BMW i8

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.

74% of 2020 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.

• 14V674000

  An inadequate weld of the bolt to the fuel tank could cause a fuel leak. In the presence of an ignition source, a fuel leak could lead to a fire.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel tank if necessary, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

• 15V882000

  Impaired DSC functionality may negatively impact vehicle handling and braking and increase the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the DSC hydraulic unit, and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 8, 2016. Owners may contact 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 20V601000

  The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.

  BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. The remedy is currently being developed. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. 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.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

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 15 bulletins about the 2020 i8.

• Electrical system: 6
• Equipment: 3
• Steering: 2
• Engine and engine cooling: 1
• Power train: 1
• Service brakes, hydraulic: 1
• Visibility: 1

• Once the Telematics Module (TCB2) enters sleep mode, a BMW Data Services trigger for Remote Services(remote engine start, lock/unlock/climate conditioning) will not be able to reactivate the TCB2.… · July 2026
• At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. · May 2024
• 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
• At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be… · 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
• 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
• TELEMATICS UNIT DEACTIVATION DUE TO 3G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY DISCONTINUATION: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be… · August 2021

7 more.

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