Reliable Auto DB

2015 BMW i3 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW i3 over 12 years — 2 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 3 recalls on file, including Frontal, Hoses and fittings, and Inflator.

2014 BMW i3
Photo by Dietmar Rabich, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

47

Per year

2

Recalls

3

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (15 of 47), then Air bags (7) and Structure (7). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 i3 has 49 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2016 has 33 complaints, 1 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

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 2015 BMW i3. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

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.

Complaints by component (47 total)

Steering
15
Air bags
7
Structure
7
Electrical system
6
Speed control
6
Powertrain
4
Engine
3
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Seat belts
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Service brakes
1
Suspension
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Show 8 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

5201622017420189201972020620212202272023120243202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "In the middle of driving, the coil spring on rear passenger side snapped. What happened to me today was exactly what the search result showed from the internet. And yet, when I put in my VIN # to your and BMW website, I…"
    Suspension · filed 2026-07-10
  • "When driving down the interstate the carbon fiber roof suddenly delaminated of its top layer causing the cars behind me to have to slam on the brakes as chunks of carbon fiber flew off the car. This is a known issue…"
    Structure · filed 2025-10-22
  • "Carbon fiber roof is experiencing sun damage beyond what is normal."
    Structure · filed 2025-07-15
  • "airbag failed. alert light went on. Had to be replaced."
    Air bags · filed 2024-02-26

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 BMW I3 5 HB RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

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

Previous year 2014 BMW i3 Next year 2016 BMW i3 See every BMW i3 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 BMW i3 reliable?

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW i3 over 12 years — 2 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 3 recalls on file, including Frontal, Hoses and fittings, and Inflator.

What are common problems with a 2015 BMW i3?

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (15 of 47), then Air bags (7) and Structure (7). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2015 BMW i3 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 i3 has 49 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2016 has 33 complaints, 1 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 BMW i3 been recalled?

The 2015 BMW i3 has 3 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 2015 BMW i3?

Owners have filed 47 complaints about the 2015 BMW i3 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 BMW i3 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 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).