AI Damage2014 BMW I3 REX: common problems
Owners of the 2014 BMW I3 REX filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 32% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 27% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 9% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 7 complaints (32% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 6 complaints (27% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (23% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The whole accident was observed by many people in the comcast parking lot and a police officer was called by them to process this with a traffic ticket was issued to me.
The contact stated that after charging the vehicle overnight the next morning the vehicle climate control was activated and moments later smoke was present inside the vehicle coming from the front passenger side air vent.
Assisted steering is working intermittently and incorrectly identifying straight. Happens occasionally when driving, causing driver to have to adjust steering direction. Safety issue that could lead to accidents.
My bmw i3 over the past year when driving at any speed has had a handful of times where power steering becomes extremely twitchy our cuts out completely like it doesn't know what centered is so that I have no power steering and this creates a safety hazard for drivers.
The dealership has now taken a stance that the vehicle violently losing power and speed (as if the brakes have been applied heavily) is "operation normally for conditions" and "no actions taken" and advice that this is an acceptable and known and have "advised customer of limitation of driving on the rex with too many…
Warning light indicates "passenger restraint system warning". Took to dealer and they said it is related to passenger seat belt. Repair is not cover by warranty as auto has 52,700 miles on it. Dealer charges $1,242 for parts an labor.
In the evening while driving home, the computer said that the battery was discharging, and then the car lost power on the freeway. I was able to get it to start again after some time. This was particularly scary at the time as I had my 18 month grandson in the back seat.
Part way up the hill car lost power unexeptedly. Took car back to bmw dealership as it was in the shop the week before for a drive train malfunction. Dealer said this powre loss was normal for the vehicle on the grade as the rex cannot keep high voltage battery charged up enough while going uphill.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,906 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 BMW I3 REX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (18%), battery drain (5%), knocking, grinding or other noise (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 BMW I3 REX?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2014 BMW I3 REX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2014 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.