Reliability & cost of ownership
Bmw I3 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Bmw I3? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Bmw I3 problems by model year
12 recall entries and 207 owner complaints on file across 6 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 I3 | 0 | 13 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2018 I3 | 0 | 14 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 I3 | 3 | 51 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 I3 | 2 | 33 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2015 I3 | 3 | 47 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 I3 | 4 | 49 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Bmw I3, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- steering48 complaints
- structure38 complaints
- electrical system31 complaints
- power train27 complaints
- air bags25 complaints
- vehicle speed control19 complaints
- unknown or other19 complaints
- engine16 complaints