2014 BMW I3 Rex Problems

THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR COULD BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF (THE REMAINING FUNCTIONS AND POWER OFF). IT THEN COULD BE TURNED BACK ON AND DRIVEN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CAR DECIDED TO GO OFF LINE WHILE IN A STATE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER.

THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. 'THE EME MALFUNCTION HAPPENED THE FIRST DAY THAT I DROVE THE CAR AFTER PURCHASING. NOT LONG AFTER I STARTED DRIVING IN THE MORNING THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE REX WASN'T WORKING. ABOUT 40 MINUTES LATER ON MY TRIP, THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE CAR WAS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE REX. IN THE EVENING WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING, AND THEN THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO START AGAIN AFTER SOME TIME. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY SCARY AT THE TIME AS I HAD MY 18 MONTH GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT. 'THE SECOND EME FAILURE WAS SERIOUSLY MORE DANGEROUS. I WAS TRAVELING ON 405 SOUTHBOUND WHEN THE POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE CAR LOST POWER. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE WITH NO SHOULDER. CARS WERE COMING UP SO FAST AND CLOSE. I WAS AFRAID FOR MY LIFE SO I FLED THE CAR AND JUMPED OVER THE GUARDRAIL FOR SAFETY. I CALLED THE POLICE AND THEY HAD TO BLOCK THE LANE AND PUT OUT FLARES UNTIL AN EMERGENCY TOW TRUCK COULD ARRIVE. 'I AM VERY AFRAID OF THIS CAR AND SINCE THE SECOND EVENT HAPPENED I HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE 100-MILE JOURNEYS FOR WHICH WE BOUGHT THE CAR. I BABYSIT MY GRANDSON WHO LIVES UP NORTH, AND THIS IS THE REASON WE PURCHASED THIS CAR, TO SAVE ON GAS. I DO NOT WANT TO PUT MY GRANDSON IN DANGER SO I NOW USE OUR OTHER CAR, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE GOOD GAS MILEAGE. BOTH TIMES WERE ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS

THE REX (RANGE EXTENDER) ON MY I3 DOES NOT TURN ON, AT RANDOM, WHEN THE BATTERY LEVEL OF THE VEHICLE GETS TO A POINT THAT IS LOW ENOUGH FOR IT TO TURN ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT LOSS OF SPEED WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE BMW DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY VEHICLE AND HAS SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. IT HAS BEEN 'FIXED' ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AS WELL. THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS NO LONGER ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS ISSUE WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TAKEN A STANCE THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LOSING POWER AND SPEED (AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED HEAVILY) IS "OPERATION NORMALLY FOR CONDITIONS" AND "NO ACTIONS TAKEN" AND ADVICE THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND KNOWN AND HAVE "ADVISED CUSTOMER OF LIMITATION OF DRIVING ON THE REX WITH TOO MANY CUSTOMER DEMANDS..." THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE REX NOT TURNING ON AND LOSING POWER WHILE IN MOTION AND ON THE HIGHWAY AND SURFACE / LIGHT COMMERCIAL STREETS AT ALL LEVELS OF SPEED. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DOES NOT LIKELY HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING 35MPH AND ALSO WHILE GOING 70MPH, AND OTHER SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND HAPPENED TO MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE TIMES (DURING THE SAME TRIP, ON DIFFERENT DAYS) TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN THEIR CARE FOR REPAIR.

I TEST DROVE A BMW I3. I GOT INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO CHARGE IT UP COMPLETELY WHEN I DROVE IT. ALMOST DIED. CONSUMER REPORTS DESCRIBES IT ALL BETTER THAN I CAN: "A NEW LAWSUIT ALLEGES THAT BMW I3 ELECTRIC CARS CAN SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHEN THEIR BATTERY POWER IS LOW, POTENTIALLY PUTTING PASSENGERS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. FILED TUESDAY IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN LOS ANGELES, THE CLASS-ACTION SUIT ALLEGES THAT THE I3'S 'RANGE EXTENDER FEATURE ... DOESN'T PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO PREVENT A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE. AS ALLEGED, IF THE CAR IS UNDER ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT LOAD (SUCH AS GOING UP A HILL, OR LOADED WITH PASSENGERS), THE SPEED OF THE CAR WILL DRAMATICALLY DECREASE AS THE BATTERY CHARGE DIMINISHES,' ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE FROM PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY JONATHAN MICHAELS OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF." -- CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE REPORTS.

THE REX (RANGE EXTENDER) ON MY I3 DOES NOT TURN ON, AT RANDOM, WHEN THE BATTERY LEVEL OF THE VEHICLE GETS TO A POINT THAT IS LOW ENOUGH FOR IT TO TURN ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT LOSS OF SPEED WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE BMW DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY VEHICLE AND HAS SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. IT HAS BEEN 'FIXED' ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AS WELL. THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS NO LONGER ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS ISSUE WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TAKEN A STANCE THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LOSING POWER AND SPEED (AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED HEAVILY) IS "OPERATION NORMALLY FOR CONDITIONS" AND "NO ACTIONS TAKEN" AND ADVICE THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND KNOWN AND HAVE "ADVISED CUSTOMER OF LIMITATION OF DRIVING ON THE REX WITH TOO MANY CUSTOMER DEMANDS..." THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE REX NOT TURNING ON AND LOSING POWER WHILE IN MOTION AND ON THE HIGHWAY AND SURFACE / LIGHT COMMERCIAL STREETS AT ALL LEVELS OF SPEED. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DOES NOT LIKELY HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING 35MPH AND ALSO WHILE GOING 70MPH, AND OTHER SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND HAPPENED TO MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE TIMES (DURING THE SAME TRIP, ON DIFFERENT DAYS) TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN THEIR CARE FOR REPAIR.

I TEST DROVE A BMW I3. I GOT INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO CHARGE IT UP COMPLETELY WHEN I DROVE IT. ALMOST DIED. CONSUMER REPORTS DESCRIBES IT ALL BETTER THAN I CAN: "A NEW LAWSUIT ALLEGES THAT BMW I3 ELECTRIC CARS CAN SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHEN THEIR BATTERY POWER IS LOW, POTENTIALLY PUTTING PASSENGERS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. FILED TUESDAY IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN LOS ANGELES, THE CLASS-ACTION SUIT ALLEGES THAT THE I3'S 'RANGE EXTENDER FEATURE ... DOESN'T PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO PREVENT A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE. AS ALLEGED, IF THE CAR IS UNDER ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT LOAD (SUCH AS GOING UP A HILL, OR LOADED WITH PASSENGERS), THE SPEED OF THE CAR WILL DRAMATICALLY DECREASE AS THE BATTERY CHARGE DIMINISHES,' ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE FROM PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY JONATHAN MICHAELS OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF." -- CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE REPORTS.

The contact owns a 2014 BMW I3 Hybrid. The contact stated that after charging the vehicle overnight the next morning the vehicle climate control was activated and moments later smoke was present inside the vehicle coming from the front passenger side air vent. After exiting the vehicle flames were seen coming from the front passenger side air vent and the vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. A fire report was taken at the scene. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer later had the vehicle examined and informed that the fire was caused by a loose bolt used to secure the 12V battery. The failure mileage was 40,000.

THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR COULD BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF (THE REMAINING FUNCTIONS AND POWER OFF). IT THEN COULD BE TURNED BACK ON AND DRIVEN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CAR DECIDED TO GO OFF LINE WHILE IN A STATE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER.

THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR COULD BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF (THE REMAINING FUNCTIONS AND POWER OFF). IT THEN COULD BE TURNED BACK ON AND DRIVEN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CAR DECIDED TO GO OFF LINE WHILE IN A STATE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER.

I BOUGHT BMW I-3 IN 9/14. IT RAN FINE UNTIL LAST WEEKEND IN NOV. ON SAT. 11/29/14 WE WERE DRIVING ON I-5 NORTH AT ABOUT GORMAN EXIT CAR WENT ON GAS EXTENDER AND ALL OF SUDDEN SPEED DROPPED FROM 60-65 MILES TO 30 MILES AND BELOW AND WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN THAT ON FREEWAY DESPITE ME FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL. WE TOOK NEXT EXIT OF FRAZIER PARK DRIVING IN RIGHT MOST LANE WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND ALL THE WAY UPTO PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB SAME THING HAPPENED. WE CHARGED THE CAR OVERNIGHT TO FULL CAPACITY AND DROVE BACK TO PORTER RANCH NEXT DAY. I WENT TO MY WORK ON 11/30/14 LATER IN AFTERNOON AND COMING BACK FROM PANORAMA CITY TO PORTER RANCH AGAIN CAR CAME ON GAS THIS TIME AT THE RAMP FROM I-405 NORTH MERGE WITH 118 WEST AND THIS TIME CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED ON THE RAMP IT WAS AT ABOUT 3.45 PM IT WAS RAINING IN THE VALLEY. I WAS SO AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY WILL HIT ME FROM BACK. FORTUNATELY ENOUGH AFTER LONG-LONG FEW MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START MY CAR AND TOOK NEXT EXIT ON 118 WEST (HAYVENHURST) AND DROVE BACK HOME ON STREET WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN. SEEMS, CAR GOING ON GAS EXTENDER ON FREEWAY IS A"DEATH TRAP". I DONOT REMEMBER ANY BODY WARNING US OF THAT PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

ASSISTED STEERING IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY AND INCORRECTLY IDENTIFYING STRAIGHT. HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY WHEN DRIVING, CAUSING DRIVER TO HAVE TO ADJUST STEERING DIRECTION. SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS.

MY BMW I3 OVER THE PAST YEAR WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED HAS HAD A HANDFUL OF TIMES WHERE POWER STEERING BECOMES EXTREMELY TWITCHY OUR CUTS OUT COMPLETELY LIKE IT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT CENTERED IS SO THAT I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS. THE CAR IS UNSTABLE AND NO LONGER RETURNS TO CENTER WHEN TAKING CORNERS AND FEELS EXTREMELY HEAVY. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR 3-5 MINUTES UNTIL IT RESETS. BECAUSE IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND THERE IS NO ERROR CODE DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIX THE ISSUE.

FLAT TIRE, TIRE UNREPAIRABLE BIG HOLE AND RUPTURED AFTER NORMAL DRIVING. NO JACK GIVEN, NO SPARE TIRE GIVEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME CAR

ADAPTIVE SPEED CONTROL WILL UNEXPECTEDLY QUIT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERING UNEXPECTED BRAKING FORCE. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF BEING STUCK FROM THE REAR. *TR

WARNING LIGHT INDICATES "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING". TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT IS RELATED TO PASSENGER SEAT BELT. REPAIR IS NOT COVER BY WARRANTY AS AUTO HAS 52,700 MILES ON IT. DEALER CHARGES $1,242 FOR PARTS AN LABOR.

DATE 09/05/2014 MILEAGE 4,078. ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM INDICATED "FAULT IN AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER." THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE TENSIONER FAULT. ADDITIONALLY THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED AIR BAG FAULT WAS CAUSED BY HIGH RESISTANCE IN A COIL SPRING AND REPLACED THE COIL SPRING. WARNING REPEATED AGAIN ON 09/15/14 AT 4,424 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP UPON TESTING FOUND FAULT CODE 9030BE3 AND PERFORMED TESTING UNDER THIS FAULT PROTOCOL. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE REPORTING THAT THE WARNING DID NOT REAPPEAR. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CAUTIONED THAT SHOULD THE FAULT WARNING RE-APPEAR, THERE WAS THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY THAT THE VEHICLE MEMORY WOULD HAVE TO BE WIPED AND THE SOFTWARE RE-INSTALLED. UPDATED 08/24/15. *JB

DATE 09/05/2014 MILEAGE 4,078. ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM INDICATED "FAULT IN AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER." THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE TENSIONER FAULT. ADDITIONALLY THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED AIR BAG FAULT WAS CAUSED BY HIGH RESISTANCE IN A COIL SPRING AND REPLACED THE COIL SPRING. WARNING REPEATED AGAIN ON 09/15/14 AT 4,424 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP UPON TESTING FOUND FAULT CODE 9030BE3 AND PERFORMED TESTING UNDER THIS FAULT PROTOCOL. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE REPORTING THAT THE WARNING DID NOT REAPPEAR. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CAUTIONED THAT SHOULD THE FAULT WARNING RE-APPEAR, THERE WAS THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY THAT THE VEHICLE MEMORY WOULD HAVE TO BE WIPED AND THE SOFTWARE RE-INSTALLED. UPDATED 08/24/15. *JB