Most common 2017 BMW i3 problems
Share of the 53 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW i3 complaints by model year
Best i3 years: 2019, 2018, 2016. Compare all years →
2017 BMW i3 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 BMW i3 electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Unbelted, small adult, drivers may be at a higher risk of neck injury in the event of a frontal crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the Driver air bag control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2017 i3 REx hybrid electric vehicles. The fuel tank vent line may rub against the ribbed wire protection sleeve of the battery positive (B+) cable, creating a hole in the vent line and causing a fuel vapor leak.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel vent line, replacing it as necessary, and install a clip to prevent it from chafing, free of charge. The recall beganApril 3, 2017.
Air bags
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S,…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2017 BMW i3:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2017 BMW i3 owners say
Body & structure
The contact owns a 2017 BMW I3. The contact stated that there were discolored bubbles developing on the roof of the vehicle. The roof of the vehicle was delaminating. Upon further inspection, the contact found out that the hot climate and UV rays and the composite structure might be the factors causing the failure. The vehicle was taken to a body shop. The contact was informed that the carbon fiber used on the vehicle might have caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
My 2017 i3 has a deteriorating roof. The roof, which is made of carbon fiber, is peeling and pieces are breaking off. This has also led to the interior upholstery of my roof to peel and sag. I am worried moisture will be let into my car, creating a mold issue. I contacted BMW and my extended warranty and they did not want to cover anything. They said this was normal wear and tear and they would not help me. From my understanding this is a much larger issue with all i3 models. I am also having a very hard time finding a body shop that will fix this for me. I have contacted several and they either don't know how to do it, or refuse to do it in fear that they might do it wrong. I am now considering contacting a a boat repair shop, but that might be very costly. I think the company is at fault and needs to figure out a solution. …
Steering
I had just turned on the car a few minutes prior to the incident and I was approaching an intersection to turn left onto a 2-lane highway. As I made the left turn, the steering felt wrong like the car was over then under steering. I was able to straighten out, and I felt like the power steering had failed. A quarter mile down the road, I turned left into a gas station, and I could feel the heaviness of the steering. It felt exactly like if the power steering was deactivated. I came to a stop, turn off fans, rolled the window down, and turned the steering wheel to see if there were any odd noises. There weren't. There were no error lamps or messages displayed. I turned off the car for a minute then back on again. The steering felt fine from then on. It felt unsafe because of the sudden loss of expected steering control. …
Roads were clear but edges slushy. Temp was 27 degrees.drove 2 miles at 40ish MPH to starbucks, got coffee. Normal rear wheel drive traction issues when changing lanes, etc. I was driving carefully and about 5 MPH under what everyone else was doing. About a mile away from the coffee drive through, I changed lanes (right to left) over a pile of slush...normal mild traction issues. Was in the left lane and had "recovered" when suddenly more yellow traction warning lights came on (one on drivers control panel, one on the info panel)...reading it later, it said to drive gently, the traction control system was recalibrating. I am a very good driver...I lost complete control. I was steering into the skid, but it didn't feel like a normal skid. It didn't slow (I know not to brake - and there wasn't any traffic to worry about). …
Electrical system
While driving on the freeway, the vehicle's electric motor suddenly died. Because this is an electric vehicle, the car came to a sudden and abrupt stop, with all the wheels locking up. The car would not shift into drive or neutral or reverse. It effectively died, with the only power coming from the 12-volt battery to power the dashboard and interior lights. It was effectively inoperable. The vehicle displayed the following error message: "DRIVETRAIN: only electric drive possible, limited driving range, continued driving possible, consult nearest service center." We brought the car to our local BMW service center, and they ran a diagnostic (attached as PDF file). The issue is a faulty EME, which could be as much as an $11K repair. Several model years prior to 2017 i3 have been recalled by BMW for this exact issue. …
In emergency situations when activating the horn, there is an unacceptable delay between when the horn is pressed and when there is actually sound produced. I have taken this up with the dealer and have been informed "that's just how it is." In looking across the internet, I see this is affecting all BMW i3 and some other BMW vehicles. The delay is approximately 1/2 second, which actually makes the horn virtually useless in emergency situations. The horn switch fully activates... It is like there is some kind of processor involved that cannot process the signal fast enough to engage the horn. This is really getting dangerous and I am frustrated that BMW is saying "by design."
2017 BMW i3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | RWD | 137 / 111 / 124 MPGe | 81 mi |
| 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed | RWD | 36 / 33 / 35 | — |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 BMW i3 a good car?
Based on 53 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 i3 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the i3 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 BMW i3?
The body & structure — 12 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the steering (11) and electrical system (8).
How many recalls does the 2017 BMW i3 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2017 BMW i3, the most recent from November 16, 2017 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW i3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2018 and 2016. See the full BMW i3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2017 BMW i3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 11,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.