BMW i4 Complaints (2023)

46 consumer complaints on file.

#11772119October 19, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle intermittently loses drive power while being driven, suddenly and with no warning. Sometimes it drives normally, then fails repeatedly later. Before any warning appeared I had isolated instances of hesitation or power loss, but with nothing on the cluster I assumed I was misperceiving it. On August 25, 2026, the vehicle lost power four times while I was driving on the freeway and displayed a drivetrain malfunction warning for the first time. I took the car to an authorized dealer on August 28, 2026, at 60,676 miles. The dealer ran the manufacturer's diagnostic test plan, found multiple stored drive motor electronics faults, and identified rotor position sensor faults in both the front and rear drive motors. The manufacturer's own technical support was consulted and recommended the repairs. The estimate was about $17,353 to replace both sensors and service the 12V harness. It has worsened since. In early October 2026 it lost power six times within about 2.5 miles on one short trip. On October 15, 2026, it suddenly lost power on surface streets and I was nearly rear-ended. The abrupt speed reduction gave no warning to following traffic; a collision was avoided only because the other driver stopped in time. Because the failure cannot be anticipated, I cannot know whether it will occur while merging, at an intersection, or at freeway speed. I have substantially reduced my use of the car. The car was built in December 2022, within the range of a manufacturer bulletin on debris inside the electrical machine causing high voltage isolation faults, and within NHTSA Recall 25V395000, whose chronology states debris could have entered the electric drive motor during supplier production. Other owners of this model and year publicly report the same symptoms and diagnosis. The vehicle is unrepaired and available for inspection. The manufacturer has an open case but has not physically inspected it. No police or insurance inspection. No crash, fire, or injury.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762571September 7, 2026
STEERING
The steering wheel would suddenly become stiff (frozen or locked) during normal driving especially during turning. When it happened, I lost total control of the car causing dangerous situations on the road. A warning message appeared stating: "Changed steering effort, drive moderately and contact service center." At a BMW dealership, the problem was reproduced and confirmed. They replaced 12 Volt battery, and the car was released. The new 12 volt battery didn't help the steeling issue. After a few weeks, the steeling system completely failed. The car has to be towed to BMW dealership for repair. It was identified that the steeling issue was caused by premature failure of the BMW electronic power steering system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740342May 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The dashboard turn signal indicators are blocked by the steering wheel unless I adjust the steering wheel to a very high position that makes driving unsafe. When the turn signals are on, there is no clicking noise like many cars have. I suggest that BMW update the vehicle software to allow the driver to adjust the location of the turn signal indicators within the digital dash display, or also include turn signal indicators in the heads-up display.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739767May 24, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion and safety concerns, CHP assistance was required to safely move the vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was later towed to BMW service for inspection and diagnosis. I am concerned this may involve a failure related to the electrical system, high-voltage battery system, propulsion system, drivetrain, or vehicle software. The sudden loss of power while operating the vehicle created a dangerous driving condition. The vehicle had approximately 76,000 miles at the time of the incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735391May 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving on frewway in HOV lane next to tall concrete center barrier, side collision mitigation system suddenly began to aggressively and continuously jerk steering right and left. After about 10-20 seconds this caused loss of control, with vehicle turning around 180 degrees and, during the spin, impacting the center concrete wall, causing deployment of all airbags. Traffic was very heavy, and although there were no injuries or collisons with other vehicles, the loss of control was life-threatening. This route was driven previously under exactly the same conditions (clear, dry day in HOV lane) with no problem more than 20 times. This problem occurred about two weeks after the latest BMW software update. BMW was informed and what they might do is unknown.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731151April 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX], while driving on a public highway, the vehicle shut off and came to a complete stop as I was going around a roundabout. I was in the inside lane, had just finished charging in Yuma, Az., and was just about to get back on the freeway heading back into California. Thankfully, there was no one behind me at that moment and I was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. After arriving at my destination in Winterhaven, CA, I later saw that I had two missed calls from BMW Roadside Assistance. They called to check on my welfare as, unbeknownst to me, the vehicle sent out an alert as a result of the incident. 12/30/2023, I took the vehicle to BMW of San Diego (where I leased the car from) regarding the above mentioned incident as well as repeated Drivetrain Malfunction warnings. The vehicle had 43,770 miles on it. By 1/12/2024, the dealership informed me they could not replicate the problem, and what I found most alarming, was they could find no evidence that it ever happened. I asked if they could promise me it would not happen again, they could not. This caused me great fear for myself and for others. All they could offer was that I could file a claim with BMW of North America, which I did that same day. It was not until 3/19/2024 that BMW notified me they rejected my claim. On [XXX], as I was returning home from El Centro, CA, I received a warning message, "URGENT HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM CHECK UP" and directing me to the nearest service center. Again, I took the vehicle to BMW of SD, stopping to charge along the way, because the range was dropping rapidly. The mileage was 95,074, still under warranty. Again, they found nothing and made me take the car back. Ultimately, on [XXX], another alert "Range reduced: Limited charging possible. Have problem checked by the nearest service center." At BMW of El Cajon I was told that Cell Module #2 had failed and would need to be replaced, but now the car was out of warranty and my cost would be $23,366. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION A
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722997March 9, 2026
SUSPENSION
I am reporting a recurring, catastrophic suspension defect in my 2023 BMW i4 eDrive40 that results in life-threatening rear tire failure. Despite adhering to all maintenance schedules, the vehicle's rear axle geometry fails to maintain stability, leading to extreme, accelerated inner-tread wear while the center and outer tread remains healthy. Timeline of Events: Initial Incident 5/4/2025 (21,493 miles): Suffered a sudden rear tire blowout while driving due to the inner tire wall wearing down to the metal cords. The dealer (BMW of Fort Lauderdale) performed an alignment and replaced the tires on my expense. Recurring Failure 3/6/2026 (35,200 miles): Less than 14,000 miles after the dealer-certified alignment, the new rear tires have reached a catastrophic state. The inner shoulders are completely bald (2.7mm inner vs 4.8mm outer), exposing the safety protector and creating an imminent risk of a second high-speed blowout. Manufacturer Response: The authorized dealer inspected the vehicle on 3/9/26 and stated the "alignment is within factory specifications," yet they refused to address why a vehicle "in spec" is destroying safety-critical components in under 14k miles. This indicates either a fundamental design flaw in the suspension components (e.g., bushings or control arms unable to support EV weight/torque) or defective factory alignment parameters provided by BMW for this specific model. Safety Hazard & Lack of Warning: This defect is a "silent killer." The failure occurs on the innermost edge of the tire, which is physically obscured by the vehicle’s body and cannot be seen during a standard walk-around. Because this EV has no regular service intervals (like oil changes), there is no professional opportunity to inspect the inner tires. A driver has no way to predict or diagnose this before a sudden, high-speed blowout occurs. BMW claims the car is "within spec," which indicates a fundamental design flaw that makes the vehicle un-roadworthy and dangerous
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720407February 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving about 30 mph when I was prompted with the following error message, “Drive train fault, restart not possible, High Voltage Battery,” I was able to drive home which was about 1 mile away. I drove the car home, parked it and turned it off for 45 minutes then I attempted to turn it on but was unable to and continued to receive the same message. Side note, this vehicle was purchased from BMW Beverly Hills on 1/25/26 and not a month went by before I ran into this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713771January 27, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving on the freeway. The sun shade was closed but had it been open, the glass would have entered the cabin and potential for harm. In addition, the loud bang was a distraction and had there been more heavy traffic there was potential for accident. There was no identified object that hit the sunroof. The car was taken to the dealership for repair and inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706959December 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN
On [XXX] in Columbia SC, my vehicle reported a drivetrain failure at approximately 1800 and advised me to pullover immediately and contact roadside assistance. I promptly parked in the safest space I could approximately within 50 yards of receiving the alert. The vehicle would no longer move once parked to include neutral. BMW roadside assistance took 48 hours to pick up and transport the vehicle to my dealer in Florence SC. I was informed of a recall on the vehicle by the dealership and advised they would not be able to diagnose and repair until they obtained a part from another dealer that allowed them to put it into neutral. Very few updates were provided by the dealership. On 23 December I was informed the vehicle was repaired and ready. I was informed the problem was with the 12 volt battery. The battery was not replaced as it was deemed to be functioning properly after the computer system was updated. I picked up the vehicle on [XXX] with my daughter to drive it 2 miles to our home. 1.5 mile after leaving the dealership the warning came on again causing my daughter to not be able to move the vehicle out of the road at an intersection. The car could not be put into neutral to move it. BMW roadside assistance informed it would be 48 hours before the vehicle could be towed despite me telling them that it was in the flow of traffic. They advised me to locate a tow truck and I would be reimbursed. I contacted USAA roadside and they were able to have a tow truck to the vehicle 3 hours after the failure. I consider this failure to be very dangerous as the vehicle cannot be placed into neutral to move it out of the flow of traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705991December 18, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While merging onto an interstate at speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power and came to a complete stop in an active traffic lane. Approximately six weeks earlier, abnormal drivetrain behavior (hesitation and torque interruption) was reported to the dealer. The dealer attributed the issue to tires and recommended tire replacement. No drivetrain diagnostics were performed. Immediately following the incident, a drivetrain malfunction warning occurred. BMW remotely restricted vehicle operation to allow limited driving back to my residence. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer. BMW subsequently confirmed catastrophic electric motor failure requiring full motor replacement. The incident created an immediate risk of collision with surrounding traffic and represents a serious safety defect involving unexpected deceleration and loss of propulsion.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700075November 18, 2025
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my 2023 BMW i4 (VIN: [XXX] ), currently at 28,426 miles. The vehicle has experienced three separate incidents of unexpected and complete loss of power while driving. The first incident occurred in March 2025. The vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without warning and came to an immediate hard stop. I was later informed this was related to a wheel-positioning sensor. The second incident occurred in October 2025. I had been told that a recall software update would resolve the problem, but the vehicle experienced another loss of power while in motion, showing the issue was not corrected. The third and most concerning incident occurred in November 2025. Multiple error messages appeared instructing me to stop driving immediately, and the vehicle again lost power while moving. A complete loss of propulsion in traffic—especially while merging or pulling into a roadway—creates a severe safety hazard because I am unable to move the vehicle out of the way of oncoming traffic. This puts both myself and other drivers at risk. BMW has acknowledged awareness of issues related to these systems during previous service visits, but the defect continues to occur despite attempted repairs and software updates. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this matter, as repeated power-loss events pose a significant safety risk that could lead to crashes, injuries, or fatalities. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699707November 16, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The sunroof of my BMW i4 exploded and shattered while I was driving under light rain on 45-mph road. The explosion was very loud and scary. Luckily sunroof sliding shade was closed otherwise shattered glass will fall inside of car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683180August 26, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fire department, fire report received. A whiteness who called Aria Security, stated he heard loud popping, like small explosions, from driver side front tire before the fire started. Clark County Fire Department stated fire originated on driver side front of engine area. Battery not involved. Car is total loss. BMW NA performed a visual exam only. BMW NA stated that due to damage and connectors being present, could not find cause of fire and unwilling to perform a more detailed inspection. Cause of Fire and involved components are unknown at this time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678689August 6, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: 509-944-8355 Email: [email protected]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. Complainant did not see or notice any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problems prior to malfunction of the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11676127July 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN
We had a drivetrain malfunction losing all power to car as we were driving.The car lost all control and drove less than 20 feet before coming to a complete stop on the middle of the road. We were not notified about any recalls on the car and just saw there was one on your site. BMW has now had our car for 3 weeks and has had their engineers working on it saying they are testing teach individual power cell at this time. They have not provided us any feedback other than this and a timeline of when we will get our car back.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656987April 26, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.”
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656983April 26, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656435April 23, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES
The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even asked to trade my car in. I was told that I was driving it wrong. I know my car keeps data on when these incidents occur. I have photos.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654118April 11, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed two weeks later to the local dealer again, where it was diagnosed that the drive unit and drive axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case; the contact requested a buyback, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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