Bmw I3 REX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
5,242 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2014 to 2014 model years. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 22 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 50.0% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 22.7% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 18.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 11 |
| Engine | 7 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Steering | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
Power Train: 11; Engine: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Electrical System: 5; Steering: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 2; Seat Belts: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2014: 6; 2015: 5; 2016: 3; 2017: 3; 2019: 4; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10606720 · 2014-06-28 (June 28, 2014)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10606720 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10625717 · 2014-08-16 (August 16, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING MY BMW I3 REX FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TO THE BEACH NEAR SANTA CRUZ VIA HIGHWAY 17 WITH MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN. GETTING TO THE BEACH FROM MOST OF THE SF BAY AREA REQUIRES DRIVING OVER SOME COASTAL HILLS. AS I APPROACHED THE HILLS, MY EV BATTERY WAS VERY LOW. THE I3 WITH "REX" (SIMILAR TO THE CHEVY VOLT) HAS A GASOLINE ENGINE THAT ACTIVATES WHEN THE MAIN EV BATTERY IS DEPLETED. IN THESE HILLS, THE REX ENGINE TURNED ON. FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY AND KEPT PACE WITH MODERATE TRAFFIC IN THE SLOW LANE. …
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10625717 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10631791 · 2014-09-09 (September 9, 2014)
ON AUGUST 29, 1:25PM, WHEN I DROVE THE BMW I3 CAR IN THE COMCAST PARKING LOT INTO A PARK SPOT, THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS ALMOST SLOW DOWN TO ZERO AFTER I LEFT MY FOOT FROM THE ACCEL. PEDAL SINCE THE CAR WILL SLOW DOWN WITHOUT ACCEL. PEDAL PRESSED. THEN, I PRESSED THE P BUTTON IN THE SWITCH KNOB AS I DID MANY TIMES OVER THE 700 MILES EXPERIENCES IN THIS CAR. THE CAR WAS ABRUPTLY SPEED UP WITH A VERY BIG TORQUE, I USED BY FOOT TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT DIDN'T WORK. THE CAR WAS IN AN AROUND 50-MILE-SPEED (ACCORDING TO AN OBSERVER IN THE COMCAST PAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 715 miles reported. Look up ODI 10631791 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10663972 · 2014-12-12 (December 12, 2014)
ADAPTIVE SPEED CONTROL WILL UNEXPECTEDLY QUIT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERING UNEXPECTED BRAKING FORCE. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF BEING STUCK FROM THE REAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10663972 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10743418 · 2015-07-24 (July 24, 2015)
VEHICLE DOES NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT, VERY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY. VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW BUT MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALWAYS HAVE TO ADJUST THE STEERING CONSTANTLY FOR THE VEHICLE TO GO STRAIGHT, VEHICLE IS WANDERING. IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE IT APPEARS AS THE DRIVER IS DRUNK.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10743418 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11190022 · 2019-03-19 (March 19, 2019)
MY BMW I3 OVER THE PAST YEAR WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED HAS HAD A HANDFUL OF TIMES WHERE POWER STEERING BECOMES EXTREMELY TWITCHY OUR CUTS OUT COMPLETELY LIKE IT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT CENTERED IS SO THAT I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS. THE CAR IS UNSTABLE AND NO LONGER RETURNS TO CENTER WHEN TAKING CORNERS AND FEELS EXTREMELY HEAVY. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR 3-5 MINUTES UNTIL IT RESETS. BECAUSE IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND THERE IS NO ERROR CODE DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIX THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 42,039 miles reported. Look up ODI 11190022 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10765303 · 2015-09-19 (September 19, 2015)
I WAS DRIVING ON A WINDY, HILLY ROAD WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND THE CAR RAPIDLY DECELLERATED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DISPLAY SHOWED "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION - DO NOT DRIVE CAR" THE BATTERY SHOWED THERE WAS STILL POWER LEFT, AND THE RANGE EXTENDER (REX) HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT ALSO COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THE ROAD AND AWAY FROM TRAFFIC. AFTER HOURS OF DIRECTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AROUND THE CAR ON THIS TWO-LANE ROAD, A FLATBED FINALLY ARRIVED AND HAD TO DRAG THE CAR WITH LOC…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,984 miles reported. Look up ODI 10765303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10938956 · 2017-01-01 (January 1, 2017)
LEFT MOTOR MOUNT BOLT BROKE WHEN TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN AT 4:00 PM IN FRIDAY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE BOLT FAILURE SHIFTED MOTOR DOWN ~3" AND BROKE POWER CABLE(S) AND BATTERY COOLING LINES. THE CAR SHIFTED INTO "N", ONCE, AND ROLLED OFF THE ROAD INTO A PARKING PLACE. SHIFTED INTO "P" AND CONTACTED BMW ROAD SIDE SERVICE. BMW SERVICE ASKED TO SHIFT INTO "N" BUT THE CAR REMAINED IN "P". THEY DID NOT HAVE WORKAROUND INSTRUCTIONS TO FORCE IT INTO "N" AND REPORTED THERE WERE NO TIRE "SKATES" TO SLIDE CAR ON A FLAT-BED. MORE TECHNICAL DETAILS…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10938956 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 0 |
2014: 0
Year-by-year records
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Change in recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 22 | 0 | Not available |