2016 BMW i3 problems & reliability
33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW i3, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 BMW i3 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure → | 10 | 30% |
| Steering | 8 | 24% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 15% |
| Power Train | 3 | 9% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Driver airbag warning light illuminated. Vehicle was diagnosed at BMW of Sherman Oaks (RO# 176741) and confirmed as a faulty driver airbag module - part# 32-30-6-870-366. BMW technician found fault code 930904: Driver's airbag interval stage 1, resistance too high stored. BMW NA declined goodwill repair assistance…”
Air Bags · filed Jun 12, 2026
“While driving my 2016 BMW i3 with Range Extender, the vehicle experiences sudden and complete loss of propulsion at very low state of charge (0–1%). The car abruptly loses motive power, forcing me to pull over, sometimes while in traffic. After sitting for several minutes, limited power may return, but the vehicle…”
Power Train · filed Jan 15, 2026
“The contact owns a 2016 BMW I3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and the air bag warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel filler had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Apr 22, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect Petition DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
Technical service bulletins
256 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW i3. The 10 most recent:
The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
B010525 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued May 6, 2026
the High-Voltage (HV) Battery Assembly Cell Modules Temperature Sensors (Internal NTC repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as…
B011124 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Dec 4, 2024
The High-Voltage (HV) Battery Assembly Cell Modules Temperature Sensors (Internal NTC repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as…
011024 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Dec 4, 2024
For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. This…
B010524 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 11, 2024
The Supplemental Restraint Systemâ  s (SRS) air bag warning lamp is illuminated, and the air bag control unitâ  s (ACSM4i) fault memory has stored one or both of the following fault codes: 930904 Airbag Driver 1st…
B010818 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 25, 2024
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information…
B611305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 11, 2024
The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2…
SIB651312 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2022
For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to: 15 years/150,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date.
B012021 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2021
The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2…
B651312 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2021
Different air temperatures are felt from left to right out of the front fresh air grilles (air vents).
B640621 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2021
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2016 BMW i3 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 BMW i3?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.