BMW i3 Complaints

237 consumer complaints on file.

#10805744September 22, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TWO ISSUES: 1. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH, WITH BATTERY POWER DRAINED, THE REX (RESERVE ENGINE) TURNS ON. SUDDENLY, SPEED DROPS FROM 65 MPH TO 40 MPH WHILE ON A 2-LANE CA FREEWAY, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE REAR-ENDED BY TRAFFIC. ONE MONTH LATER, SAME SITUATION, SAME PROBLEM. 2. MANUFACTURER STATES A COMBINED MILEAGE RANGE OF 80 MILES ON BATTERY, 60 MILES ON REX (RESERVE ENGINE), FOR A COMBINED RANGE OF 140 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD MORE THAN 60 MILES ON BATTERY AND 40 MILES ON REX FOR A COMBINED MILEAGE OF 100 MILES, 40% LESS THAN BMW STATES, EVEN THOUGH I USE A PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED LEVEL 2 CHARGER. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THESE ISSUES. THE BMW DEALER?S WRITTEN FINDINGS: "CAR PERFORMED AS DESIGNED; VEHICLE IS EPA RATED TO GO 72 MILES PER CHARGE IN IDEAL CONDITIONS. THIS RANGE WILL VARY DRASTICALLY BASED ON VEHICLE USAGE AS WELL AS WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AND WAS EASILY ABLE TO TRAVEL 75 MILES ON A CHARGE. RANGE EXTENDER IS INTENDED TO BE USED AS A FAILSAFE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A CHARGING STATION AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR REGULAR USE, ESPECIALLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AS THE ENGINE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS. POWER REDUCTION AND REDUCED VEHICLE SPEED WILL RESULT. UPDATED COMPLETE VEHICLE SOFTWARE. VEHICLE NOW HAS A BATTERY PERCENTAGE DISPLAY AVAILABLE TO HELP GAUGE WHEN POWER REDUCTION IS TAKING PLACE. THESE ARE THE ONLY MEASURES AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AS THE COMPLAINT IS REGARDING A DESIGN PARAMETER OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT AN ACTUAL ISSUE.? I DISAGREE. MY SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, AND THE CAR DOES NOT FUNCTION AS ADVERTISED. NEITHER OF THESE ISSUES IS ADDRESSED IN ANY MATERIAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER, DEALER, OTHER WEBSITES OR OTHER INDUSTRY OR WEB-BASED SOURCES. BMW NA SENT AN ENGINEER TO CHECK THE CAR, HE SAID THIS IS THE DESIGN OF THE BMW, NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10765303September 19, 2015
POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING ON A WINDY, HILLY ROAD WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND THE CAR RAPIDLY DECELLERATED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DISPLAY SHOWED "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION - DO NOT DRIVE CAR" THE BATTERY SHOWED THERE WAS STILL POWER LEFT, AND THE RANGE EXTENDER (REX) HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT ALSO COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THE ROAD AND AWAY FROM TRAFFIC. AFTER HOURS OF DIRECTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AROUND THE CAR ON THIS TWO-LANE ROAD, A FLATBED FINALLY ARRIVED AND HAD TO DRAG THE CAR WITH LOCKED WHEELS UP ONTO THE FLATBED USING A WINCH. BMW SAID THE CAR HAD MANY FAULTS STEMMING FROM A "PROBLEM IN THE SME. ALSO SAID "PUMA RESPONSE WAS TO REPLACE KLE" CAR HAS SINCE BEEN WORKING FINE BUT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10749176August 17, 2015
POWER TRAIN
WHILE IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC, ON A SMOOTH SURFACE STREET, WE HEARD A POP OR BANG AND IMMEDIATELY AN ERROR MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, PULL OVER AND STOP". BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO PARK WHILE I WAS STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND MT CAR FOR 1.5 HOURS BEFORE A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, HAD I BEEN ON TRAIN TRACKS OR IN A HIGHER SPEED SECTION OF ROAD, I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS FAILURE MODE MUST BE CORRECTED FOR ME TO WANT TO KEEP THE CAR. A DRIVER MUST BE ABLE TO PUSH THEIR CAR OUT OF HARMS WAY IF THERE IS A MALFUNCTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10743418July 24, 2015
STEERING
VEHICLE DOES NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT, VERY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY. VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW BUT MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALWAYS HAVE TO ADJUST THE STEERING CONSTANTLY FOR THE VEHICLE TO GO STRAIGHT, VEHICLE IS WANDERING. IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE IT APPEARS AS THE DRIVER IS DRUNK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10723821June 7, 2015
WHEELS
FLAT TIRE, TIRE UNREPAIRABLE BIG HOLE AND RUPTURED AFTER NORMAL DRIVING. NO JACK GIVEN, NO SPARE TIRE GIVEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME CAR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10723833June 7, 2015
WHEELS
GETTING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT VERY LOW SPEED OF 2-3 MILES PER HOUR TOUCHED A CURB AND THE TIRE WENT FLAT IMMEDIATELY THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. 5 DAYS LATER, A PIECE OF PLASTIC PUNCTURED ANOTHER TIRE. OTHER TIRES WOULD HAVE DEFLECTED THIS PLASTIC PIECE BUT THE NEW BMW I3 TIRES ARE EASY TO GET PUNCTURED AND HAVE FLATS. MANUFACTURER DOES NOT INCLUDE SPARE OR JACK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10723834June 7, 2015
WHEELS
A SMALL PIECE OF PLASTIC EASILY PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND MADE IT FLAT. THE TIRES ON THE BMW I3 ARE PRONE TO FLATS AND EASILY GET PUNCTURED. THESE ARE NEW TIRES BY BRIDGESTONE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN TESTED IN OTHER VEHICLES AND THERE ARE LOTS OF FLATS BY OWNERS ON THIS SPECIFIC CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10692088March 4, 2015
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW I3. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND REMAINED STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST AND NECK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10679476January 28, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
NEAR CRASH (CRASH AVOIDED BY MANUAL EMERGENCY BRAKING INTERVENTION) THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WAS FOLLOWING A BLACK SUV AT 8:30AM SOUTHBOUND ON CA101 (VEHICLE PRESENT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED). THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED SO NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL KEPT PACE AND WOULD HAVE COLLIDED INTO THE VEHICLE IF I HAD NOT TAKEN OVER. ONLY ABOUT TWO YARDS FROM THE VEHICLE, THE SYSTEM NOTICED THE SUV HAD SLOWED DOWN, BUT THIS WAS AFTER I ALREADY HIT THE BRAKES. CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS. WELL ILLUMINATED, NO GLARE.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10676147January 16, 2015
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I BOUGHT BMW I-3 IN 9/14. IT RAN FINE UNTIL LAST WEEKEND IN NOV. ON SAT. 11/29/14 WE WERE DRIVING ON I-5 NORTH AT ABOUT GORMAN EXIT CAR WENT ON GAS EXTENDER AND ALL OF SUDDEN SPEED DROPPED FROM 60-65 MILES TO 30 MILES AND BELOW AND WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN THAT ON FREEWAY DESPITE ME FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL. WE TOOK NEXT EXIT OF FRAZIER PARK DRIVING IN RIGHT MOST LANE WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND ALL THE WAY UPTO PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB SAME THING HAPPENED. WE CHARGED THE CAR OVERNIGHT TO FULL CAPACITY AND DROVE BACK TO PORTER RANCH NEXT DAY. I WENT TO MY WORK ON 11/30/14 LATER IN AFTERNOON AND COMING BACK FROM PANORAMA CITY TO PORTER RANCH AGAIN CAR CAME ON GAS THIS TIME AT THE RAMP FROM I-405 NORTH MERGE WITH 118 WEST AND THIS TIME CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED ON THE RAMP IT WAS AT ABOUT 3.45 PM IT WAS RAINING IN THE VALLEY. I WAS SO AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY WILL HIT ME FROM BACK. FORTUNATELY ENOUGH AFTER LONG-LONG FEW MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START MY CAR AND TOOK NEXT EXIT ON 118 WEST (HAYVENHURST) AND DROVE BACK HOME ON STREET WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN. SEEMS, CAR GOING ON GAS EXTENDER ON FREEWAY IS A"DEATH TRAP". I DONOT REMEMBER ANY BODY WARNING US OF THAT PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10663972December 12, 2014
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ADAPTIVE SPEED CONTROL WILL UNEXPECTEDLY QUIT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERING UNEXPECTED BRAKING FORCE. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF BEING STUCK FROM THE REAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10659963November 21, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW I3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10648816October 20, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
BMW SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RECALL OR WARN DRIVERS ABUT THE I3 RANGE EXTENDER MODEL. SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A DEADLY FLAW IN THE CAR THAT I EXPERIENCED. YESTERDAY MORNING, THE BATTERY WAS LOW IN POWER AND I WAS IN REX MODE AND DRIVING UP THE CONEJO GRADE RETURNING TO LA FROM SANTA BARBARA. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR IN THE FAST LANE. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE PRECISE SPEED BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING INTO THE SUN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT OPERATE (SEE BELOW). SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR LOST POWER. DESPITE HAVING MY FOOT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DOWN TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR QUICKLY DROPPED SPEED. AS THE CAR DROPPED SPEED ALL THE WAY TO ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR, I QUICKLY MOVED OVER LANE BY LANE TO THE RIGHT WHERE I FINALLY HAD TO LIMP ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. SEVERAL CARS MOVING UP ON MY REAR HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT. NORMALLY, THIS STRETCH OF THE FREEWAY IS FULL OF FAST MOVING CARS AND TRUCKS. AS I LIMPED TO THE TOP OF THE GRADE, THE CAR REGAINED POWER AND DROVE AS USUAL. EARLIER, ON THE DRIVE, I EXPERIENCED ANOTHER DEFECT IN THE CAR, I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT SUNRISE ON CRUISE CONTROL AND WHEN THE SUN CAME UP THE CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ACTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MY NOT FUNCTION UNDER CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE CAR SHOULD WARN THAT IT IS NO LONGER IN ACTIVE MODE, BUT SHOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN SPEED - NOT JUST SUDDENLY TURN OFF AND RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR WHICH AT HIGHWAY SPEED IS DANGEROUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10644828October 15, 2014
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
DATE 09/05/2014 MILEAGE 4,078. ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM INDICATED "FAULT IN AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER." THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE TENSIONER FAULT. ADDITIONALLY THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED AIR BAG FAULT WAS CAUSED BY HIGH RESISTANCE IN A COIL SPRING AND REPLACED THE COIL SPRING. WARNING REPEATED AGAIN ON 09/15/14 AT 4,424 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP UPON TESTING FOUND FAULT CODE 9030BE3 AND PERFORMED TESTING UNDER THIS FAULT PROTOCOL. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE REPORTING THAT THE WARNING DID NOT REAPPEAR. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CAUTIONED THAT SHOULD THE FAULT WARNING RE-APPEAR, THERE WAS THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY THAT THE VEHICLE MEMORY WOULD HAVE TO BE WIPED AND THE SOFTWARE RE-INSTALLED. UPDATED 08/24/15. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10631791September 9, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), POWER TRAIN
ON AUGUST 29, 1:25PM, WHEN I DROVE THE BMW I3 CAR IN THE COMCAST PARKING LOT INTO A PARK SPOT, THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS ALMOST SLOW DOWN TO ZERO AFTER I LEFT MY FOOT FROM THE ACCEL. PEDAL SINCE THE CAR WILL SLOW DOWN WITHOUT ACCEL. PEDAL PRESSED. THEN, I PRESSED THE P BUTTON IN THE SWITCH KNOB AS I DID MANY TIMES OVER THE 700 MILES EXPERIENCES IN THIS CAR. THE CAR WAS ABRUPTLY SPEED UP WITH A VERY BIG TORQUE, I USED BY FOOT TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT DIDN'T WORK. THE CAR WAS IN AN AROUND 50-MILE-SPEED (ACCORDING TO AN OBSERVER IN THE COMCAST PARK LOT) RUSHING FORWARD. IT RUSHED OVER THE CONCRETE-PARKING-LOT-STOP-BAR, AND THEN RUSHED OVER THE PARKING LOT CURB INTO THE SMALL HILL AND THE BUSHES. THE CAR WAS SLOWED DOWN BY THE CONCRETE-STOP-BAR, THEN BY THE PARKING LOT CURB, AND IT WAS FINALLY STOPPED BY THE BUSHES TO AVOID THE RUSH TO A ROAD NEXT TO THE BUSHES. THE WHOLE ACCIDENT WAS OBSERVED BY MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMCAST PARKING LOT AND A POLICE OFFICER WAS CALLED BY THEM TO PROCESS THIS WITH A TRAFFIC TICKET WAS ISSUED TO ME. THE CAR WAS RECALLED BY THE DEALER TO REFLASH ALMOST ALL THE CONTROL SOFTWARE AND TO INSTALL NAVIGATION SOFTWARE THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND I JUST PICKED UP THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THE ROOT CAUSE IS STILL INVESTIGATING BY THE DEALER/BMW. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10625717August 16, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING MY BMW I3 REX FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TO THE BEACH NEAR SANTA CRUZ VIA HIGHWAY 17 WITH MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN. GETTING TO THE BEACH FROM MOST OF THE SF BAY AREA REQUIRES DRIVING OVER SOME COASTAL HILLS. AS I APPROACHED THE HILLS, MY EV BATTERY WAS VERY LOW. THE I3 WITH "REX" (SIMILAR TO THE CHEVY VOLT) HAS A GASOLINE ENGINE THAT ACTIVATES WHEN THE MAIN EV BATTERY IS DEPLETED. IN THESE HILLS, THE REX ENGINE TURNED ON. FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY AND KEPT PACE WITH MODERATE TRAFFIC IN THE SLOW LANE. THE SPEED LIMIT ON HIGHWAY 17 VARIES FROM 50MPH TO 65MPH. ON THE HILLY PARTS, IT IS A TWO LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER ON EITHER SIDE, INFREQUENT EXITS AND OCCASIONAL TURN-OUTS. WITHOUT ANY WARNING FROM THE CAR, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN POWER, WITH THE CAR SLOWING FROM APPROXIMATELY 50MPH TO 25MPH EVEN UNDER FULL THROTTLE. I TURNED ON MY HAZARD BLINKERS AS APPROACHING CARS HONKED AND SWERVED TO AVOID US. WITH NO SHOULDERS, WE HAD TO "LIMP" TO THE NEXT TURNOUT. THIS WAS EXTREMELY ALARMING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. WE REALIZED THAT ENGINE WAS RUNNING LOUDLY AND WE SURMISED THAT IT WAS RECHARGING THE BATTERY. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, I CONFIRMED THAT POWER WAS RESTORED BY BRIEFLY ACCELERATING IN THE LONG TURN-OUT. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO MERGE BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. ALTHOUGH FULL POWER SEEMED AVAILABLE INITIALLY, AS I PULLED OUT OF THE TURN-OUT INTO THE SLOW LANE, THE POWER DROPPED AGAIN, SLOWING US FROM 40MPH BACK TO 25MPH. WE AGAIN LIMPED TO THE NEXT TURN-OUT AS CARS AVOIDED US. MOST SHOCKING OF ALL, I SPOKE WITH BMW'S INTERNAL "I CONCIERGE" PRODUCT TEAM WHO INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THIS VEHICLE. I LEARNED THAT THE I3 HAS A SPECIAL MODE TO SAFELY DEAL WITH HILLS, BUT THIS WAS REMOVED FROM THE US CAR IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE CALIFORNIA "CREDITS." MONEY TRUMPS SAFETY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10606720June 28, 2014
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 5 IN ENCINITAS, THE I3 SHOWED AN ELECTRICAL ERROR. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, I GET A SLEW OF ERRORS, BATTERY CAN'T CHARGE, DISCHARGE AT HIGH RATE, DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION....UNTIL IT SAID IDRIVE SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN... *TR I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY BEFORE ALL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. 5 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR STARTED, AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT THE DEALER. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER BEING DIAGNOSED SINCE (APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS). THEY HAVE REPLACED THE 12V BATTERY AND THE EME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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