2024 BMW I5

While driving under normal conditions at roadway speed, the panoramic sunroof glass suddenly failed with a loud explosive sound. There was no observed impact, no debris strike, and no prior damage to the glass. The failure resulted in a large central blowout with shattered glass and fragments displaced outward from the vehicle. The failed component is the panoramic sunroof glass panel, which remains available for inspection. This incident created a safety risk due to the sudden explosive event while the vehicle was in motion, which could startle the driver and nearby motorists. At the time of the failure, the interior fabric sunshade was closed, which prevented glass from entering the passenger compartment. Had the shade been open, shattered glass would have fallen into the vehicle and could have caused injury to occupants. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms before the failure.

NHTSA ID

11735810

Incident

Apr 25, 2026

On May 3, 2026, while operating my 2024 BMW i5 on public roads, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of power steering with no prior warning. I could not turn the steering wheel at a stop. The instrument cluster simultaneously displayed: "Vehicle may roll. Brake manually," "Drive carefully. Changed steering effort," "Drive carefully. Chassis stabilization," and "Parking assistance malfunction." Auto Hold and the electronic parking brake's hold function were disabled, requiring manual brake application to prevent rollaway. Mileage at incident: approximately 21,344 miles. The simultaneous failure of Electric Power Steering, Dynamic Stability Control, and the Electronic Parking Brake while the vehicle was in motion in traffic created an immediate safety hazard. No crash or injury occurred, but a recurrence at highway speed, on a wet road, or during an evasive maneuver could foreseeably cause loss of vehicle control, crash, injury, or death. The vehicle was taken to an authorized BMW dealer. The technician stated this failure is a known issue following a recent vehicle software update, that BMW has no repair available, and that the only action taken was to power-cycle the vehicle and clear stored fault codes. No software remedy, parts replacement, or TSB was provided. I was given no assurance the failure will not recur and no timeline for a fix. To my knowledge, no recall has been issued for this defect on the i5 platform. I request that NHTSA evaluate the scope of this issue across the i5 fleet and determine whether a defect investigation or recall is warranted.

NHTSA ID

11735764

Incident

May 3, 2026

While merging onto [XXX] from an on-ramp in [XXX] , I received a dashboard warning stating “Brake system and chassis stabilization – braking may require additional force.” This occurred during active acceleration and merging into highway traffic. At the time of the warning, I experienced reduced confidence in braking performance and increased concern about the vehicle’s ability to stop safely under normal conditions. The situation created a potential safety risk, as I was entering high-speed traffic and required predictable braking capability to adjust to surrounding vehicles. There were no prior warning messages or symptoms before this event. The issue appeared suddenly while driving. After the warning appeared, I drove cautiously and reduced speed, avoiding heavy braking as advised by the system message. I proceeded directly to a nearby dealership and left the vehicle for inspection. The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnosis by an authorized service center. The issue has not yet been confirmed or reproduced by the dealer at the time of this report. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11734453

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

The vehicle listed has an unfixable defect (water valve/coolant issue) that creates a safety hazard in an electric vehicle, BMW, the manufacturer has failed to provide a remedy within a reasonable timreframe. AC Coolant valve and high voltage battery are part of the same loop which make this vehicle a safety hazard. The No fix as of today. Authorized BMW dealer feedback: ROAD TESTED WITH CUSTOMER AND HEARD NOISE CUSTOMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT. CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM A WATER VALVE LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD DURING ACTIVATION. TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH BMW TSE, NO CURRENT FIX AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11733119

Incident

Sep 13, 2025

Battery tempature warning-Constant banging sound while driving. Know EV defect per BMW, No fix in place.

NHTSA ID

11704372

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

The contact's insurer owned a 2024 BMW I5. The contact stated that the insurer received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while the insurer was parking the vehicle, and the brake was depressed, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated and collided with a store's side wall. The contact stated that, to her knowledge, there were no injuries. The contact added that she did not have notice of a police report or that medical attention was needed at this time. The vehicle was towed to a body shop where it was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11688366

Incident

Aug 27, 2024

While driving in heavy highway traffic at approximately 5–10 mph, the vehicle suddenly displayed a red warning message and symbol in the driver’s gauge cluster indicating the car was shutting down. About 15–20 seconds later, propulsion was completely lost, although power steering and braking remained available. I attempted to change gears and restart the car by turning it on and off, but nothing worked. I activated the hazard lights since the car was stopped in traffic and posed a danger to surrounding vehicles. Because the vehicle would not respond, I opened and closed the driver’s door and then attempted to restart. At that point, the vehicle restarted, and I was able to continue driving. Out of caution, I remained in the slow lane for the rest of the trip home in case the problem occurred again. The incident created a serious safety risk in the middle of highway traffic. The failure matches the description in BMW’s recent recall (25V395) involving electric drive motor software that can erroneously shut down the high-voltage system after displaying a red warning. However, the manufacturer’s recall lookup currently does not show my vehicle as included. This issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. I will be contacting them this morning and reporting the issue to them and probably taking it in for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11686791

Incident

Sep 11, 2025

Make extreme high fan noise during and after super fast charging sessions (Electrify America), overheating issues, unlike all other Evs that do not. Constant clunking sound during and after departing from sessions. Periodic banging sound when parked. Sounds can be observed inside and outside of vehicle. Signs of defect and overheating, safety concerns not addressed by purchasing dealer and manufacture BMW NA. I have video recordings of the issue, and have taking it to two separate BMW dealers no resolution and can not have my kids in the car due to safety concerns.

NHTSA ID

11686161

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

Charging sessions cannot be started or they are interrupted while using a Level 2 AC high-power charging station, or with a Level 3 DC charging station. Charging may start normally but can interrupt after some time. Level 2 (240 V) Flex Charger and Wall box may also be affected. The red or white LED is displayed on the high-voltage charging socket; however, no associated fault codes are stored.

The customer states there is a Drivetrain Malfunction message displayed in the instrument cluster. In addition, the following fault memory entries are saved in the CCU (Combined Charging Unit) 0317F2 - High-voltage system, insulation fault detected: when switch contactors are closed. 0317F1 - High-voltage system, insulation resistance below warning threshold: when switch contactors are closed. The fault memory entries (isolation faults) can occur both individually and in combination and must be traced back to the eDrive motor based on the ISTA test procedure. If ISTA test procedure lists possible cause of fault as; A metal chip is found behind the brush module (between the brush module and the end shield of the electrical machine). Repair required. Refer to service solution no. 20000794435083 in Aftersales Information Research (AIR). Follow information in the Procedure section below.

There is coolant leaking from under the car Low heater output Possible Check Control message “Drive, you can continue driving” (ID49) Possible fault codes stored in these BEV vehicles: 224163 – Electric auxiliary heater for the high-voltage battery unit: Undervoltage or internal communication fault 8049AA - Coolant level sensor, expansion tank: Coolant level low or short circuit to ground or line disconnection 80124F – Electric auxiliary heater: Communication in electric auxiliary heater faulty 224F60 - Coolant level sensor, expansion tank: Coolant level low or short circuit to ground or line disconnection 224111 - Cooling system for power electronics: Coolant loss detected 224107 - Cooling system for high-voltage battery unit, component protection: Detection of coolant loss

High Voltage Connection Return

Through quality checks, it has been detected that the front left water drain hose for the slide/tilt sunroof isnot connected.

A faulty electric auxiliary heater may have been installed in the certain vehicles. This could result in thefailure of the electric auxiliary heater, utilized for the vehicle interior.