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Air bagsPart report

2016 BMW I3 Air bags Problems

Complaints
6about this part
Share
18%of 33 total for the year
Median mileage
48,500miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the air bags of the 2016 BMW I3, 18% of the 33 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 48,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“My bmw i3 has a faulty wiring harness or some other defect that is causing my car to turn off the airbag system. This is a chronic issue with bmw i3’s. Either the wiring harness is bad or the airbag becomes too stiff and the car deactivated the entire airbag system. Dangerous!”

NHTSA complaint #11539172, filed 2023-08

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW I3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and the air bag warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel filler had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11656031, filed 2025-04, 40,000 miles

“Involved in a frontal collision and air bag did not deploy. Airbag could've prevented more serious injuries suffered. I contacted the service center at BMW Roseville and left a message for the service manager, no return call. The vehicle has been inspected by an insurance authorized collision center and is considered totaled. There were no warning there was a problem and didn't appear until the collision happened and it didn't deploy.”

NHTSA complaint #11439937, filed 2021-11

“Driver airbag warning light illuminated. Vehicle was diagnosed at BMW of Sherman Oaks (RO# 176741) and confirmed as a faulty driver airbag module - part# 32-30-6-870-366. BMW technician found fault code 930904: Driver's airbag interval stage 1, resistance too high stored. BMW NA declined goodwill repair assistance despite the failure occurring within 20 days of warranty expiration. This is a safety-critical federally mandated system. Multiple BMW i3 owners in online communities report the same issue and reference TSB SI B65 18 16 as a known defect related to a cable being too short. …”

NHTSA complaint #11743788, filed 2026-06

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201817%
201736%
2016618%
2015715%
2014815%

Other parts of the 2016 BMW I3

Body and structure
10 complaintsSteering
8 complaintsElectrical system
5 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
3 complaintsEngine
2 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsOther or unknown
2 complaintsVehicle speed control
2 complaintsBrakes
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2016 BMW I3

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology