2019 Bmw I3 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Steering (4) · Power Train (2) · Vehicle Speed Control (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Bmw I3 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (1)
Hybrid Propulsion System 2019-08-14 · campaign 19V599000 · 139 vehicles
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 i3 BEV, i3 REx, and i8 vehicles. A circuit board problem within the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module may shutdown the supply of high-voltage electrical power.
Risk: A shut down of high-voltage electrical power would result in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service bulletins (43)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-05-06 · B010525 · Warranty Program/Extension
the evap systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
Electrical System 2024-12-04 · B011124 · Warranty Program/Extension
the high-voltage (hv) battery assembly cell modules temperature sensors (internal ntc repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service/first delivery date.
Electrical System 2024-12-04 · 011024 · Warranty Program/Extension
the high-voltage (hv) battery assembly cell modules temperature sensors (internal ntc repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service/first delivery date.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2024-04-11 · B010524 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
for this vehicle, the evap systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. this coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and
Electrical System 2024-01-11 · B611305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the electrical system of bmw vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. this has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. this document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle ã¢ââdischarged batteryã¢ââ complaints.
Equipment:electrical 2022-09-01 · B840922 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an ims configuration.
Showing the 6 most recent of 43 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-07-21 · Power Train“the car has lost power on the highway multiple times and gone into limp mode with no warnings on the dashboard. the rex engine has failed to start as well. very dangerous on the highway going 20 mph trying to make the next exit. the car has been back to the bmw dealer multiple times (over 2.5 months at the dealer ) with no repair. they are now o…”
2026-05-11 · Steering“this is an electric vehicle. i experienced a sudden loss of all power while traveling on the interstate in heavy traffic. i nearly lost control of the vehicle as it would not respond to my inputs. i had to cross two lanes of dense interstate traffic to get to a safe area to pull over and it was terrifying because the car just suddenly shut down whi…”
2025-10-22 · Seat Belts“in early september, a "driver retention system" error appeared the dash display of my '19 i3. i searched the issue on line and tried but failed to resolve it. a few weeks later, the seat belt alarm stopped going off when the belt was clasped. at this point, i had no choice but bring it in for a fix. the dealer advised that there would be a $305…”
2025-07-06 · Unknown Or Other · 💥 crash“we were sitting at a traffic light for a few minutes behind another vehicle. suddenly, our car accelerated very quickly. my foot was on the brake when the car accelerated. i felt the brake pedal depress further as it accelerated. i initially thought a car had hit us from behind and propelled us forward, but there was no car behind us. we were movin…”
2025-03-05 · Hybrid Propulsion System · 43,000 mi“the contact owns a 2019 bmw i3. the contact stated that while stopped in traffic on a bridge, the vehicle stalled, and independently shifted to park(p). the contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. the police arrived on the scene and directed traffic around the vehicle until a tow truck arrived to take the vehicle to a l…”
2025-01-24 · Vehicle Speed Control“the range extender did not turn on while i was driving the car. when the range extender failed to work the car slowed down from 70+ mph to as low as 7 mph in minutes. the car then limped along for several minutes at this dangerously slow speed until the range extender turned on. once the range extender began working, the car took off like a rocket,…”
2024-12-06 · Power Train“the drivetrain system malfunctioned while increasing from 60 mph to 70 mph. the vehicle lost all propulsion mid-journey. this put myself as well as other drivers around me at risk while i coasted to a stop on the freeway. the vehicle's warning system stated: “drivetrain malfunction: stop carefully and turn off engine. do not continue driving. call …”
2024-09-13 · Electrical System“the 12v battery and eme module failed/malfunctioned on sep 10, 2024. the original 12v battery was replaced by bmw of wesley chapel after it was towed by bmw roadside assistance. they should have it and the eme model for inspection upon request depending on their disposal procedures for the battery. my safety was put at risk due to the fact that the…”
2024-05-25 · Structure:body“paint bubbling concerns on carbon fiber roof of i3. …”
2021-07-22 · Fuel/Propulsion System“on july 4, 2021, i realized that the charge port on my bmw i3 would not accept a charge plug - it appeared to be blocked. i took the car to the dealer and they informed me that the charge port had been damaged (melted) by heat from a defective charger. in addition to public charging, i had typically been using a home charger - a mustart level 2 40-…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.