Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (2)
Air bags: frontal
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."
Risk and remedy
Risk: During a frontal impact, unbelted, small adult, drivers could be at a higher risk of neck injury.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
Canadian recalls (2)
Show 2 Canadian recalls
Label
2024-08-15 · campaign 2024-544
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French.
Safety Risk:
This error does not affect vehicle safety.
Corrective Actions:
This is not a recall. The company has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.
Fuel system
2017-02-10 · campaign 2017-068 · 688 vehicles
On certain i3 REX models, a section of the fuel tank vent line could chafe against an adjacent ribbed wire protector. Over time, this chaffing could lead to the fuel tank vent line wearing through and leaking. Due to enclosed engine compartment of this vehicle and elevated underhood temperatures, this could increase the risk of a fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will install a clip between the fuel tank vent line and the adjacent ribbed wire protector to prevent contact, and the fuel tank vent line will be inspected and replaced as necessary.
Owner complaints (33)
Owners filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW i3 (3 crashes, 1 injuries reported). Among 7 model years of this model, it ranks #4 for the most complaints (median 33).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Structure | 10 | |
| Steering | 8 | |
| Air bags | 6 | |
| Electrical system | 5 | |
| Power train | 3 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | |
| Unknown or other | 2 | |
| Engine | 2 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 BMW i3.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2016 BMW I3 5 HB RWD | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2016 BMW i3 version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| i3 BEV Automatic (A1) | 137 | 111 | 124 | $600 |
| i3 REX 0.6 L Automatic (A1) | 41 | 37 | 39 | $2,100 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.