2014 BMW i3 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2014 BMW i3 has 49 complaints with NHTSA after 13 years, or 4 per year. That is more complaints per year than most i3 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Frontal, Hoses and fittings, and Inflator.

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (10 of 49), then Air bags (8) and Engine (8). Those filings include 3 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2015

The 2015 i3 has 47 complaints, 2 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 BMW i3. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (4)

Recall air bags, frontal 2017-11-16 · NHTSA campaign 17V720000

Summary 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."

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

Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, hoses and fittings 2017-02-09 · NHTSA campaign 17V088000

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

Recall air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator 2015-10-07 · NHTSA campaign 15V628000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper two-door vehicles, 2015-2016 MINI John Cooper Works and MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper four-door vehicles and 2014-2015 BMW i3 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy properly in a low speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy MINI and BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525 and BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall air bags, frontal 2014-07-14 · NHTSA campaign 14V422000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling a certain model year BMW i3 vehicle manufactured March 31, 2014, and certain 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop vehicles manufactured February 2, 2014 to May 30, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with an air bag inflator that was not assembled correctly. This could cause the air bag to not deploy properly in the event of an accident.

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (49 total)

Powertrain

Air bags

Engine

Steering

Electrical system

Structure

Speed control

Wheels

Fuel and propulsion system

Seat belts

Suspension

Adaptive and mobility equipment

Engine and engine cooling

Service brakes

Tires

Show 7 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The carbon fiber roof is delaminating and a portion of it came off and hit the front windshield of another car, causing them to partially lose control of their vehicle almost causing an accident. This is a known issue…"
Structure · filed 2024-10-07
"A large portion of the car's hood (carbon laminate?) has ripped off and is surely to continue to tear and fly off while driving."
Structure · filed 2024-09-10
"When the vehicle depletes it's battery and switches over to the range extender or the gas engine, the car will suddenly shut off and a drivetrain error appears. This seems to only happen when the car is traveling over…"
Powertrain · filed 2024-06-14
"AC Compressor for the car battery system failed. There was a check engine light that was on steady, but not flashing. The electric range in the car reduced by 20 to 30% as a result of this fault. It was brought into the…"
Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-03-08
"I am writing to bring to your attention a persistent issue I have been facing with my 2014 BMW i3, VIN: [XXX] . Unfortunately, I have been experiencing an airbag and/or seatbelt alert problem identified as "Driver…"
Air bags · filed 2023-12-28

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
i3 BEV	—	Automatic (1-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	137	111	124 MPG / 81 mi range	$600
i3 REX	0.6L, 2-cyl	Automatic (1-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	41	37	39 MPG / 150 mi range	$2050

Specs and fitment

First generation (I01), 2014–2021

Body styles Hatchback

Tire size 155/70R19 front (175/60R19 rear staggered); 155/60R20 front (175/55R20 rear) optional front / 155/70R19 or 175/60R19 (staggered packages); 155/60R20 or 175/55R20 optional rear

Known issues for this generation

Recall 17V-088 covers certain 2014-2017 i3 REx range-extender hybrids: the fuel-tank vent line may rub against the battery positive cable sleeve and develop a hole, which can leak fuel vapor and increase fire risk. The campaign lists 19,130 vehicles; dealers inspect and replace the vent line as needed and install a clip. Recall 17V-720 covers certain 2014-2018 i3 electric and hybrid electric vehicles: unbelted small-adult drivers may face higher neck-injury risk in a frontal crash. That campaign lists 32,000 vehicles; dealers update the driver air-bag control-unit software.

Compare

Next year 2015 BMW i3 See every BMW i3 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 BMW i3 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2014 BMW i3?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (10 of 49), then Air bags (8) and Engine (8). Those filings include 3 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 BMW i3 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 i3 has 47 complaints, 2 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2014 BMW i3 been recalled?

The 2014 BMW i3 has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 BMW i3?

Owners have filed 49 complaints about the 2014 BMW i3 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 BMW i3 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 BMW i3 is 81.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

Does the BMW i3 need engine oil changes?

Battery-electric i3 models have no conventional engine oil; REx models have a small range-extender gasoline engine with its own service schedule.

What tire sizes does the BMW i3 use?

Common OEM fitments are 155/70R19 (often with staggered 175/60R19 rear) and optional 20-inch 155/60R20 / 175/55R20 packages; confirm the door placard.

What recalls affect certain BMW i3 models?

NHTSA campaigns include 17V-088 (REx fuel-tank vent line) and 17V-720 (driver air-bag control software for certain 2014-2018 models).