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Your vehicleHome›BMW›i3› 2017
BMW · Compact Hatchback

2017 BMW i3

Electric Plug-in hybrid
Subcompact Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
79 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3
Complaints2 crash · 1 fire · 4 injured reported 53
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
EV rangebest configuration, EPA 114 mi
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 35 mpg
202120202019201820172016

The 2017 BMW i3 is sold in the U.S. as an electric and plug-in hybrid compact hatchback with 3 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the i3 BEV (94 Amp-hour battery), is EPA-rated at 114 miles with 118 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 53 complaints, most often about the structure.

BMW i3 (2013) — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
BMW i3 (2013) · Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
i3 BEV (60 Amp-hour battery)ElectricRWD125 kW AC Induction137111124 MPGe81 mi274 h$600
i3 BEV (94 Amp-hour battery)ElectricRWD125 kW AC Induction129106118 MPGe114 mi295 h$650
i3 REX (94 Amp-hour battery)Plug-in hybridRWD0.6L 2-cyl + 125kW AC Induction363335 (88 MPGe blended)97 mi electric305 h$2,350

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38000, 38001, 38229.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
i3 BEV (60 Amp-hour battery), i3 BEV (94 Amp-hour battery)10 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 0 / ZEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite
i3 REX (94 Amp-hour battery)8–9 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30/PZEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleHatchback/Liftback/Notchback
Doors5
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders2
Displacement0.6 L

Engine Output

Horsepower170 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelElectric

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity4 seats

Transmission

TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds1

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: i3, i3 Range Extender). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Also on file Beside the 2017 i3
Other years The 2020 i3 Recalls BMW recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 BMW i3 is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Air Bags

32,000 vehicles 95% reported repaired built Sep 1, 2013 – Nov 14, 2017
Problem 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 During a frontal impact, unbelted, small adult, drivers could be at a higher risk of neck injury. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V720000 reported Nov 16, 2017 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

19,130 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Mar 5, 2014 – Dec 30, 2016
Problem 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 A fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V088000 reported Feb 9, 2017 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

3,506 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Jul 29, 2016 – Sep 12, 2016
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash. Risk If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 16V914000 reported Dec 20, 2016 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific i3

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →BMW’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 BMW i3, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2017 BMW i3

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this i3 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
53complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

57 per 10,000 built · BMW reported 9,282 i3 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 8

Most-cited components

Structure 13
Unspecified 12
Steering 11
Electrical System 8
Power Train 6
Air Bags 4

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The UTQG ratings on these tires are fraudulent. The ratings give an A grade for temperature over 115 but these tires wear out rapidly in Arizona. They also rate the tire wear at 400 which is also fraudulent. On my own vehicle I get less than 11,000 miles on each set and I’ve seen online complaints as low as 6,000 miles to failure.
Tires Sep 1, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11482487
In emergency situations when activating the horn, there is an unacceptable delay between when the horn is pressed and when there is actually sound produced. I have taken this up with the dealer and have been informed "that's just how it is." In looking across the internet, I see this is affecting all BMW i3 and some other BMW vehicles.
Electrical System Jul 1, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11471951
The car turned off while driving and presented a "drivetrain" error message. The car lost power but I was able to safely steer to the side of the road. Car was taken to BMW dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. Was informed that the EME (Electric Motor Electronics) Module was bad and would need to be replaced.
Power Train Oct 12, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11436391
I had just turned on the car a few minutes prior to the incident and I was approaching an intersection to turn left onto a 2-lane highway. As I made the left turn, the steering felt wrong like the car was over then under steering. I was able to straighten out, and I felt like the power steering had failed.
Steering Sep 4, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11431762
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Passenger restraint failure/seat sensor not registering occupant. Yes, it is a available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?
Air Bags May 20, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11417984
When the vehicle is in eco pro plus mood. While speed is above 56mph the vehicle will somtimes automatically break to 56 MPH. When in cruise control this seems to happened when cruise control is disengaged every time.
Service Brakes at 5,000 miles Apr 22, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11321891

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by BMW itself: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 10 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 86 per 100,000 built. Every i3 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 14k

miles, typically

Half the 19 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 5,000 and 28,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 19 on file: 7 under 10k, 4 10k–20k, 5 20k–30k, 2 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 4 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 201
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-05-06
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 198 service bulletins, 3 warranty extensions

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Visibility/Wiper, Steering.

  • B010525 Warranty extension
    2026-05-06 · Engine
  • The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
  • 011024 Warranty extension
    2024-12-04 · Electrical System
  • The High-Voltage (HV) Battery Assembly Cell Modules Temperature Sensors (Internal NTC repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service/first delivery date.
  • B010524 Service bulletin
    2024-04-11 · Engine And Engine Cooling
  • For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. This coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusion criteria that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Vehicles that are registere
  • B611305 Service bulletin
    2024-01-11 · Electrical System
  • The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.
  • SIB651312 Service bulletin
    2022-05-01 · Electrical System
  • The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 4 (HU-H4, also called MGU21) superseded the MGU s
  • B170121 Service bulletin
    2022-02-01 · Engine And Engine Cooling
  • The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine.
  • B012021 Service bulletin
    2021-11-01 · Fuel System, Other — Fuel Injection System
  • For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to: 15 years/150,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date.
  • B651312 Service bulletin
    2021-09-01 · Equipment — Electrical — Navigational System(Global Positioning System)
  • The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 3 (HU-H3, also called MGU) superseded the NBT-EVO

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

i3 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2021 A 0 1 153 mi2020 A 0 0 153 mi2019 A 1 13 153 mi2018 C 3 14 114 mi2017 this page C 3 53 114 mi2016 B 2 33 81 mi

Common questions about the 2017 i3

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 BMW i3 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 BMW i3. The most serious on file is 17V720000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 BMW i3?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2017 BMW i3 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (79/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 BMW i3?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 BMW i3, the best EPA combined figure is 35 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions) and the longest EPA range is 114 miles on a charge. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 BMW i3?

Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 BMW i3, most often about structure, unspecified, steering. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 BMW i3?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 BMW i3 runs 8 to 10 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30/PZEV, Federal Tier 3 Bin 0, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, ZEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 BMW i3?

The manufacturer has filed 201 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 BMW i3, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-05-06. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations3 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates3 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls3NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints53NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins201NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations1NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2020 i3 The i3 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every BMW recall on file All campaigns filed against BMW vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this i3 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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