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2017 Bmw I3 Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Critical

71 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.55 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical17V088000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

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. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

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.

Serious17V720000

Air Bags:Frontal

During a frontal impact, unbelted, small adult, drivers could be at a higher risk of neck injury.

Remedy & full details

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. Owners may contact BMW customer service at the dedicated i3 recall number 1-855-269-3361.

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. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Serious16V914000

Air Bags

If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, raises the risk of injury.

Remedy & full details

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.

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, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.

Complaint volume

71 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

4Crashes
1Fires
7Injuries
0Deaths

Across 71 complaints. Severity Index 0.55.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Unknown Or Other11 · 15%Steering11 · 15%Structure · Body9 · 13%Electrical System7 · 10%Power Train6 · 8%Fuel/Propulsion System3 · 4%Air Bags3 · 4%Structure · Body · Roof A…3 · 4%
  1. Unknown Or Other — 11 reports
  2. Steering — 11 reports
  3. Structure:Body — 9 reports
  4. Electrical System — 7 reports
  5. Power Train — 6 reports
  6. Fuel/Propulsion System — 3 reports
  7. Air Bags — 3 reports
  8. Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars — 3 reports
  9. Electronic Stability Control (Esc) — 2 reports
  10. Service Brakes — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2014 (4) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (2) · 2017 · 2018 (3) · 2019 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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