BMW i3

Where it stands out against its peers

• Structure: more complaints than 97% of 2017 cars — 22% of its 51 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 5%.
• Steering: more complaints than 93% of 2017 cars — 22% of its 51 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 7%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

73% of 2019 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 14V422000

  If the air bag deploys improperly in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bags, the seat occupant may be at an increased risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 15V628000

  In the event of a vehicle crash, an air bag that does not deploy properly increases the risk of injury to the front seat passenger.

  MINI and BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525 and BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 16V914000

  If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 17V088000

  A fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel vent line, replacing it as necessary, and install a clip to prevent it from chafing, free of charge. The recall beganApril 3, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 17V720000

  During a frontal impact, unbelted, small adult, drivers could be at a higher risk of neck injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the Driver air bag control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at the dedicated i3 recall number 1-855-269-3361.

• 18V652000

  An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 19V310000

  A shut down of high-voltage electrical power would result in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 19V599000

  A shut down of high-voltage electrical power would result in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

BMW filed 21 bulletins about the 2021 i3.

• Equipment: 6
• Electrical system: 4
• Visibility: 4
• Air bags: 1
• Engine: 1
• Engine and engine cooling: 1
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 1
• Fuel system, other: 1
• Hybrid propulsion system: 1
• Steering: 1

• The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service /… · May 2026
• The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers… · February 2024
• Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. · October 2022
• The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT.… · July 2022
• For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to: 15 years/150,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original… · December 2021
• The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT.… · December 2021
• Different air temperatures are felt from left to right out of the front fresh air grilles (air vents). · December 2021
• Different air temperatures are felt from left to right out of the front fresh air grilles (air vent). The following fault code is saved in the IHKA (integrated automatic heating/air conditioning… · September 2021

13 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.