Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports

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4,960 miles · Sep 22, 2015

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

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TWO ISSUES: 1. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH, WITH BATTERY POWER DRAINED, THE REX (RESERVE ENGINE) TURNS ON. SUDDENLY, SPEED DROPS FROM 65 MPH TO 40 MPH WHILE ON A 2-LANE CA FREEWAY, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE REAR-ENDED BY TRAFFIC. ONE MONTH LATER, SAME SITUATION, SAME PROBLEM. 2. MANUFACTURER STATES A COMBINED MILEAGE RANGE OF 80 MILES ON BATTERY, 60 MILES ON REX (RESERVE ENGINE), FOR A COMBINED RANGE OF 140 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD MORE THAN 60 MILES ON BATTERY AND 40 MILES ON REX FOR A COMBINED MILEAGE OF 100 MILES, 40% LESS THAN BMW STATES, EVEN THOUGH I USE A PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED LEVEL 2 CHARGER. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THESE ISSUES. THE BMW DEALER?S WRITTEN FINDINGS: "CAR PERFORMED AS DESIGNED; VEHICLE IS EPA RATED TO GO 72 MILES PER CHARGE IN IDEAL CONDITIONS. THIS RANGE WILL VARY DRASTICALLY BASED ON VEHICLE USAGE AS WELL AS WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AND WAS EASILY ABLE TO TRAVEL 75 MILES ON A CHARGE. RANGE EXTENDER IS INTENDED TO BE USED AS A FAILSAFE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A CHARGING STATION AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR REGULAR USE, ESPECIALLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AS THE ENGINE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS. POWER REDUCTION AND REDUCED VEHICLE SPEED WILL RESULT. UPDATED COMPLETE VEHICLE SOFTWARE. VEHICLE NOW HAS A BATTERY PERCENTAGE DISPLAY AVAILABLE TO HELP GAUGE WHEN POWER REDUCTION IS TAKING PLACE. THESE ARE THE ONLY MEASURES AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AS THE COMPLAINT IS REGARDING A DESIGN PARAMETER OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT AN ACTUAL ISSUE.? I DISAGREE. MY SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, AND THE CAR DOES NOT FUNCTION AS ADVERTISED. NEITHER OF THESE ISSUES IS ADDRESSED IN ANY MATERIAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER, DEALER, OTHER WEBSITES OR OTHER INDUSTRY OR WEB-BASED SOURCES. BMW NA SENT AN ENGINEER TO CHECK THE CAR, HE SAID THIS IS THE DESIGN OF THE BMW, NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE.

NHTSA ODI #10805744

Official recalls

17V720000 · Air Bags:frontal

Nov 16, 2017

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."

Consequence & remedy

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

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.

17V088000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Feb 9, 2017

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2017 i3 REx hybrid electric vehicles. The fuel tank vent line may rub against the ribbed wire protection sleeve of the battery positive (B+) cable, creating a hole in the vent line and causing a fuel vapor leak.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: 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.

15V628000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Oct 7, 2015

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper two-door vehicles, 2015-2016 MINI John Cooper Works and MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper four-door vehicles and 2014-2015 BMW i3 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy properly in a low speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

14V422000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jul 14, 2014

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling a certain model year BMW i3 vehicle manufactured March 31, 2014, and certain 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop vehicles manufactured February 2, 2014 to May 30, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with an air bag inflator that was not assembled correctly. This could cause the air bag to not deploy properly in the event of an accident.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.