BMW I3

114 complaints across 5 scored model years and 7 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · BMW I3 Full report

Grade 2014–2018

2015 vs model median 1.4×

Model median3× median

Steering 8

Airbags & Restraints 5

Speed Control 4

Weakest

2014 · 2015

Best

2016 · 2018

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the BMW I3
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2014	1.00×	24	C
2015	1.36×	32	C
2016	0.55×	11	B
2017	1.03×	32	C
2018	0.41×	10	B

Recalls

7 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
17V720000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL	2014–2018	32,000
17V088000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS	2014–2017	19,130
15V628000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2014, 2015	6,073
16V914000	AIR BAGS	2017	3,506
18V652000	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL	2018	3,501
19V310000	HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM	2018	159
14V422000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL	2014	27

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Acura ILX	20142016	C
Audi A3	20152017	C
BMW 1 Series	none flagged	C
Buick Verano	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Bolt EV	2017	C
Chevrolet Cobalt	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Cruze	20112012	C
Chevrolet HHR	none flagged	C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 I3

Complaints in window: 32
Severity-weighted: 53
Model median (weighted): 39
vs model median: 1.36×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 3
Open investigations: 0

Score 58.5 C