2017 BMW I3 problems
The 2017 BMW I3 has 75 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (17%) concerns body & structure. Next are steering (15%) and electrical system (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 75 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Body & structure 17% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 4 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 7 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 10,000 miles 31 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 | 19 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 9 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 3 |
| 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 31 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 10,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 4 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 7 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2017 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 4 model years of the BMW I3 with enough data (43 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
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.
Tl* the contact owned a 2017 BMW I3. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, his vehicle accelerated independently into on coming traffic without warning. As the contact struggled to regain control of the vehicle, he steered the vehicle into a wooded area where he hit a trash dumpster. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact suffered a headache and injuries to his back and neck area. The contact did not receive medical attention at the scene.
Whileexiting a parking place along a curb - slight veer out,on dry pavement, nightime, on an averagecity street. Steering suddenly became bullish. Within 100 feet and in the processof the 1st upcoming90-degree right-handturn all manner of warnings went off, "pedestrian warning faulty,increased steer effort (duh!) chassis stabilization. I also feltimmediatepainin my right forearm and so the order of warnings may be a bit off.
When the vehicle is in eco pro plus mood. While speed is above 56MPH the vehicle will somtimes automatically break to 56 MPH. When in cruise control this seems to happened when cruise control is disengaged every time. I feel this is a safty concern especially when I try to accelerate but the car will ignore my input and continue to deaccelerate to the economy pro plus 56 speed.
The contact owns a 2017 BMW I3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper fluid failed to function as intended. The contact's husband checked the windshield wiper reservoir; the hose had rodent teeth marks, and part of the tubing was missing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the failure persisted.