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BMW I3Model year report

2014 BMW I3 Problems

Compared with other BMW I3 years

Typical for this model

60/100 1.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2016

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
54filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
23,300miles, 31 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
124 MPGecombined, Electric RWD · 137 city / 111 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2014 BMW I3 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 BMW i3 most often report a sudden loss of drive power with a drivetrain fault message, and steering that turns heavy or loses assist. Airbag restraint alerts and airbags that did not deploy, engine and motor mount failures, and carbon fiber roof and hood separation are also reported repeatedly. Where mileage is listed, the drive power reports come from lower-mileage cars, while the mount reports include higher-mileage vehicles.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Loss of drive power with drivetrain fault message

    • 24 complaints (44%)
    • median 40,790 mi at 5.8 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe the car suddenly losing drive power while driving, often with a drivetrain malfunction message on the screen. Some say the car stopped in the city or on a highway, and in several cases it could not be shifted or pushed, so a tow truck was needed. Turning the car off and back on sometimes clears the message, but owners say the problem returned, and in some service visits no fault was found. Where mileage is listed, these complaints range from 4,960 to 79,000 miles, and several happen after the battery is depleted and the range extender starts.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether any drivetrain malfunction warnings or software updates were recorded, and check the VIN for open recalls. During a test drive, watch for drivetrain warnings and confirm normal acceleration at highway speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After a recent software update, the computer is unable to indicate the accurate state of charge, causing unexpected power loss. My range extender was not able to engage before power loss, and the car indicated 50+ miles of range remaining. I was driving on a freeway when the power loss occurred, which took me from 65 MPH to a dead stop in a manner of seconds.”

    NHTSA complaint #10947009, filed 2017-01, 52,000 miles

    “While driving the vehicle suddenly jerked and lost all power while in motion on a city street. I can't imagine what would have happened if I was on the freeway with traffic. The message on the screen in my car stated drivetrain malfunction stop and turn off engine do not continue to drive call roadside assistance.”

    NHTSA complaint #11350127, filed 2020-08, 50,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Steering turns heavy or loses power assist

    • 13 complaints (24%)
    • median 36,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2016–2026

    Owners describe steering that suddenly turns heavy or slow to return to center, or power assist that does not come on at startup or drops out while driving. Some describe the car pulling strongly to the left, and another reports the wheel wanting to stay centered or turning suddenly at low speed. Owners say the symptom often clears after the car is turned off and on, and in a different complaint the manufacturer said it could not reproduce the problem. Where mileage is listed, these complaints range from 10 to 50,000 miles, and several describe the steering returning to normal after the car is turned off and on.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether any steering assist bulletin was applied and whether the power steering has been checked for intermittent loss at startup. On a test drive, turn the wheel at low and highway speeds to check for heavy steering or a pull to the left.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Sometimes while driving highway speeds steering feels hard to turn. Seems like steering want to remain centered or overly turns suddenly at low speed. Very random. I looked online and many people reported the same issue. I believe it needs a software update. No warning lights or codes stored in vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11338790, filed 2020-07, 10 miles

    “I was driving the car and the steering suddenly became heavy - no longer self-centering. The car would still go where I pointed it, but the wheel wouldn't return to center like usual. It felt very stiff. After shutting the car off for a few minutes, it returned to normal.”

    NHTSA complaint #11181286, filed 2019-02, 50,000 miles
  3. Air bags

    Airbag restraint alerts and non-deployment

    • 6 complaints (11%)
    • median 11,000 mi at 2.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2023

    Owners describe a restraint system malfunction alert or an airbag warning light that stays on, and some were told a part needed replacing or that a service action could cover the repair. Other complaints describe airbags that did not deploy in a crash, including a passenger airbag that stayed off after a seat sensor failed to detect a passenger. According to complaints, the manufacturer attributed the sensor problem to cell phone interference, and the owner questions that explanation. Where mileage is listed, these complaints are at 9,000 and 13,000 miles, and most do not list mileage.

    Recall 15V628000Recall 14V4220002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the airbag or restraint warning light is off and whether any fault code such as 930904 has been read, and ask for records of any service action. Have a shop that can read airbag fault codes confirm the airbag system and seat occupancy sensor are working before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Passenger seat sensor would fail to detect a passenger after drive lasting 20 minutes or more. The passenger air bag will not deploy in this state because no fault codes are registered in the seat sensor or anywhere else. Bmw claims that this caused by cell phone interference and it can never be fixed but has replaced my seat sensor with a totally redesigned seat sensor. No one can explain why the cell phone interference line was used or why the seat sensor was redesigned. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10895727, filed 2016-08, 13,000 miles

    “Takata recall. The contact owned a 2014 Bmw I3. The contact stated that another vehicle driving at a high rate of speed, crashed into the rear of the contacts vehicle which then caused the contacts vehicle to crash into the vehicle that was in front. A police report was filed. The driver sustained minor bruises and required medical attention. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. The insurance company was not able to determine what caused the air bags not to deploy. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10836523, filed 2016-02
  4. Engine

    Engine and motor mount failures

    • 13 complaints (24%)
    • median 56,991 mi at 6.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe engine or motor mount failures that produce noise or a jolt while driving, including a snapped mount bolt and a cracked electric engine bracket. A complaint describes a screeching sound and a leaning feeling at highway speed, and the owner linked the failure to a bracket recall and says the manufacturer provided no assistance. Another complaint says the dealer quoted a high charge for a replacement bracket after the warranty expired, and a further complaint asks for a recall review of motor mounts on 2014 and 2015 vehicles. Where mileage is listed, these complaints range from 13,015 to 154,140 miles, and some are tied to noise or a jolt during driving.

    What to check: Ask whether the motor mounts or brackets have been replaced, and listen for clunks or screeching on a test drive. Ask a shop to inspect the mounts and bracket for cracks or a snapped bolt before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was stopped at a stop sign and when I accelerated the rear of the car felt like it got rear ended. I walked around the car, nothing was wrong. It drove fine up to 40 MPH, then on the highway, it made a rrrr sound. The next day I found out that the engine mount bolt snapped.”

    NHTSA complaint #11270293, filed 2019-10, 87,000 miles

    “The left bracket for the electric engine is cracked and the dealer wants substantially more for a replacement one which happens to be completely redesigned from a cheap plastic part which equips my car to a more study and improved one for the latest models of the same make. As I did some research the same issue was subjected to a formal safety recall in europe. Here my warranty expired so the dealer wants to charge me a hefty fee for what is basically a repair to a manufacturer's recognized design flaw. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11390283, filed 2021-01
  5. Body and structure

    Carbon fiber roof and hood panel separation

    • 5 complaints (9%)
    • typically at 10.0 yrs old
    • filed 2023–2026

    Owners describe the carbon fiber roof delaminating, with bubbling, separating layers, and a roof liner that is starting to droop. A complaint describes a piece of the roof coming off and striking another vehicle, and a separate complaint describes a hood panel that has torn loose and may fly off while driving. A previous epoxy repair reportedly looked acceptable for a while before the delamination returned rapidly in the same spots, and according to complaints the manufacturer has not acted on the problem. None of these complaints list mileage, and some owners describe the delamination as progressing over time.

    What to check: Inspect the roof and hood in good light for bubbling, lifting, or loose carbon layers, and ask whether any epoxy or panel repair has been done. Ask a dealer whether the manufacturer has any service action or bulletin covering the roof or hood.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The carbon fiber roof is delaminating and a portion of it came off and hit the front windshield of another car, causing them to partially lose control of their vehicle almost causing an accident. This is a known issue BMW has not taken an action to resolve it. I’m afraid that a larger chunk may hit somebody’s car and cause a severe accident.”

    NHTSA complaint #11618578, filed 2024-10

    “The roof of the BMW started delaminating a few years back, and it is compromising the structural integrity of this vehicle. In an attempt to fix the roof, epoxy was applied after it was smoothed down and the roof looked aesthetically pleasing for about a year, until it started delaminating rapidly in the same spots. Now, the roof liner is starting to collapse, telling me that moisture is getting into the vehicle, further damaging the roof.”

    NHTSA complaint #11761765, filed 2026-09

Buying note. Because several of these symptoms come and go, ask for service records covering drivetrain, steering, airbag, and mount work before buying. Check the roof and hood closely for bubbling or loose carbon layers, since several owners report these panels separating.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 50 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 2014 BMW I3. 31 of the complaints include a mileage, and 77% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 23,300 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 313 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 BMW I3 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 60 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (2), Seat belts (2), Brakes (1), Engine cooling (1), Equipment (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “When the vehicle enters a 'fault' mode, such as drive motor malfunction, the cars discontinues power to the drive motor, allows the vehicle to roll to a stop, then electronically puts the transmission in park. As long as the fault code exists the vehicle cannot be pushed or towed out of harms way. I was about to turn on to a very busy 3-lane [no shoulder] highway when it shut down. Not even the police could assist me in pushing it out of the intersection. …”

NHTSA complaint #11103478, filed 2018-06, 36,000 miles

Engine: “Charged my car overnight in my climate controlled garage and went out the next morning to run errands. Turned it on, put it in drive, heard a pop or clunk from the rear and then got a drive train not available - do not move vehicle error. Couldn't even put the car in neutral for towing - Bmw roadside had to send a tow truck with skates to prop up the back end and push it out of my garage. It's been at the dealer almost 2 weeks now - the local mechanics have had calls with Bmw back in germany and they can't seem to figure out what the problem is.”

NHTSA complaint #10820163, filed 2016-01, 6,500 miles

Air bags: “The contact owns a 2014 Bmw I3. While driving at approximately 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and remained stuck causing the vehicle to crash into a brick wall. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained chest and neck injuries, which required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10692088, filed 2015-03, 9,000 miles

Steering: “While pulling onto the road my car started pulling strongly towards the left and was very hard to steer. It had very heavy difficult steering. It felt absolutely different than anything I've felt in the two years of ownership. I pulled into a parking lot and 'googled' I3 difficult steering and came across multiple forum posts and discussion of this issue. It appears the I3 power steering can randomly stop working and then returns with an ignition cycle. I locked the car, went in a store for 5 minutes, and normal steering resumed when I drove away. …”

NHTSA complaint #11256755, filed 2019-09, 42,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

77% of the 31 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 9,000 and 43,580 miles.

29%0–1026%10–2523%25–5013%50–756%75–1000%100–1503%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (31 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 23,300 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’14’16’188’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2014 BMW I3 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving); for electric versions it is the cost of electricity and the rating is in MPGe.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
i3 BEV RWDElectricsingle-speed137111124 MPGe$600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2014 BMW I3 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 313 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 313 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW I3

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2019136,7001—113 MPGe—Not enough data
20181417,0003—118 MPGe—Not enough data
20175310,6503—118 MPGe63 · TypicalRising
20163320,5002—124 MPGe21 · FewerRising
20154730,0003—124 MPGe36 · TypicalFalling
20145423,3004—124 MPGe60 · TypicalStable

All BMW I3 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2014 BMW I3?

Owners of the 2014 BMW i3 most often report a sudden loss of drive power with a drivetrain fault message, and steering that turns heavy or loses assist. The issues reported most often: Loss of drive power with drivetrain fault message; Steering turns heavy or loses power assist; Airbag restraint alerts and non-deployment.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2014 BMW I3 have?

NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 2014 BMW I3 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2014 BMW I3 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 14 complaints (26% of the total), followed by engine with 9.

Has the 2014 BMW I3 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How efficient is the 2014 BMW I3 according to the EPA?

The EPA rates the 2014 BMW I3 (i3 BEV, Electric) at 124 MPGe combined, 137 city and 111 highway, with an estimated annual electricity cost of $600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other battery and motor versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2014 BMW I3 reported?

Among the 31 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 23,300 miles and the middle half falls between 9,000 and 43,580 miles; 77% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.