2014 BMW I3 Rex

The contact owns a 2014 BMW I3 Hybrid. The contact stated that after charging the vehicle overnight the next morning the vehicle climate control was activated and moments later smoke was present inside the vehicle coming from the front passenger side air vent. After exiting the vehicle flames were seen coming from the front passenger side air vent and the vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. A fire report was taken at the scene. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer later had the vehicle examined and informed that the fire was caused by a loose bolt used to secure the 12V battery. The failure mileage was 40,000.

THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR COULD BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF (THE REMAINING FUNCTIONS AND POWER OFF). IT THEN COULD BE TURNED BACK ON AND DRIVEN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CAR DECIDED TO GO OFF LINE WHILE IN A STATE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER.

THE REX (RANGE EXTENDER) ON MY I3 DOES NOT TURN ON, AT RANDOM, WHEN THE BATTERY LEVEL OF THE VEHICLE GETS TO A POINT THAT IS LOW ENOUGH FOR IT TO TURN ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT LOSS OF SPEED WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE BMW DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY VEHICLE AND HAS SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. IT HAS BEEN 'FIXED' ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AS WELL. THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS NO LONGER ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS ISSUE WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TAKEN A STANCE THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LOSING POWER AND SPEED (AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED HEAVILY) IS "OPERATION NORMALLY FOR CONDITIONS" AND "NO ACTIONS TAKEN" AND ADVICE THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND KNOWN AND HAVE "ADVISED CUSTOMER OF LIMITATION OF DRIVING ON THE REX WITH TOO MANY CUSTOMER DEMANDS..." THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE REX NOT TURNING ON AND LOSING POWER WHILE IN MOTION AND ON THE HIGHWAY AND SURFACE / LIGHT COMMERCIAL STREETS AT ALL LEVELS OF SPEED. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DOES NOT LIKELY HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING 35MPH AND ALSO WHILE GOING 70MPH, AND OTHER SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND HAPPENED TO MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE TIMES (DURING THE SAME TRIP, ON DIFFERENT DAYS) TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN THEIR CARE FOR REPAIR.

THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. 'THE EME MALFUNCTION HAPPENED THE FIRST DAY THAT I DROVE THE CAR AFTER PURCHASING. NOT LONG AFTER I STARTED DRIVING IN THE MORNING THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE REX WASN'T WORKING. ABOUT 40 MINUTES LATER ON MY TRIP, THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE CAR WAS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE REX. IN THE EVENING WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING, AND THEN THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO START AGAIN AFTER SOME TIME. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY SCARY AT THE TIME AS I HAD MY 18 MONTH GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT. 'THE SECOND EME FAILURE WAS SERIOUSLY MORE DANGEROUS. I WAS TRAVELING ON 405 SOUTHBOUND WHEN THE POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE CAR LOST POWER. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE WITH NO SHOULDER. CARS WERE COMING UP SO FAST AND CLOSE. I WAS AFRAID FOR MY LIFE SO I FLED THE CAR AND JUMPED OVER THE GUARDRAIL FOR SAFETY. I CALLED THE POLICE AND THEY HAD TO BLOCK THE LANE AND PUT OUT FLARES UNTIL AN EMERGENCY TOW TRUCK COULD ARRIVE. 'I AM VERY AFRAID OF THIS CAR AND SINCE THE SECOND EVENT HAPPENED I HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE 100-MILE JOURNEYS FOR WHICH WE BOUGHT THE CAR. I BABYSIT MY GRANDSON WHO LIVES UP NORTH, AND THIS IS THE REASON WE PURCHASED THIS CAR, TO SAVE ON GAS. I DO NOT WANT TO PUT MY GRANDSON IN DANGER SO I NOW USE OUR OTHER CAR, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE GOOD GAS MILEAGE. BOTH TIMES WERE ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS

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.