Model year record

2018 BMW I3

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 18 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 19V310000

Hybrid propulsion system

Component
Hybrid propulsion system
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
159
Reported to NHTSA
2019-04-17
Owners notified
2019-06-13

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 i3 BEV and i3 REx hybrid electric vehicles. A circuit board problem within the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module may shutdown the supply of high voltage electrical power.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 18V652000

Equipment: electrical

Component
Equipment: electrical
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
3,501
Reported to NHTSA
2018-09-20
Owners notified
2019-02-22

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 17V720000

Air bags: frontal

Component
Air bags: frontal
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
32,000
Reported to NHTSA
2017-11-16
Owners notified
2018-01-12

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 BMW i3 electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Unbelted, small adult, drivers may be at a higher risk of neck injury in the event of a frontal crash. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Fuel/propulsion system4
Steering36,500 mi
Structure: body3
Vehicle speed control217,000 mi
Air bags1
Electrical system1
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control117,000 mi
Power train116,176 mi
Tires126,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal142,600 mi

The 2017 model has about a fifth as many complaints as this one. The 2019 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.