Most common 2019 BMW i3 problems
Share of the 13 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 →
2019 BMW i3 recalls (1)
Hybrid propulsion system
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2019 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 2019 BMW i3 owners say
Electrical system
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 local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) module had failed and short circuited the safety box inside of the high voltage battery and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V599000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
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 moving as though we had just started a drag race - full acceleration - and the brakes did not respond. We crashed into the car in front of us at full acceleration despite me pumping the brakes at least twice. It was surreal. We drive a 2019 BMW i3. It's an electric vehicle and I wondered if there was som electrical failure. The car stopped only because of the car we ran into.
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 while traveling at highway speeds. The dealership that I had the car towed to did some diagnostic work and said that "EME" had failed. The EME is the main processor that controls all electrical functions in the vehicle. My understanding is that 2019 BMW i3's were recalled due to failures of the EME due to corrosion. How my car was missed in that reacall, I can't ascertain. Perhaps because my particular car has an "S" designation, so it is called an "i3S" and it slipped through the cracks on the original recall. …
Steering has been normal until now. Suddenly on two occasions after stopping at a light it was hard to make a left turn. Steering felt as if tire pressure was low. Pressure was not low. This is first time this has occurred. Discovered this is a common complaint on internet searches. Have not driven i3 again since incident.
Fuel & propulsion system
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 local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) module had failed and short circuited the safety box inside of the high voltage battery and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V599000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
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-amp charge cable purchased from Amazon on February 4, 2019. The BMW technician requested to see the cable and it was confirmed to be damaged also. BMW attributed this incident to the charger rather than the vehicle, so the repair (over $2400) was not covered under warranty. I feel this represents a serious safety concern, as the overheated charger/charge port could have caused a fire in my garage. I have retained the parts associated with this incident, including the charge cable and the damaged charge port from the vehicle.
2019 BMW i3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | RWD | 124 / 102 / 113 MPGe | 153 mi |
| 0.6L 2-cyl plug-in hybrid | Single-speed | RWD | 30 / 31 / 31 | — |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 BMW i3 a good car?
Based on 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 i3 rates better than average: 61% fewer complaints than a typical year of the i3 at the same age. It is one of the best i3 years by this measure. 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 2019 BMW i3?
The electrical system — 6 complaints, 46% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (4) and fuel & propulsion system (3).
How many recalls does the 2019 BMW i3 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2019 BMW i3, the most recent from August 14, 2019 (hybrid propulsion system). 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 2019 BMW i3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 7,000 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.