 mi	Hatch rattling adjusted electrical lock mechanism
Mar 2018 12000 mi	Replaced hatch locking mechanism and latch
May 2018 14000 mi	Replaced A/C unit due to extreme rattling from unit.

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BMW i3 in California, United States Dec 2015 - Sep 2018
Feb 2017 13000 mi	Connector for DC-fast charging was not working

BMW i3 in Washington, United States Oct 2018 - Nov 2018
Nov 2018 34000 mi	Recirculation Light (manual) not illuminating, Passenger side seat heater light flickers when turned on, eventually stops flickering.

BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Oct 2015 - Sep 2017
Aug 2016 6000 mi	AC compressor suffered catastrophic failure. Metal shavings/debris sent throughout system, causing entire system to be replaced (all valves, hoses, etc.) to properly fix. Long delay waiting for parts.

BMW i3 in Ontario, Canada Feb 2016 - Jun 2018
Oct 2016 7320 mi	12 volt battery defective. Replaced when car brought in for oil and filter change.

BMW i3 in Quebec, Canada Dec 2015 - Jul 2016
Jul 2016 3100 mi	Brought in for heating/cooling compressor noise. Motor mount bolts recall, but needed also mounts as the bolts had bent.

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BMW i3 in California, United States Aug 2015 - Jan 2016
Dec 2015 4000 mi	Charger door assembly replacement. Off-peak charging feature not working.

BMW i3 in New Zealand May 2015 - Jul 2022
Apr 2016 3500 mi	Reverse camera stopped working - replaced by dealer with new camera as unsure what was the cause. No further problem
Jul 2016 4640 mi	Drivers airbag fault, replaced under warranty

BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Apr 2015 - Jun 2018
Jun 2015 2000 mi	A clip retaining an exterior door panel broke and had to be replaced.
Nov 2015 8900 mi	The check engine light came on due to a misfire. The repair was to update the car's software to the latest version.
May 2016 19000 mi	Due to some combination of an engine mis-fire and other trouble codes the computer would not let the range extender run. The cabin heating element was replaced and the car firmware updated.
Sep 2016 24000 mi	High voltage battery cooling system valve failed and was replaced.
Dec 2017 40435 mi	Check engine light on due to misfire. Drained fuel and replaced with lower octane fuel in hopes that would prevent future occurences.

BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Nov 2017 - Jan 2018
Jan 2018 11179 mi	Check engine light came on. Checked REX oil level and it was good (oil was like new). Brought car to dealer and received a loaner vehicle. Picked up car the same day. Fault was cleared from the computer. Service department stated that the spark plugs were fouled. They were cleaned, gapped, and reinstalled. Engine was run 20 minutes for diagnostics with no errors. Was informed that should the REX run, we should drive a minimum of 20 minutes to allow it to reach full operating temp. This is rather hard to do as the REX cannot be turned on manually and only turns on when the battery is at 6% or less charge--and I generally try to avoid that in case the REX fails to stay running (which was the case we had--fortunately, we made it home-Eco mode + to the rescue LOL). So.... NEXT STEP: Vgate WIFI iCar2 OBDII Elm327 Code Reader and BIMMERCODE to code the ECU to allow me to turn on the REX manually once the state of charge drops to 75% or lower. This will allow me to run the REX under direct ON/OFF control to ensure it will run for 20+ minutes (no way to tell if its reached operating temperature as there is no instrumentation for the REX). Total investment under$75 to enable full REX control, video playback, and a slew of other features. 5 star for the BIMMERCODE application--real easy to use and does 90% of what "coding" can do without having to spend the effort to learn coding (not hard, but I dont want to invest the time for some of the more esoteric features). Im an electrical and industrial engineer so have no problem learning to code--but not really necessary given the great utility of the BIMMERCODE application. They also replaced, under warranty, a missing screw holding down one of the fluid containers in the frunk.

BMW i3 in North Carolina, United States Aug 2015 - Jul 2017
Jan 2016 3300 mi	Airbag failure warning light- replaced airbag wiring harness with new design.

BMW i3 in California, United States Dec 2015 - May 2018
Jun 2017 15000 mi	12V battery charging system was mis-diagnosed as larger EV battery problem. When actual problem was determined, repair was quick but car was in shop for 10 days plus lost for one day by recovery service!

BMW i3 in Ohio, United States Jan 2017 - Sep 2017
Jun 2017 13000 mi	A/c system failure. Dealer has attempted to repair 2 times with no success. Currently parts are on order to try again
Sep 2017 13000 mi	A/C System failure. Parts on backorder from Germany caused long delay. BMW was very good and offered loaner car during this period of time.

BMW i3 in Alabama, United States Jun 2016 - Dec 2016
Nov 2016 6600 mi	Wiring in driver heated seats system short circuited, causing malfunction and internal damage to seat cushion.

BMW i3 in Texas, United States Sep 2017 - Jan 2022
Oct 2017 13135 mi	Rear view camera was flaky and was replaced by the dealer

BMW i3 in Florida, United States Aug 2015 - Jun 2022
Mar 2017 8250 mi	Replaced faulty fuel system pressure sensor, which prevented automatic opening of fuel flap. Replaced faulty fuel system pressure sensor, which prevented automatic opening of fuel flap.
Apr 2017 9000 mi	Fuel filler line routing problem led to recall to install clip to prevent rubbing and possible leak.

BMW i3 in Ohio, United States Sep 2015 - Oct 2017
Nov 2016 13700 mi	Fuel system canister problem
Dec 2016 14000 mi	Drivetrain error, cleared by dealer and attributed to ice in the High Voltage charging system

BMW i3 in California, United States Nov 2015 - Mar 2018
Aug 2017 20000 mi	Fuel door opener. Still not fixed.
Jan 2018 26000 mi US $200	Replaced flat tire

BMW i3 in California, United States Nov 2015 - Feb 2018
Jan 2016 1000 mi	Backup camera stopped working; screen displayed black video, video with red lines. Backup camera determined faulty and replaced
Sep 2016 8000 mi	Rear view camera was loose
Aug 2017 18000 mi	The climate control panel would go blank during hot weather
Feb 2018 23000 mi	Driver's SRS malfunction. Dealer determined the driver's airbag was faulty Replaced the airbag and issue was resolved. passenger airbag reprogramming recall.

BMW i3 in California, United States Jun 2018 - Jun 2022
Jan 2022 38000 mi US $3250	Airbag module high resistance fault per TSB: SI B65 18 16, warning light came on. Cleared code several times and it kept coming back. Brought to dealer and they found harness had broken behind Driver's steering wheel airbag. BMW says that harness can't be replaced individually, so they had to replace whole airbag (which BMW calls "airbag module"). Interestingly my extended warranty text explicitly covers "airbag module" even though it also says it doesn't cover Airbags or Safety Restraint Systems. After calling warranty company to point this out they agreed and paid. Driver's seat heater failed (at first seemed weaker, then started turning itself off after 5-10 minutes). Needed replacement. Front strut boots had cracked. Preventive replacement. (Extended warranty listed struts, housings, cartridges as covered even though it also said suspension joint boots not covered. They agreed it was covered after calling them.)

BMW i3 in Ontario, Canada Apr 2015 - Jul 2019
Jul 2015 1120 mi	Car displayed a CEL while on the highway, CEL then started flashing, REx shutdown while at speed. Reset it with a restart, was able to get it to the dealer, they replaced the crank position sensor.
Nov 2015 3720 mi	After the July CEL fix, the REx continued to produce CELs for cylinder misfire, camshaft position sensor as well as a couple other generic codes. The fix this time was re-adjust the timing, only part needed was a valve cover gasket.
Dec 2015 4960 mi	Steering produced strange creaking noise when used in cold temps. The new version bushings were on back order from the November CEL visit. Also requested that vehicle software be updated to the latest Nov version that fixes some bugs.
Apr 2016 6500 mi	A service bulletin required updated motor mount bolts due to early versions being prone to breaking. Also included with the new bolts was a software update that compliments the new bolts and changes the sensitivity of the TC system.
Jan 2017 6360 mi	In below zero Celsius temps, there is an audible creak from the rear when tipping into the throttle from a stop. It sounds like a motor mount as the motor cradle rocks back as torque is applied. Had two solid yellow (not flashing) CEL's during the summer months, I viewed them with my OBD reader and they were phantom CELs, so I cleared them. Common problem with i3, so I just reported this to the dealer so they could update software. The fuel flap failed to open once so I had to pull the manual release cable (common i3 problem). I reported this to the dealer so they could reset the fuel pressure sensor and check the cable.
May 2018 19815 mi	COMPLAINT: CLIENT REPORTS THERE IS A NOISE PRESENT FROM THE REAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD. PLEASE LET VEHICLE SIT AND ROAD TEST TO TRY TO VERIFY CAUSE: FOUND THAT WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS ON DECEL A SQUEAK NOISE IS HEARD. FOUND THAT ENGINE FRAME RUBS AGAINST RUBBER MOUNT UNDER THESE DRIVING CONDITIONS THIS IS NORMAL. CORRECTION: SPRAYED SILICONE SPRAY ON RUBBER MOUNT NOISE CANNOT BE HEARD AFTER. COMPLAINT: CLIENT REPORTS THREE DRIVE TRAIN ERROR MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED BET NOVEMBER 2017 = JANUARY 2018. ONE OF THEM HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING OVER A HIGHWAY EXPANSION JOINT WITH THE REX RUNNING AND THE IMPACT SEEMED TO CAUSE SHUT DOWN REX. CAUSE: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOT ON AT THIS TIME. POSSIBLE FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR CAUSING MALFUNCTION LIGHT. REPAIRED ON LINE 1 COMPLAINT: CLIENT REPORTS FUEL FLAP HAS FAILED TO OPEN A FEW TIMES. CHECK AND ADVISE CAUSE: FOUND FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR CAUSING FAULTS PERFORMED BRIEF TEST FOUND FAULT CODE 80601D STORED FOR FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR IMPLAUSABLE. RAN TEST FOR PRESSURE SENSOR FOUND IT TO BE READING OK AT THIS TIME. RECALIBRATED PRESSURE SENSOR AND CLEARED FAULT CODES

BMW i3 in Minnesota, United States Jan 2017 - Sep 2017
Mar 2017 22000 mi	The car said it was due for maintenance, so I brought it in. On the way down (dealer is 250 miles south of me), the i3 showed an error and would not unlock the fuel cover whenever I stopped. This meant I had to open the frunk and pull the manual release each time. I mentioned this when I dropped off the car and they found a bad sensor in the fuel tank so they replaced it. There were also several TSBs, so they made those fixes as well including updating the car's software.

BMW i3 in New Jersey, United States May 2015 - Jun 2022
May 2016 10000 mi	Parking brake switch broke. Took about a week for the part to come in. Drove it till part came in. They kept it overnight for repair. I don't think they knew how long it would take as they had never done it before.

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BMW i3 in California, United States Apr 2015 - Jun 2015
May 2015 5000 mi	KLE (charging module) replacement.

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BMW i3 in Georgia, United States Sep 2015 - Oct 2016
Jun 2016 25000 mi	AC compressor was noisy and was replaced.

BMW i3 in South Carolina, United States Mar 2017 - Feb 2022
Aug 2017 25600 mi	Passenger front and rear tire went flat due to road hazard. Flat tires in the i3 are a common failure and significant because there is no spare. Such an event requires a tow to the dealer. I learned from the tow driver that there are a lot of similar failures on not just the i3, but other BMWs as well since they don't have a spare either.

BMW i3 in Georgia, United States Mar 2015 - Apr 2017
Aug 2016 9000 mi	AC started blowing warm air. A software update was performed but was unsuccessful. Technician determined AC compressor is not building pressure internally. A new compressor has been ordered but will not be in until September 10!
Sep 2016 9000 mi	New AC compressor was installed on Sept. 9. No metal was found in the lines. AC is now working again.

BMW i3 in Georgia, United States Oct 2014 - Nov 2016
Jan 2015	The charging port would not let go of the charging cable once the car was unlocked and charge was complete
Aug 2015 8100 mi	Charging port, again would not unlock once fully charged

BMW i3 in Florida, United States Nov 2017 - Jul 2020
Jan 2018 8000 mi US $250	12V battery failed. Not covered under new vehicle warranty.

BMW i3 in Indiana, United States Sep 2014 - Apr 2017
Apr 2016 15500 mi	AC was not working. Dealer recharged and checked for leaks, non detected. System Repaired.

BMW i3 in Virginia, United States Sep 2014 - Mar 2017
Jun 2015 4000 mi	Radio head unit dead. No display, no radio, NAV, Bluetooth. Bad head unit control module.

BMW i3 in Wisconsin, United States Feb 2015 - Jan 2018
Mar 2015 1000 mi	Suspension made noise when turning steering wheel in cold weather. BMW had a service bulletin to correct the problem (lubrication)

BMW i3 in Florida, United States Sep 2017 - Feb 2022
Sep 2018 26000 mi	12 V battery wouldn't hold a charge. Even though the high voltage battery had plenty of charge, car wouldn't start. Had to be trucked into dealership. 12 V battery is a dealer-only repair part (no after-market batteries available). Battery is not stocked, and BMW America didn't have it either. So waited two weeks for part to become available.
Dec 2020 36000 mi US $1053	Charging socket would not release charger cable after charging finished. Replaced high voltage charging socket lock actuator.

BMW i3 in Arizona, United States Jun 2015 - Mar 2018
Oct 2015 6300 mi	Occasional use charger defective, this was the first time we had tried to use it since we have a leve 2 at home.

BMW i3 in Texas, United States Jul 2015 - Jan 2022
Jul 2015 8000 mi	Recall of KLE charging module
Jun 2016 16000 mi	There was a loose screw holding the string for the trunk lid. Screw was lost and needed replacing. Done under warranty.
Apr 2018 27000 mi	Windshield wiper fluid wasn’t dispensing. They took the system apart and cleared up a clog. Covered under warranty.

BMW i3 in California, United States May 2014 - May 2017
Jul 2014 905 mi	ECU software update.
May 2015 5259 mi	Driver's side interior door reflector cover broken. Replaced with P/N 51-41-7-322-094. Rattling coming from steering column. Performed SIB 51 20 14 to add felt tape to interior trim. This did not fix steering column rattle. Performed SIB 61 31 14 KLE Update. Replaced KLE P/N 61-44-8-647-315 and reprogrammed ECU.
Jun 2015 5624 mi	Steering column rattle. Steering column replaced per SIB 32 06 14. Replaced P/N 32-30-6-865-576 Manually Adjustable Steering Columng and P/N 32-30-6-778-609 Torx Bolt. This resolved the steering column rattle.
Jul 2015 6039 mi	Drivetrain malfunction light and car shut down. Cause: Faulty Safety Box. Replaced Safety Box P/N 61-21-8-645-849 and reprogram ECU. Also replaced several gaskets, seals, screws, bolts, and warning labels required for removal to complete repair. Technician broke steering column interior trim surround while replacing steering column for previous fix. Part not available. Special Ordered.
Aug 2015 6316 mi	Replaced steering column trim broken by technician on previous visit. P/N 51-45-9-288-432 Car failing to charge using L2 EVSE. Cause: Faulty Cell Supervision Circuit (CSC) module. Replaced CSC P/N 61-27-7-648-785 Cell Monitor and several seals, gaskets, screws, bolts, and warning labels required for removal to replace part.
Feb 2016 8526 mi	Clicking noise while charging vehicle. Performed EME reprogram per SIB 61 02 15. Passenger side mirror rattling. Bolts and screws re-torqued.
Apr 2016 9307 mi	Passenger door panel loose. Replaced clips. Passenger side rear view mirror still rattling. Felt added to mirror housing. Charging port lock not releasing charging cable. Replaced port lock actuator P/N 61-13-6-805-424 Replaced engine motor mount screw per service action B22 04 15.
May 2016 9504 mi	Front passenger interior door panel loose again. Replaced clips and washers. Added felt tape.
Mar 2017 13901 mi	Front passenger interior door panel loose and making clunking noise. Removed and reinstalled. Finally fixed. Passenger side mirror rattling still. Felt tape added everywhere. Did not fix.

BMW i3 in Washington, United States Mar 2016 - Dec 2017
Dec 2016 11000 mi	It was just a firmware update

BMW i3 in North Carolina, United States Jun 2015 - May 2017
Apr 2016 16300 mi	Charging port door would not unlock Steering wheel squeaks when outside temperature is low.

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BMW i3 in Rhode Island, United States Feb 2017 - Apr 2018
Jul 2017 8000 mi	O2 sensor replaced.
Feb 2018 14000 mi	door handle fell off.

BMW i3 in Texas, United States Sep 2014 - Sep 2014
Aug 2014 3842 mi	Replace KLE (on-board charging) module.
Sep 2014 4424 mi	Replaced coil spring in SRS (air bag) system. Performed test procedures per fault code 9030BE3. Fault did not repeat during test drive. NOTE: Dealer cautioned off site work with software might be required if returned for same fault.

BMW i3 in Vermont, United States Oct 2017 - Jan 2018
Jan 2018 9500 mi	oil change, addressed trim rattle

BMW i3 in British Columbia, Canada Nov 2015 - Jun 2022
Jul 2018 48980 mi	Broken right front spring, dealer replaced both front springs and sway bar under warranty including upper ball joint.
Jun 2022 68200 mi C $4000	Blowing warm just needed recharge 2 fuel injectors and oxygen sensor

BMW i3 in Maryland, United States Dec 2016 - Jan 2022
Mar 2021 83000 mi US $3800	compressor for car battery pack(preventing battery overheating) and required for car climate control priced quoted with large discount

BMW i3 in Florida, United States Feb 2018 - Jun 2022
Feb 2018 25000 mi	The REX engine would not turn on during the first use of ownership. Dealer replaced a module to make it turn on properly when the HV battery was depleted. and they replaced a HV battery module.
Jun 2018 38000 mi	The HV battery had a complete failure, it is actually still at the BMW dealer for repair. They stated it would take 3 to 4 weeks to diagnose. I live in central FL ad they will have to have a technician log into the i3 from Germany to find out what is wrong. So complete battery failure. First got a warning that the Drive Train was not operable.

BMW i3 in Massachusetts, United States Jul 2017 - Oct 2017
Aug 2017 40000 mi	The gas tank cover would not open. same problem with gas cap not opening, they had parts this time.

BMW i3 in Oregon, United States Dec 2016 - Dec 2018
Sep 2017 20000 mi	Door for electric plug area, had to be replace, made a noise when opening.

BMW i3 in California, United States Jan 2016 - Nov 2019
Sep 2017 42000 mi	Got a drivetrain malfunction warning. They narrowed it down to a faulty cable with bad resistance going to thte battery.
Nov 2019 52000 mi US $3000	Engine mounts needed to be replaced

BMW i3 in California, United States Oct 2015 - Jun 2018
Oct 2015 4000 mi	Charging cable lock failing intermittently, wouldn't release charging cable. Dealer replaced lock motor.
Apr 2017 11000 mi	Check engine light. Ignition coil replaced.

BMW i3 in California, United States Feb 2015 - Jul 2017
Apr 2015 1200 mi	EDME module required replacing

BMW i3 in California, United States Jan 2015 - Mar 2016
Apr 2015 1300 mi	Vehicle was experiencing intermittent charging errors
Nov 2015 6000 mi	REX engine would shutdown after running for short period. Dealer determined sealed cooling system was low on coolant.
Dec 2015 6000 mi	Software update to fix charging system issue
Jan 2016	Rex engine failed again. Dealer determined water pump was leaking which required a complete removal of the REX engine. Had to order parts from Germany.

BMW i3 in Maryland, United States Feb 2015 - Jun 2022
Jun 2015 3000 mi	Drivetrain error message. Could not duplicate. Reloaded software. Has not re-occurred.

BMW i3 in California, United States Feb 2015 - Jan 2016
Jun 2015 4000 mi	12v battery completely died.
Nov 2015 8000 mi	Dealership attempted to update the car firmware during the normally scheduled maintenance visit. After 2 failed attempts, the car "blue screened" and became unresponsive.
Dec 2015 10000 mi	Software update attempted 2x, and failed both times. After second attempt, car "blue screened" and took nearly a week to fix

BMW i3 in Indiana, United States Feb 2015 - Feb 2017
Dec 2015 6000 mi	CEL comes on periodically. Replaced Elec A/C compressor and programmed the vehicle (complete encoding)

BMW i3 in California, United States Jan 2015 - Feb 2017
Sep 2015 5000 mi	Android phone app car status unreliable/ wrong.
Apr 2016 9500 mi	drivetrain error/ software upgrade

BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Dec 2014 - Jan 2017
Jun 2015 6000 mi	Check Engine Light active. Resolved by software update.
Sep 2015 9000 mi	EME failed, caused damage to HV batteries. All batteries replaced and EME replaced
Dec 2015 12000 mi	CEL showing. Ignition coils and sparkplugs replaced.
Feb 2016 14300 mi	CEL showing, REx motor too sensitive to type of gas plus altitude. Engine re-set, adjusted.
Jun 2016 20000 mi	CEL illujinated. O2 sensors replaced Recall performed to fix motor mount bolts
Nov 2016 25100 mi	CEL for cylinder 1 misfire
Jan 2017 28000 mi	CEL for Cylinder 1 misfire

BMW i3 in Missouri, United States Jul 2017 - Mar 2018
Oct 2017 15000 mi	The LED lights on the radio and climate control panel would flicker or fail to work at all. The entire panel was replaced. Fuel pressure sensor would fail to depressurize the tank, so fuel door would not open. Part was replaced.

BMW i3 in Texas, United States Aug 2017 - Jun 2023
Nov 2017 19000 mi	Charger lock was defective, requiring replacement
Dec 2017 19000 mi	Check engine light would come on after charging sessions (this is an electric car)
Mar 2018 28000 mi	Fuel system wouldn't depressurize and open the fuel door when commanded.
Jul 2020 78000 mi US $888	Fan relay was replaced, plus oil change
Nov 2020 85000 mi US $550	Rear hatch unlock mechanism failed (electric release mechanism).
Jun 2022 129000 mi US $580	12 Volt battery died and need replacement and coded to the vehicle

BMW i3 in Great Britain Sep 2017 - Jun 2018
Dec 2017 21000 mi	Kidney grille trim Replaced reversing camera
Mar 2018 23000 mi	Heated seat mat replaced

BMW i3 in Iowa, United States Nov 2014 - Dec 2017
Jan 2015 28800 mi	On board battery charger replaced, car firmware updated.
Mar 2015 8000 mi	CEL light intermittently on, dealer replaced several ignition parts. Ignition coil and spark plug replaced on one cylinder.
Dec 2016 33000 mi	Replaced EME to fix drivetrain malfunction error

BMW i3 in Oregon, United States Mar 2015 - Dec 2016
Aug 2015 2500 mi	Software issue caused failure of 12V battery and failure of all car systems. The 12V battery was charged and the software was updated. The seatbelt was improperly installed. This required removal and replacement of the driver's seatbelt and roller system.
Mar 2016 7000 mi	Trunk latch malfunctioned. Check engine light on.
Nov 2016 10000 mi US $1075	Fuel intake flap failed and would not open.

BMW i3 in California, United States Mar 2015 - Apr 2018
May 2015 1000 mi	Airbag/restraint system error light appeared on dash one week after delivery. Dealer diagnosis fault in engine or motor (I can't recall which) wiring harness, part needed from Germany, ETA 10 days. Part arrived in 7 days.
Oct 2015 4200 mi	Complete drive train failure. Car dead in garage in AM. Would not display Ready, come out of Park nor move. Tripped home breaker, stopped charge. Flat bed to dealer. Dlr repl whole battery pack, 12v battery, contactor, EME module Airbag sensor failure light came on in September for the second time since I got the car. Was previously repaired in May by replacing main wiring harness. This time it was repaired during repair of drive train also reported in October.
May 2016 8100 mi	Warning message showed on iDrive and instrument displays saying Fault in Airbag or Seatbelt systems.
Jul 2017 14600 mi	The charging rate on Level 2 (240 Volts) on my home charger dropped to half speed during an overnight charge. My electrical monitor documented drop of charging rate from 6.8 kW to 3.4 kW. Check Engine light came on. All subsequent charging efforts showed the same reduced charging rate. The check engine light came on, associated with the charging rate failure documented in another report for this date. Intermittent operation of gas fuel tank door when refueling button is pressed. Error code is generated, fuel door will not open without extensive jiggling of the emergency release cable and prying fuel door open with fingers.

BMW i3 in Massachusetts, United States Aug 2015 - Apr 2018
Dec 2016 34000 mi	Wiring harness on engine needed to be replaced
Feb 2018 51000 mi	Safety software for passenger seat

BMW i3 in Quebec, Canada Aug 2015 - Dec 2017
Nov 2016 26620 mi	Emergency latch cable for the AC charging cable
Aug 2017 35340 mi	Back up camera was dirty inside the shell

BMW i3 in Great Britain Dec 2015 - Jun 2018
Dec 2015 7000 mi	faulty lambda sensor faulty high voltage charging cable Faulty electronics control board on electric motor Replacement electric motor mounting bolts
Aug 2016 18000 mi	Petrol refuel flap would not open. Software update to correct. No parts.
Oct 2016 22000 mi	Incorrect oil change procedure led to engine bay being covered in half of the engines oil content, causing white smoke and smell. Car had to be returned to servicing dealer on tow truck for steam clean and new oil filter.
Apr 2017 30000 mi	Fuel filler flap will not open-software error.
Dec 2017 42000 mi £302	Fuel pump solenoid faulty
Mar 2018 45000 mi £60	fuel filler flap would not open after faulty tank depressurisation. emergency release cable had to be used top open the flap. diagnostics check could not find error. however failure of flap repeated on next use. fault remains unfixed. car accelerated when foot lifted off accelerator. Two occurences. Unable to replicate or detect after diagnostic check. Very worrying.
May 2018 48000 mi £120	Fuel tank pressure sensor required recalibration.

BMW i3 in Spain Dec 2015 - Mar 2018
Jan 2016 52480 mi	Problem on 12V auxiliary battery, need to be replaced.
Nov 2016 54000 mi	Replace of lambda sensor on the Range extender

BMW i3 in Colorado, United States Oct 2014 - Jan 2017
Dec 2015 4000 mi	Check engine light was on. Replaced ignition coil under warranty.
Jun 2016 6000 mi	Check engine light was on. Replaced ignition coil.
Jan 2017 7000 mi	Check engine light on. Fuel injectors leaking. Crankcase vent hoses failed. Replaced fuel injectors and vent hoses.

BMW i3 in Missouri, United States May 2015 - Jan 2017
Feb 2016 5100 mi	Bad strut pad that was making noise
Oct 2016 10700 mi	Electric fuel door release stopped working for a few days. Had to use emergency cord in frunk. Drivetrain error when running REX generator. Cleared itself after a couple days. Seems like a pressure problem of some kind when it uses a lot of gas quickly.
Jan 2017 14000 mi	fuel door actuator replaced

BMW i3 in Michigan, United States Apr 2015 - Jun 2022
Apr 2015 7000 mi US $70	On-board charger recall and software update.
Sep 2015 9000 mi	EV drive software. Recall for software update solved problem.
Mar 2016 12000 mi	Fuel door locking mechanism broken as car went through car wash.
Apr 2016 12200 mi	During motor mount bolt exchange (recall), rear trunk floor was damaged (holes, scrape marks). Damage was inspected by BMW dealership but repair work is still on hold (since April 2016) due to unavailable service part.
Sep 2016 15000 mi	Trunk floor plate, which was damaged by dealer during recall work in April 2016, has now been exchanged against a new one, under warranty.
May 2019 22000 mi US $500	12V battery went out and damaged HV battery. Car became inoperable and had to be towed to dealership. My dealership had never changed a 12V battery on an i3 and multiple escalations to BMW Corporate were required, both on the technical side and also to have most of the work covered under the HV battery's warranty. The general warranty on this vehicle is expired. Fuel sensor recall work.
Nov 2019 26000 mi US $90	12V battery installed in May was found faulty and was again changed - this time under full warranty.
Jul 2020 31000 mi US $1517	Heating system for driver's seat. Oil filters & gasket. Oil change. Software reinstalled following error messages.

BMW i3 in British Columbia, Canada Apr 2015 - Jun 2016
May 2016 16820 mi	creaking noise from steering wheel

BMW i3 in Illinois, United States May 2015 - May 2017
Jan 2016 9200 mi	Winter tires that BMW indicated were allowable caused an error in the regenerative braking. Error partially to fully disables regenerative braking after engaging it.
Apr 2017 18000 mi	Housing for Adaptive LED lights leaked and let water in. Dealer rebuilt unit per the request of BMW NA

BMW i3 in British Columbia, Canada Feb 2017 - Jan 2018
Mar 2017 15500 mi	Rear (back up) camera had moisture inside of it (it's supposed to be sealed). It was replaced free of charge under warranty.
May 2017 19220 mi C $400	Exterior window rubber trim was falling apart and was replaced under warranty. Plastic ISOFix child seat lock cover was broken and replaced under warranty. Rubber strap holding filler cap to the body of the car was broken and replaced under warranty.
Aug 2017 21700 mi	Replaced the instrument cluster under warranty. The old one had a display screen that was getting delaminated.

BMW i3 in Ohio, United States Jun 2015 - Apr 2016
Apr 2016 6000 mi	Steering noise

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BMW i3 in Alabama, United States May 2016 - Jun 2022
Oct 2016 15500 mi	Backup camera
Dec 2016 18000 mi	Motor mount bolt broke: new mount attachments; new bolts; broken wires and; crushed A/C hose

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See TrueDelta's information for all Hatchbacks

See TrueDelta's information for all BMW models.

2018 BMW i3 repairs by problem area

2018 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2018 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2017 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2017 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2016 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2016 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2015 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2015 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2014 BMW i3

2014 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2014 BMW i3 4dr Hatch

2014 BMW i3 2-door

2018 BMW i3 Repair Histories