2014 BMW I3 Power Train Problems

back in march 2025 my 2014 BMW i3 REX gave out a "Drivetrain Malfunction" error. The car's propulsion died while driving. I was driving in the street on the way home from picking up my chidren from school when the power completely shut off while driving. I had a full battery charge and also had about 44 miles worth of gas to use. I pull over to the side of the road, turn the car off and tried to turn it back on but it wouldnt move. i was about 1 mile from home and was able to get the car towed home using AAA. The error code disappeared the next day and i kept driving the car it felt as if it the problem went away. Fast forward Augist 1 2025, the car once again shut off while in the middle of the street driving. I could not get it back on and once again had to get it towed. Once home it started back up like nothing wihtin a few hours. A week later on August 8 it did it again but this time i was driving on the freeway. I was soo afraid for my life because the car started to slow down as if it was runing out of gas and barely made it to get onto the side of the road away from traffic. Once again the car got towed home i was 4 miles away from home. These occurences continue to happen more frequently now. With each time the car started the error message reappeared and the propulsion died. This is gettting out of hand and becoming dangerous for me.

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 55 mph. This has happened on repeated occasions. If you then leave the car sit for several minutes and then turn it back on, it is driveable as long as it is driven under 55 mph. Since this only happens at higher speeds, it's been extremely dangerous because other cars are also traveling at high speeds and this has happened once on a freeway where the speed limit was 70 mph. If there's no shoulder to guide the car onto when this happens, the car would be disabled on the road because it will not drive again right away. I've taken it in to fix and the mechanic said it was a software update that was needed. However, the problem happened again a few months later. There was no warning before this happened both times it occurred.

THE LEFT BRACKET FOR THE ELECTRIC ENGINE IS CRACKED AND THE DEALER WANTS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE FOR A REPLACEMENT ONE WHICH HAPPENS TO BE COMPLETELY REDESIGNED FROM A CHEAP PLASTIC PART WHICH EQUIPS MY CAR TO A MORE STUDY AND IMPROVED ONE FOR THE LATEST MODELS OF THE SAME MAKE. AS I DID SOME RESEARCH THE SAME ISSUE WAS SUBJECTED TO A FORMAL SAFETY RECALL IN EUROPE. HERE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED SO THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME A HEFTY FEE FOR WHAT IS BASICALLY A REPAIR TO A MANUFACTURER'S RECOGNIZED DESIGN FLAW. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS MANY OWNERS OF THIS CAR WILL NOT REPAIR THIS ISSUE WHICH CAN BE FAILED TO BE IDENTIFIED OR WILL BALK AT THE PRICE TAG OF THE CHANGE. IF THE BRACKET FAILS THE WHOLE ENGINE AND DRIVESHAFT WILL DROP AND INTERFERE WITH REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL. THE REPLACEMENT BRACKET IS ALUMINIUM VS THE ORIGINAL ONE IN PLASTIC SO THEY ARE TRYING TO QUICKLY SWEEP THIS DESIGN FLAW UNDER THE RUG. THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC CRASHES OF THIS TYPE OF CAR IN THE PAST DUE TO IT BUT CROSSING MY FINGERS IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE PICTURES I INCLUDE SHOW WHERE THE REPLACEMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. #3 IS WHERE THE CRACK IS AND I ALSO HAVE A VIDEO I CAN SUBMIT IF NEEDED.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WITH TRAFFIC. THE MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN IN MY CAR STATED DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION STOP AND TURN OFF ENGINE DO NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE.

Mileage: 50,000

I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING TO ME OR OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR VEHICLES PUTTING MY SAFETY AND OTHER'S SAFETY AT GREAT RISK. ON MAY 20, 2020, I WAS STOPPED ON A RED LIGHT AT NECKEL RD TO CROSS HIGHWAY 86 IN IMPERIAL CA. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, I RELEASED THE BREAK PEDAL AND NORMALLY ACCELERATED. SUDDENLY MY VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 86 AND PUT ITSELF IN THE PARK POSITION SHOWING "DRIVE TRAIN FAULT" ALARM. IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR'S TRAFFIC AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT IT TO NEUTRAL POSITION TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY. WITH VEHICLES TRAFFIC MOVING AROUND ME, I TURN MY CAR OFF AND ON THREE TIMES, WITH ABOUT TEN SECONDS IN BETWEEN OFF AN ON, BEFORE THE ALARM WOULD RESET. ONCE THE ALARM CLEARED, I ABORTED MY SHORT TRIP AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK HOME SAFELY BUT I AM CONCERN THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME AT HIGHER SPEEDS PUTTING MY SAFETY AND OTHERS' SAFETY AT RISK. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES / COMPLAINS WITH THIS VEHICLES AND WHAT IS BMW DOING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *TR

Mileage: 43,580

WHEN THE DRIVETRAIN FAILURE LIGHT COMES ON, THE MOTOR FAILS, THEN LOCKS UP IN PARK. YOU CONNOT THEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. EVEN THE TOWTRUCK NEEDS DOLLIES TO GET REAR WHEELS OFF THE GROUND. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE STATIONARY, AND SEVERAL TIMES ON THE ROAD. IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO ROLL TO SHOULDER, IT COULD HAVE CREATED AN ACCIDENT. THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO GET TO ZNEUTRAL.

Mileage: 66,000

IN SEVERAL OCCASION, A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY. A "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" LIGHTS UP AND CAR STOPS AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR AGAIN. I TURNED OFF THE CAR FOR A MINUTE THEN ON AGAIN, THE LIGHT DISAPPEARED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THE THIRD TIME I STARTED UP MY CAR AND THE LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE LIGHT REMAINED AND THE CAR IS IMMOBILIZED. IT IS VERY ODD THAT A DRIVE TRAIN IS MALFUNCTIONED AFTER ONLY 39,000 MILES. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE DRIVE TRAIN ON THE I3 ARE OFTEN MALFUNCTION AND IS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I HAVE A 2014 BASE MODEL AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAS GONE OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE THE 5 YEARS CAME BEFORE THE 50,000 MILES.

Mileage: 38,000

WHEN THE VEHICLE ENTERS A 'FAULT' MODE, SUCH AS DRIVE MOTOR MALFUNCTION, THE CARS DISCONTINUES POWER TO THE DRIVE MOTOR, ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO ROLL TO A STOP, THEN ELECTRONICALLY PUTS THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK. AS LONG AS THE FAULT CODE EXISTS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE PUSHED OR TOWED OUT OF HARMS WAY. I WAS ABOUT TO TURN ON TO A VERY BUSY 3-LANE [NO SHOULDER] HIGHWAY WHEN IT SHUT DOWN. NOT EVEN THE POLICE COULD ASSIST ME IN PUSHING IT OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. HAS I TURNED AND STARTED DOWN THAT ROAD AND THE VEHICLE THEN GONE INTO FAULT MODE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT WITH A MATTER OF MINUTES.NO OTHER VEHICLE I KNOW OF DOES NOT LET THE OWNER PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSH IT OFF TO THE SIDE OUR OUT OF HARMS WAY. THIS IS AN ALL ELECTRIC CAR SO THE DEALER SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A SIMPLE PROGRAMMING CHANGE. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER, HE REFERRED ME TO BMW NORTH AMERICA. I TALKED TO THEM AT LENGTH ON THE PHONE AND THEY HAVE NO WAY OF PASSING ON MY CONCERNS TO THE MANUFACTURER (BMW GERMANY).

Mileage: 36,000

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AND AT A STOP LIGHT THE CAR MADE SOME JERKY NOISE AND GOT THE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION - STOP AND TURN OFF ENGINE. DO NOT CONTINUE DRIVING. CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE" MESSAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SERVICE AND THEY NEVER FOUND ANY PROBLEM. NOW IN THE SPAN OF A DAY IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. WHEN I TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT A MINUTE OR SO AND START AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. I AM NOT SURE WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND I HAVE LOOKED THROUGH ALL BMW FORUMS AND FACEBOOK PAGES AND NOBODY SEEMS TO HAVE AN ANSWER. I AM WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR AND HAVING IT COMPLETELY HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY BMW AND I HAVE YET TO GET AN ANSWER.

Mileage: 15,600

CHARGED MY CAR OVERNIGHT IN MY CLIMATE CONTROLLED GARAGE AND WENT OUT THE NEXT MORNING TO RUN ERRANDS. TURNED IT ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE, HEARD A POP OR CLUNK FROM THE REAR AND THEN GOT A DRIVE TRAIN NOT AVAILABLE - DO NOT MOVE VEHICLE ERROR. COULDN'T EVEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL FOR TOWING - BMW ROADSIDE HAD TO SEND A TOW TRUCK WITH SKATES TO PROP UP THE BACK END AND PUSH IT OUT OF MY GARAGE. IT'S BEEN AT THE DEALER ALMOST 2 WEEKS NOW - THE LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE HAD CALLS WITH BMW BACK IN GERMANY AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

Mileage: 6,500

THE BMW I3 ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT COMES WITH A RANGE EXTENDER HAS A CRITICAL HAZARDOUS DESIGN FLAW. IT CANNOT CONSISTENTLY POWER THE VEHICLE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED WHEN DRIVING ON A MODERATE INCLINE FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU MAY BE DRIVING ON A CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AND RUN OUT OF ELECTRIC CHARGE AND THE RANGE EXTENDER WILL KICK IN. EVERYTHING IS FINE UNTIL YOU APPROACH A HILLY AREA. AS THE CAR ASCENDS THE INCLINE IT STARTS TO REDUCE SPEED. SO BEFORE YOU WERE GOING THE SAME SAFE SPEED AS THE SURROUNDING TRAFFIC NOW YOU START TO SLOW DOWN. 70, 65, 60, THINGS START GETTING SCARY AS CARS START PASSING YOU ON BOTH SIDES, 55, 50 45, NOW IT'S REALLY SCARY AND VERY DANGEROUS AS CARS ARE PASSING YOU GOING 70+ MPH. BY THIS TIME YOU ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET TO THE SLOW LANE, SOMETIMES CROSSING MULTIPLE LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING 25+ MPH OVER YOUR SPEED. YOU PUT YOUR 4 WAY BLINKERS ON AND NOW THE CAR IS GOING 39 MPH, WELL BELOW THE MINIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON THE CA HIGHWAY, AND YOU ARE PRAYING THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT SLAM INTO YOU GOING 80 MPH. I HOPE THIS GIVES YOU A CLEARER PICTURE OF MY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. I HAD MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THE HEAD I3 TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THAT I WOULD BE GETTING AN ELECTRONICS UPDATE/UPGRADE AND THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THAT I NOTICED WAS THE WARNING OF POTENTIAL LOSS OF POWER ALERT APPEAR ON THE DISPLAY AS I STARTED UP A HILL. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS BEFORE. THIS EXPERIENCE THAT I DESCRIBED TO YOU HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME I RUN OUT OF ELECTRICITY AND HAVE TO RUN ON THE EXTENDER AND CLIMB A HILL THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY STEEP BUT EXTENDS SOME DISTANCE AT AN INCLINE. THE CAR IS UNSAFE.

Mileage: 5,000