BMW i3 Complaints

237 consumer complaints on file.

#11307955February 8, 2020
STEERING
STEERING BECAME NOTCHY AND FELT LIKE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH. IT ALSO FELT LIKE IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT WHILE ON CITY STREETS DRIVING STRAIGHT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT BMW OF LAS VEGAS. I READ ONLINE WHERE MANY OTHER I3 OWNERS WERE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES. MANY HAVE REPORTED THAT THE ISSUE MAY BE SOFTWARE RELATED AND DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE AS IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND SHUTTING OFF THE CAR CAN RESET IT GIVING A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11306969February 4, 2020
POWER TRAIN
STARTED THE CAR AFTER CHARGING IT OVERNIGHT AND "DRIVETRAIN: STOP CAREFULLY" AND "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION" APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR HAS BEEN COMPLETELY FINE BEFORE THIS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11302581January 28, 2020
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. SEAT BELT JUST HANGS THERE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11300225January 17, 2020
STEERING
MY 2015 I3 REX JUST HAD THE STEERING GET REALLY HEAVY AS IF I HAD A FLAT AND IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CENTER THE STEERING AS IF THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS FOR THIS MODEL, BUT IT IS INTERMITTENT AND THEREFORE HARD TO DUPLICATE FOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR A WHILE, IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11290836December 23, 2019
STEERING
STEERING HAS BEEN NORMAL UNTIL NOW. SUDDENLY ON TWO OCCASIONS AFTER STOPPING AT A LIGHT IT WAS HARD TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. STEERING FELT AS IF TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. PRESSURE WAS NOT LOW. THIS IS FIRST TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ON INTERNET SEARCHES. HAVE NOT DRIVEN I3 AGAIN SINCE INCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11289932December 18, 2019
STEERING
THE STEERING BECOMES HEAVY INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES LIKE THERE IS NO STEERING ASSIST. ALSO WHEEL DOES NOT COME BACK TO CENTER AFTER TURNS. TYPICALLY ON COLDER DAYS AND DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11282837November 29, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
A DAY AFTER THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE. WHILE DRIVING ON I 95 WITH RANGE EXTENDER, NOTICED THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION ALERT WITH RAPID DECELERATION NEEDING TO PULL TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER QUICKLY. BMW ASSIST TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALER, WHO SAID IT WAS LACK OF ELECTRIC CHARGE, PLUGGED THE CAR IN CHARGER AND GAVE IT TO ME TO HEAD BACK HOME TOWN. FEW DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM AGAIN RECURRED. NOW THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER IN HOME TOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11270293October 22, 2019
ENGINE
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED THE REAR OF THE CAR FELT LIKE IT GOT REAR ENDED. I WALKED AROUND THE CAR, NOTHING WAS WRONG. IT DROVE FINE UP TO 40 MPH, THEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT MADE A RRRR SOUND. THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLT SNAPPED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11270342October 22, 2019
STEERING
WHILEEXITING A PARKING PLACE ALONG A CURB - SLIGHT VEER OUT,ON DRY PAVEMENT, NIGHTIME, ON AN AVERAGECITY STREET. STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME BULLISH. WITHIN 100 FEET AND IN THE PROCESSOF THE 1ST UPCOMING90-DEGREE RIGHT-HANDTURN ALL MANNER OF WARNINGS WENT OFF, "PEDESTRIAN WARNING FAULTY,INCREASED STEER EFFORT (DUH!) CHASSIS STABILIZATION. I ALSO FELTIMMEDIATEPAININ MY RIGHT FOREARM AND SO THE ORDER OF WARNINGS MAY BE A BIT OFF. I HAVE BEEN WEARING A BRACE ON MY ARM SINCE THAT EVE FOR PAIN RELIEFFROM HAVING TO TORQUE ON THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT SO HARD TO AVOID CROSSING OVER INTO THE ADJACENTLANE.STEERING IS LIKE DRIVING WITH BOTH FRONT WHEELS NEARLY FLAT. ONBOARD TIRE PRESSURE SHOWS ALL WERE AND ARE OF PROPER INFLATION. AFTER ONE ON-OFF CYCLE OF OVERNIGHT DURATION, ISSUES RESOLVED THEMSELVES THEN REPEATED IN ABOUT 24 HOURS. FOR A FEW DAYS NOW TRYING TO LET IT RESOLVE ITSELF WITH OFF/ON CYCLES THE STEERING HAS HAD THE SAME SLUGGISHNESS AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY POWER ASSIST. WARNINGS ARE STILL PREVALENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11265243September 30, 2019
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A TWO-LANE PAVED CITY STREET AT ABOUT 30 MPH THE STEERING BECAME HEAVY AND PULLED STRONGLY TO THE LEFT. CLEAR WEATHER, MODERATE TEMPERATURES. I STOPPED THE CAR AFTER A HALF MILE OR SO, SHUT IT OFF COMPLETELY THEN RESTARTED IT. THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. IT HAS NOT YET REAPPEARED. TIRE PRESSURES WERE ON THE LOW SIDE OF NORMAL. NONE WERE ABNORMALLY LOW AND THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. DEALER HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11258342September 26, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY'S HOV LANE (FULLY CHARGED, NOT ON THE EXTENDED RANGE), THE CAR GAVE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION" AND THE PROPULSION DIED SHORTLY AFTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11256750September 19, 2019
STEERING
MY 2015 I3 JUST HAD THE STEERING GET REALLY HEAVY AS IF I HAD A FLAT AND IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CENTER THE STEERING AS IF THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS FOR THIS MODEL, BUT IT IS INTERMITTENT AND THEREFORE HARD TO DUPLICATE FOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR A WHILE, IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11256755September 19, 2019
STEERING
WHILE PULLING ONTO THE ROAD MY CAR STARTED PULLING STRONGLY TOWARDS THE LEFT AND WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. IT HAD VERY HEAVY DIFFICULT STEERING. IT FELT ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING I'VE FELT IN THE TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND 'GOOGLED' I3 DIFFICULT STEERING AND CAME ACROSS MULTIPLE FORUM POSTS AND DISCUSSION OF THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS THE I3 POWER STEERING CAN RANDOMLY STOP WORKING AND THEN RETURNS WITH AN IGNITION CYCLE. I LOCKED THE CAR, WENT IN A STORE FOR 5 MINUTES, AND NORMAL STEERING RESUMED WHEN I DROVE AWAY. ONE BECOMES USED TO THE WAY THEIR CAR DRIVES WHEN THEY DRIVE IT EVERY DAY. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING CHANGES DRASTICALLY IT SEEMS IT CAN BE AN ALARMING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254803September 11, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW I3. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN JUNE OF 2019. IN EARLY AUGUST, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ACTIVATED. WHILE BRAKING, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND HEARD A THUMPING SOUND AND THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE WARNING INDICATOR INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW SEATTLE (1002 AIRPORT WAY S, SEATTLE, WA 98134, (206) 829-5004) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET FRACTURED. THE ENGINE FELL AND PINCHED THE HIGH VOLTAGE CABLE, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE TO APPEAR. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, IT WOULD COST OVER $5,000 TO REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,015.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11253939September 8, 2019
STEERING
IN LAST 4 WEEKS, ON TWO OCCASIONS STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF A & HARD TO TURN. BOTH TIMES THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF IMMEDIATELY WHEN CAR STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD. IN FIRST OCCURRENCE, AFTER LEAVING PARKING LOT UNDER 10 MILES/HOUR, I DROVE 25-30 MILES/HOUR IN CITY TRAFFIC (STRAIGHT STREETS), THEN DROVE UP TO 65-70 MILES/HOUR ON INTERSTATE 95 (MOSTLY STRAIGHT AHEAD DRIVING). IN THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, I REVERSED STRAIGHT OUT OF THE DRIMVEWAY AT ABOUT 5-10 MILES/HOUR. I DIDN'T HIT ANY MANHOLE COVERS OR SIGNIFICANT UNEVENESS IN EITHER CASE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11252950September 3, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW I3. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, BOTH WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW NORTHWEST (4011 20TH ST E, TACOMA, WA 98424, (253) 922-8700); HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. AFTER ANOTHER TWO WEEKS, A REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER FROM THE MANUFACTURER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT A SOFTWARE REPAIR WAS NEEDED, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR POSSIBLY ANOTHER TWO MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS CURRENTLY STILL AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. *TR*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11245653August 22, 2019
STEERING
INTERMITTENTLY, THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED ON. STEERING IS HEAVY AND SLOW. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON GENERALLY CORRECTS THIS FAULT. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. I DOCUMENTED BELOW APPROXIMATELY THE DATE OF THE FIRST EVENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11245101August 19, 2019
POWER TRAIN
IN SEVERAL OCCASION, A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY. A "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" LIGHTS UP AND CAR STOPS AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR AGAIN. I TURNED OFF THE CAR FOR A MINUTE THEN ON AGAIN, THE LIGHT DISAPPEARED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THE THIRD TIME I STARTED UP MY CAR AND THE LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE LIGHT REMAINED AND THE CAR IS IMMOBILIZED. IT IS VERY ODD THAT A DRIVE TRAIN IS MALFUNCTIONED AFTER ONLY 39,000 MILES. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE DRIVE TRAIN ON THE I3 ARE OFTEN MALFUNCTION AND IS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I HAVE A 2014 BASE MODEL AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAS GONE OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE THE 5 YEARS CAME BEFORE THE 50,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11243170August 12, 2019
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD SPEED ABOUT 40-50 MPH, STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME STIFF AND VERY HARD TO TURN. THE WHEEL DOES NOT WANT TO CENTER. IT HAPPENED RANDOMLY AND CAN'T BE REPRODUCE EASILY. IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST W MONTHS. I FEEL IT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHILE ON THE ROAD. IT FIXED ITSELF THE NEXT MORNING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11243380August 12, 2019
STEERING
ELECTRIC STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AFTER DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE. STEERING FELT SLUGGISH AND DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY POWER ASSISTANCE. THE FEELING OF THE STEERING NO LONGER HAVING A POWER ASSIST LED ME TO RESEARCH THE VEHICLE INFO TO DETERMINE IF THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING A FLAT TIRE(S). THE FEELING WAS THAT BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE FLAT. ON BOARD TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM INDICATED THAT ALL TIRES WERE OF PROPER INFLATION. THE CAR DID NOT PULL TO EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT DID TAKE MORE STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THAN NORMALLY EXPERIENCED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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