BMW i3 Complaints

237 consumer complaints on file.

#11451014February 8, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
The contact owns a 2018 BMW i3. The contact stated that while driving in the rain at approximately 45 - 50 MPH, the vehicle had unintended acceleration and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle came to a full stop after getting stuck in the mud on the side of the road. The failure nearly caused a collision. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 42,600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11450755February 7, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car had all warning light came on one day. We brought to a local dealer and they told me it was due to 12V battery was not charging. 1. I asked to a service rep if 12V battery could be issue w/o full diagnostic which they charged me extra. He said they needed to do it to figure out. 2. After replacing the battery, it still had error message. After a few days, I was told car needs software update to clear error message related 12V battery. I requested this should be repaired by BMW or their dealers without any cost to me, but rep told me it was not free. I don't simply understand why consumer is responsible for paying to repair software defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439937November 9, 2021
AIR BAGS
Involved in a frontal collision and air bag did not deploy. Airbag could've prevented more serious injuries suffered. I contacted the service center at BMW Roseville and left a message for the service manager, no return call. The vehicle has been inspected by an insurance authorized collision center and is considered totaled. There were no warning there was a problem and didn't appear until the collision happened and it didn't deploy.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11438729October 30, 2021
STEERING
Previously reported a steering incident no. 11438343. Dealer indidicated that there was a "bug in the software" and that the car would be entitled to a one time fix under extended warranty. Dealership worked on the issue and completed the warranty repair on 11/28/2021 and I picked up the vehicle. Upon starting the car, the steering felt "different". I turned right to exit the dealership and tried to straighten the car but the steering turned full left and I crossed into the opposite lane of traffic. I stopped, turned the wheel to center, let it go and it turned full left on its own. I shut the car off, restarted and steering was normal. Drove back to the dealership for them to complete the repair. Dealership reported that this has occurred once for them but they cannot get it to repeat so they are going to keep the car for a few days. I am concerned that they will consider this an out of warranty repair because they were clear that they would offer a "one time fix" for the known issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11438343October 27, 2021
STEERING
Vehicle experiences periodic loss of "power steering". Very difficult to steer or control. Steering does not re-center making control difficult. Steering is restored after shutting down the car for a few minutes. Dealership cannot find any faults or codes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11436391October 12, 2021
POWER TRAIN
The car turned off while driving and presented a "drivetrain" error message. The car lost power but I was able to safely steer to the side of the road. Car was taken to BMW dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. Was informed that the EME (Electric Motor Electronics) Module was bad and would need to be replaced. The car is 5 years old and has 31,700 miles and has never been in an accident. The estimate to replace the EME was $7,000
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11435589October 5, 2021
AIR BAGS
I am the owner of my BMWi3. We live in a retirement community in Florida and it is the perfect vehicle for driving the short commutes of our daily activities. December 27, 2020 I ordered (from Amazon) SUNTUE Buckles Extender,Universal Fit for 7/8'' Metal Tongue, Extension Socket Connector with E11 Safety Certified -2 Pack. The purpose was to make it easier to fasten the seat belts. We are in our 70’s and it is difficult to reach down to fasten the belt. Our fingers are not as nimble as when we were young. I installed them in mid-January 2021 and a few days later the message appeared: “Driver restraint system malfunction. Continue wearing safety belt. Consult nearest service center.” Shortly after the warning appeared, I removed the extenders and thought the warning would go away. However, it continued to appear. After seeing the message for several months, I called BMW for an appointment to clear the message. September 23, 2021, I paid $160.10 for a diagnostic test, and the BMW Service Advisor told me the SRS – Airbag Driver Front: high resistance in driver airbag must be replaced. He assured me the problem is NOT related to the seat belt extenders. The advisor said the air bag would have to be ordered and gave an estimate of over $1,300. I had to sign papers stating the airbag is not safe. I searched on-line for other BMWi3 owners who have had similar experiences. I found that some other owners have had the airbag message. I then searched for “replacement of air bags” and was surprised to find that it is rarely necessary to replace the bags “because they won’t wear out.” My BMW has 35,600 miles; it is always garaged, and has not been in an accident, therefore, I do not understand what would cause my airbag system to indicate it must be replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11431762September 4, 2021
STEERING
I had just turned on the car a few minutes prior to the incident and I was approaching an intersection to turn left onto a 2-lane highway. As I made the left turn, the steering felt wrong like the car was over then under steering. I was able to straighten out, and I felt like the power steering had failed. A quarter mile down the road, I turned left into a gas station, and I could feel the heaviness of the steering. It felt exactly like if the power steering was deactivated. I came to a stop, turn off fans, rolled the window down, and turned the steering wheel to see if there were any odd noises. There weren't. There were no error lamps or messages displayed. I turned off the car for a minute then back on again. The steering felt fine from then on. It felt unsafe because of the sudden loss of expected steering control. I have not yet taken the car to the dealer for this issue, but it was at the dealership two weeks ago for an oil change and inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427083July 29, 2021
STEERING
Power steering malfunctioned causing steering to be very stiff. This happened whenever the car exceeded about 25 MPH, and returned to normal at low speeds. The car wanted to veer out of the lane and required force to keep it in the lane. After turning the car off and back on, the car steering returned to normal. This event happens sporadically, about once a month. While the steering can be overpowered to keep the car on course, this can be very dangerous if you are not expecting it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425977July 22, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On July 4, 2021, I realized that the charge port on my BMW i3 would not accept a charge plug - it appeared to be blocked. I took the car to the dealer and they informed me that the charge port had been damaged (melted) by heat from a defective charger. In addition to public charging, I had typically been using a home charger - a MUSTART Level 2 40-amp charge cable purchased from Amazon on February 4, 2019. The BMW technician requested to see the cable and it was confirmed to be damaged also. BMW attributed this incident to the charger rather than the vehicle, so the repair (over $2400) was not covered under warranty. I feel this represents a serious safety concern, as the overheated charger/charge port could have caused a fire in my garage. I have retained the parts associated with this incident, including the charge cable and the damaged charge port from the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425902July 21, 2021
ENGINE
I've had to replace the engine motor mount bolts twice in 3 years
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11417984May 20, 2021
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Passenger restraint failure/seat sensor not registering occupant. Yes, it is a available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Failure to deploy airbag or airbag may deploy on a child under weight limit to register occupancy. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Warning lamps appeared at the beginning of April. Took the vehicle to independent mechanic. Mechanic instructed us to visit BMW dealership for evaluation. Took the vehicle to Gebhardt BMW in Boulder, CO on May 5th for evaluation. Vehicle was returned to us on May 7th. Codes indicated failure of passenger seat sensor.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11408397April 16, 2021
STEERING
ROADS WERE CLEAR BUT EDGES SLUSHY. TEMP WAS 27 DEGREES.DROVE 2 MILES AT 40ISH MPH TO STARBUCKS, GOT COFFEE. NORMAL REAR WHEEL DRIVE TRACTION ISSUES WHEN CHANGING LANES, ETC. I WAS DRIVING CAREFULLY AND ABOUT 5 MPH UNDER WHAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS DOING. ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THE COFFEE DRIVE THROUGH, I CHANGED LANES (RIGHT TO LEFT) OVER A PILE OF SLUSH...NORMAL MILD TRACTION ISSUES. WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND HAD "RECOVERED" WHEN SUDDENLY MORE YELLOW TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON (ONE ON DRIVERS CONTROL PANEL, ONE ON THE INFO PANEL)...READING IT LATER, IT SAID TO DRIVE GENTLY, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS RECALIBRATING. I AM A VERY GOOD DRIVER...I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL. I WAS STEERING INTO THE SKID, BUT IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A NORMAL SKID. IT DIDN'T SLOW (I KNOW NOT TO BRAKE - AND THERE WASN'T ANY TRAFFIC TO WORRY ABOUT). COMPLETELY INTO THE RIGHT BREAKDOWN LANE, RECOVERED SOMEWHAT, INTO THE LEFT LANE UNTIL I FINALLY GENTLY HIT THE CURB AT ABOUT 10 MPH. I WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THE NIGHTMARE STARTED. EVEN AFTER GAINING SOME MODICUM OF CONTROL, I COULDN'T GO MORE THAN ABOUT 20 MPH WITHOUT COMPLETELY LOSING ANY KIND OF TRACTION CONTROL. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE CAR OFF/ON...NO CHANGE. PULLED OVER, RESET THE CAR BY WALKING 15 YDS AWAY WITH THE KEYS FOR 15 MINUTES, I COULD PULL OUT AND DRIVE NORMALLY FOR 100 YDS, THEN THE "RECALIBRATING" NOTIFICATION WOULD COME ON AND I WOULD LOSE CONTROL. I WAS ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WITH MEDIAN. EVEN AFTER WAITING 2 HOURS FOR A TOW, THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY AND I HAD NO CONTROL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11404544March 23, 2021
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE IN MOTION - OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON PUBLIC ROADWAY - MAKING IT DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO NAVIGATE A TURN. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11404583March 23, 2021
AIR BAGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNBELTED SMALL ADULT CAN INCREASE NECK INJURY. FRONT AIR BAG MUST BE UPDATED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11403918March 19, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW I3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED MALFUNCTION IN POWER TRAIN WARNING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO SERVICE CENTER AT BMW OF FORT LAUDERDALE (2601 S. ANDREWS AVE, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33316, (877) 853-3109) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELEMENTS OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V599000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11399693March 8, 2021
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
THE WARNING MESSAGE (SHOWN IN THE PHOTO PROVIDED) APPEARED LAST NIGHT AROUND 8:00 PM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11396133February 14, 2021
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WITH SEAT BELT ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11391156February 2, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BMW I3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CHARGING PORT OVERHEATED WHILE CHARGING AND MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF ROCHESTER HILLS, 45550 DEQUINDRE RD, SHELBY CHARTER TWP, MI 48317, AND WAS DIAGNOSED BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE WHAT WAS THE DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11390882January 31, 2021
STEERING
LOST POWER STEERING AS I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE, MAKING CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THINKING I HAD A FLAT TIRE, I TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED HOME. SHUT DOWN THE CAR, CHECKED THE TIRES (THEY WERE FINE), RESTARTED IT, AND POWER STEERING RETURNED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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