2014 BMW I3 Rex problems
NHTSA has received 43 complaints about the 2014 BMW I3 Rex, and 26% of them involve drivetrain & axles. Next are engine (16%) and electrical system (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 43 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Drivetrain & axles 26% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 2
- Injuries and deaths
- 0 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 4,000 miles 43 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 29 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 7 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 7 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 43 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 4,000 miles. For drivetrain & axles specifically, the median reported mileage is about 6,000 miles (11 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 2 complaints mention a fire.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
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.
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.
Flat tire, tire unrepairable big hole and ruptured after normal driving. No jack given, no spare tire given multiple complaints about same car
Test driving this BMW I3, I noticed the rex range extender engine was dangerously slow. The 34 hp scooter engine is a hazard in traffic. I also noticed the brake lights would not come on when slowing to a stop. Consumer reports outlined it, and I can't say it better. .... Why are there not minimum fmvss performance standards to cover the hazards while in rex-mode (battery dead, running on scooter motor in heavy, fast, traffic)? This is a new area: weird behavior from evs in rex mode. [link removed] [link removed]
Other model years of the I3 Rex
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014