2019 BMW I3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other I3 years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 6th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 BMW I3. That ranks 6th out of 9 I3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (6 complaints, 46%), typically at around 43,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 13owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2019 BMW I3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 6 | 46% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 31% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 23% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 1 | 8% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2019 BMW I3 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system; hybrid propulsion system
Problem: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Other BMW I3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 I3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 I3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 I3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 1 |
| 2018 I3 | 14 | 3 |
| 2017 I3 | 53 | 3 |
| 2016 I3 | 33 | 2 |
| 2015 I3 | 47 | 3 |
| 2014 I3 | 54 | 4 |
See all BMW I3 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2019 BMW I3?
Owners most often report electrical system, steering, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2019 BMW I3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2019 BMW I3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other I3 model years, the 2019 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.