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BMW I3Model year report

2018 BMW I3 Problems

Complaints
14filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
17,000miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
118 MPGecombined, Electric RWD · 129 city / 106 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 BMW I3 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2018 BMW I3. The part named most often is fuel system, with 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by steering (3) and body and structure (3). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 17,000 miles. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 143 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 7 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Steering complaints overlap with 11 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “On May 2, 2022, the car began to power down involuntarily every time I applied the brakes. This happened 2-3 times, and I was able to restart. The final time was in the middle of an intersection, the car would not restart, could not be placed in neutral to be moved out of the intersection, and I had to have a police tow. The tow service took it to Sport Motoring, where they performed a diagnosis on May 3, 2022. The diagnosis shows 8 faults in the EME module, among other things. …”

NHTSA complaint #11464231, filed 2022-05

Steering: “It's my 7th month driving brand new 2018 I3 bev. After got off the work today, the july 25th, 2019, the car started pulling to the left. I had no problem I thought I had a flat so I checked the tire pressure monitor and it was just fine. I realized that the steering wheel got heavier than usual and quite difficult to turn. It wouldn't stay center but kept moving to the left while being really heavy. Even on the flat pavement. I checked online and there are a lot of people complaining about this very issue with I3. …”

NHTSA complaint #11234935, filed 2019-07, 6,500 miles

Body and structure: “My car has a problem with the carbon fiber roof panel. In the sun, the clear epoxy of the roof is de laminating from the carbon fiber beneath it. This is a safety issue because as it delaminates the clear epoxy is no longer properly attached to the roof and may fly off and into other vehicles when traveling at highway speeds. This is a well documented issue with these cars on the Reddit forum r/BMWi3.”

NHTSA complaint #11583327, filed 2024-04

Vehicle speed control: “Cruise control deactivates for no reason causing sudden deceleration. Occurs randomlyn during city and highway driving. This has been happening for months. Bmw dealer has recibrated the sensor and updated the software. No improvement.”

NHTSA complaint #11387716, filed 2021-01, 17,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 16,176 and 26,000 miles.

20%0–1040%10–2540%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 17,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2019202020212022320233202432026
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 2018 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; plug-in hybrid figures are for gasoline-only (hybrid mode) driving, so no annual cost is shown.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
i3 (94Ah) RWDElectricsingle-speed129106118 MPGe$650
i3 (94Ah) with Range Extender RWD0.6L 2-cyl · plug-in hybridsingle-speed363335 gas only—

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 2018 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. 143 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 143 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

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 BMW I3 have?

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2018 BMW I3 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2018 BMW I3 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by steering with 3.

Has the 2018 BMW I3 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How efficient is the 2018 BMW I3 according to the EPA?

The EPA rates the 2018 BMW I3 (i3 (94Ah), Electric) at 118 MPGe combined, 129 city and 106 highway, with an estimated annual electricity cost of $650 at 15,000 miles a year. Other battery and motor versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2018 BMW I3 reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 17,000 miles and the middle half falls between 16,176 and 26,000 miles; 100% 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.