There is one more thing to look at: The microswitch that detects whether a charging cable is plugged in may be defective. This means that the charging cable cannot be locked and you can no longer charge, or the charging cable is locked an won't release. A repair is VERY expensive because of the high amount of work. (pay $1,5 for the microswitch an $500 for the repair) So please check if a charging cable locks and also unlocks correctly on the first try. If it takes several attempts, something is wrong. Greetings from Germany😊
Thanks for the video. Realizing how well cared for our 2017 REx was when we bought it used 3 years ago. Only fault so far at 86k miles is my fault: I should have replaced the 12v battery sooner. It gives no warning. Easier & cheaper by $100 to replace it as a preventative.
Thanks for watching! Looked at a 2017 REx and regret not getting the better battery and upgrades a bit, but the 2016 was easier on the budget. Living on borrowed time with the original battery in our i3. Very surprised it’s held up so long, but have a Remy AUX18L on the way and a weekend set aside to do the job. Overall the most reliable BMW we’ve ever had!
Thx for the tips, just got a proton blue 2017 i3 REX. Both front boots were bad and the rear tires were shot at 16k miles, but the dealer fixed them up. Also had them put a fresh 12v battery in to be safe. Luv this car so far!
I'm still driving a 2014 REX. I only have needed to buy tires, and a 12volt battery as well as a yearly oil change. Minimal battery degradation, fun to drive, cheap to drive. Also, I haven't had any issues with the roof. There was a recall for the REX gas tank/ fuel system that was done. I've thought about getting a newer EV or hybrid, but I really don't need to.
I had a Toyota Prius Prime before this and it was the best hybrid I had ever had. This is a close second. I can't travel long trips without stopping every 70 miles to fill the tank. Hassle. BEST CAR FOR DOOR DASH!
Try a PT-CAN 2 failure in minus 15. Left me stranded haha. I still have my 120 after 3 years because its brilliant but if you lot are serious about longevity the whole main harness is exposed and you should all consider re-engineering it. I have made a video about the whole fault finding procedure but I wont post a link - I aint gonna hijack this thread :) Other issues now getting common are high voltage insulation failures on the ac compressor and heater and also the shut off valves are failing alot too. In fact I had a YT subscriber bring me their i3 60 as they couldn´t get it repaired anywhere else . this was cool and a big surprise indeed haha. I have vids on all of those so feel free to browse. Great content and lovely to see another person so passionate about the i3 as I am.
Really fascinating to see internals of the i3 taken apart on your channel - thanks for taking the time to show us! At least in the US, i3 prices have taken a dip lately, so I'm on the hunt to update my 2016 60Ah to a 2019+ 120Ah model. Appreciate you stopping by and contributing!
@@thefleet Many thanks :) Yes they are a wonderful car but not many folk know how to fix them it seems. Got another from the dealer next week where they said nothing wrong yet I had already diagnosed 2 HV cable insulation failures...
You missed the biggest thing to look out for, Air con not working, that would mean the battery management temperature has also stopped working, and a seriously expensive fix.
We have a 2015 model and it’s one my best daily drivers. The AC is failing right now but everything else makes for an easy day. Thanks for a tip or two I will have my mechanic look into.
Thanks for checking the video out! You probably already know this, but the AC is used to cool the battery in addition to the cabin. If the compressor fails badly, it can be a costly repair if metal pieces get distributed within the system lines. Overall though, the i3 has been a lot less problematic than other BMWs we’ve had. 👍
You didn't mention a very important thing. If the air con stops working you shouldn't drive the car, since cooling of the battery depends on the same air con system.
Thank for the video. I very much seen some comments about a/c compressor failure damaging lines for cooling battery, costs for this about $12k, somebody else know about this?
some of these issues arent issues at all like seat warmer, why would i need a seat warmer? thats just extra I've never had them and probably never will use them. Anyway i've been looking to buy one but idk if i should. Anyone in the comment section recommend one? I'm looking at at used 2014 bmw with 80,000 miles (cheapest one i found)
In areas with cold weather, many i3 drivers use the seat heaters instead of cranking up the cabin heater to get a little bit of additional range. When you’re talking about the smallest 60Ah battery in the 2014-2016 models that’s undergone degradation over 8-10 years, every little bit of juice counts! If it’s warm all the time, then of course, no big deal if the seat heaters work or not.
Definitely in Part 2! Sounds really scary (if the issue you’re referring to is parts grenading and severing the coolant lines, causing thousands in damages). Let me know if it’s something else, and we need to do a 10 good i3 things list first! 😄
Just installed a new one - happy it’s done, but totally agree - taking apart the frunk storage area and having to remove the windshield washer filler tube while banging your knuckles throughout due to limited clearance is not par for the course when it comes to 12v battery swaps. 😅
My driver side airbag went out. $1200 to get fixed. It should have been a recall. If enough people complain we could get our money back from the manufacturer. Please report if you have had this issue to safety people in government. (I can't remember which one right now that handles recalls)
The speedy disintegration of the suspension boots and door seals suggest a particularly poor grade of synthetic rubber was selected by BMW senior management, most likely from a Chinese supplier. Totally unacceptable in a car offered at $55,000.
Things are already going in an interesting direction with all the subscriptions and data connectivity. Already lost the app control of the i3 due to the outdated cellular modems, and we’re dependent on BMW keeping their servers up and going. Interesting point raised!
Love the username. That’s wild pricing, and the seller is living on Fantasy Island pricing it like that. Love the i3, and prefer it to the Leaf, but I’d go for the Leaf in that situation!
Thank goodness for the hidden key and manual frunk pull. Ignored signs too long and found my 2017 bev stone dead in the driveway yesterday while plugged in. New Remy AUX18L will be here tomorrow for top off and install made easy with RUclips. I found this best last time. ruclips.net/video/Glef-agDBTY/видео.html&ab_channel=CTP1111 Otherwise Little Blue has been flawless in every way. Great Boomer choice for me!👍
Great link, thanks! Our battery has a 2016 date code, so we will likely be replacing it sooner rather than later. Are you still seeing 100+ miles of range on a full charge on yours? The battery capacity degradation has been better than expected in our 60Ah model.
Have that filmed for Part 2 already! 😭 You can see ours starting to bubble at the beginning of the next video: ruclips.net/video/IYwH1XMBOhA/видео.html
@@kwenger7088 It's a great way to recycle the scraps! Definitely wish we had the moonroof, but it seems to be a rare option - haven't seen one in person, even after looking at dozens of cars.
@@gibemato It's not carbon fiber in the traditional sense where you can see the lovely weave, but recycled carbon fiber pieces that are mixed in with plastic resin to create a strong lightweight part. I feel you, because ours is starting to bubble and delaminate too. Thinking about getting the roof vinyl wrapped or sanded down and re-cleared. More info on the CRFP roof: www.plasticsnews.com/article/20140818/NEWS/140819921/bmw-closes-the-carbon-fiber-loop
The AC compressors fail in this car often. The battery's are cooled by the AC system. It makes the compressor replacement much more expensive and hard to do by yourself. I would not buy a used i3 for this reason only. 5-8k cost for dealership replacement.
I have talked to two dealer service departments about the issue and taken my door apart to see what’s going on. Basically the door card itself is made from kenaf plant fiber mixed with polypropylene fiber and EPDM modified talc-filled plastic. It was made to be lightweight using sustainable materials, and is not as rigid as a traditionally constructed door card. All of that is to say that it will deform more over time compared to a traditional panel. The concern is when it begins to separate from the rubber moldings between the window and the top edge of the door card, leaving a visible gap. At this point, there can be water ingress if opening the window/door when raining, more deformation, and there will be increased pressure on the yellow push clips holding the card to the inner door skin, causing some to pop out and the card to come loose. It is not super common, but definitely something to keep an eye on. On my i3, the flex and gap are definitely worse than when new, but it is not to the point of concern yet. Just keep an eye on it. Replacement door cards run about $400-500 each from the dealer, so it’s a bit spendy but not horribly so. Hope that helps! 👍
@@thefleet That helps a lot, thanks! Mine isn’t super concerning either and there is no gap yet. Still, that imperfection wouldn’t fit to the rest of my pristine car. 😉
Saw some reports on that and it sounds scary and expensive if BMW does not cover it under warranty. Looks like we might need to do a Part 2 with more issues, thank you!
Not to mention if the EME shorts (common issue) , $6k-$7k replacement cost, if your lucky you didn't burn anything else out at the same time. Pass on these i3.
Pleasantly surprised at how much better it's been overall than past BMWs! Dealt with N54 HPFP issues, DCT issues, prematurely failing injectors, coils, cracked rear subframes, all that good stuff. It's all relative, I suppose. Thanks for stopping by!
The big battery can charge the little battery under certain conditions, but it’s a definitely a legacy thing to still have a 12v battery to power some of the systems. Agree with you, looking forward to the day where the huge high voltage pack can just do everything! 👍
You’re always going to have a small 12 volt battery in ev’s as the main battery is 600 to 800 volts somehow I don’t think your going to run a car stereo with that voltage
![Oasis - Oasis Live '25 [Official Trailer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gol_JnuEtKM/mqdefault.jpg)
There is one more thing to look at: The microswitch that detects whether a charging cable is plugged in may be defective. This means that the charging cable cannot be locked and you can no longer charge, or the charging cable is locked an won't release. A repair is VERY expensive because of the high amount of work. (pay $1,5 for the microswitch an $500 for the repair)
So please check if a charging cable locks and also unlocks correctly on the first try. If it takes several attempts, something is wrong.
Greetings from Germany😊
This is a great tip, thank you! 👍
Thanks for the video.
Realizing how well cared for our 2017 REx was when we bought it used 3 years ago.
Only fault so far at 86k miles is my fault: I should have replaced the 12v battery sooner.
It gives no warning.
Easier & cheaper by $100 to replace it as a preventative.
Thanks for watching! Looked at a 2017 REx and regret not getting the better battery and upgrades a bit, but the 2016 was easier on the budget.
Living on borrowed time with the original battery in our i3. Very surprised it’s held up so long, but have a Remy AUX18L on the way and a weekend set aside to do the job. Overall the most reliable BMW we’ve ever had!
Everyone should buy a monitor that plugs into the cigarette lighter that tells you the power level of the battery before you start it.
@@CandycaneBeyondwhat is it called?
Thx for the tips, just got a proton blue 2017 i3 REX. Both front boots were bad and the rear tires were shot at 16k miles, but the dealer fixed them up. Also had them put a fresh 12v battery in to be safe. Luv this car so far!
Thanks for watching, enjoy your new i3!
I'm still driving a 2014 REX. I only have needed to buy tires, and a 12volt battery as well as a yearly oil change. Minimal battery degradation, fun to drive, cheap to drive. Also, I haven't had any issues with the roof. There was a recall for the REX gas tank/ fuel system that was done. I've thought about getting a newer EV or hybrid, but I really don't need to.
Sounds like you got a good one! It’s a great used car bargain, and I would definitely like to upgrade to one of the 120Ah models in the future. 👍
I had a Toyota Prius Prime before this and it was the best hybrid I had ever had. This is a close second. I can't travel long trips without stopping every 70 miles to fill the tank. Hassle. BEST CAR FOR DOOR DASH!
In fairness, none of these potential faults is going to bankrupt the typical i3 driver.
yes 155/19/70 tyers £100 each and only 2 wear quickly, cup holders 3d printed £13
Try a PT-CAN 2 failure in minus 15. Left me stranded haha. I still have my 120 after 3 years because its brilliant but if you lot are serious about longevity the whole main harness is exposed and you should all consider re-engineering it. I have made a video about the whole fault finding procedure but I wont post a link - I aint gonna hijack this thread :) Other issues now getting common are high voltage insulation failures on the ac compressor and heater and also the shut off valves are failing alot too. In fact I had a YT subscriber bring me their i3 60 as they couldn´t get it repaired anywhere else . this was cool and a big surprise indeed haha. I have vids on all of those so feel free to browse. Great content and lovely to see another person so passionate about the i3 as I am.
Really fascinating to see internals of the i3 taken apart on your channel - thanks for taking the time to show us! At least in the US, i3 prices have taken a dip lately, so I'm on the hunt to update my 2016 60Ah to a 2019+ 120Ah model. Appreciate you stopping by and contributing!
@@thefleet Many thanks :) Yes they are a wonderful car but not many folk know how to fix them it seems. Got another from the dealer next week where they said nothing wrong yet I had already diagnosed 2 HV cable insulation failures...
You missed the biggest thing to look out for, Air con not working, that would mean the battery management temperature has also stopped working, and a seriously expensive fix.
Definitely a huge issue! Going to be in Part 2, covering things like the carbon fiber roof delamination and motor mount failures. Thank you!
We have a 2015 model and it’s one my best daily drivers. The AC is failing right now but everything else makes for an easy day. Thanks for a tip or two I will have my mechanic look into.
Thanks for checking the video out! You probably already know this, but the AC is used to cool the battery in addition to the cabin. If the compressor fails badly, it can be a costly repair if metal pieces get distributed within the system lines. Overall though, the i3 has been a lot less problematic than other BMWs we’ve had. 👍
@@thefleet I did not know that and thanks!
If the front badge wears off just slap a happy face sticker on it or a pokeball!
You didn't mention a very important thing. If the air con stops working you shouldn't drive the car, since cooling of the battery depends on the same air con system.
Thank you, will be doing a video mentioning that and the CFRP roof issues, among other things. Just need to get it back from the garage first! 😅
Super valuable video - thank you.
the petrol flap opens fron inside the car
tyre wear is heavy only on the rear drive wheels
the 12 volt battery is easy to replace
Thank for the video. I very much seen some comments about a/c compressor failure damaging lines for cooling battery, costs for this about $12k, somebody else know about this?
some of these issues arent issues at all like seat warmer, why would i need a seat warmer? thats just extra I've never had them and probably never will use them. Anyway i've been looking to buy one but idk if i should. Anyone in the comment section recommend one? I'm looking at at used 2014 bmw with 80,000 miles (cheapest one i found)
In areas with cold weather, many i3 drivers use the seat heaters instead of cranking up the cabin heater to get a little bit of additional range.
When you’re talking about the smallest 60Ah battery in the 2014-2016 models that’s undergone degradation over 8-10 years, every little bit of juice counts! If it’s warm all the time, then of course, no big deal if the seat heaters work or not.
I saw a video where a girl got a brand new i3 but she doesn’t use the a/c because she wants to save battery life as much as possible
What about the AC compressor fault?
Definitely in Part 2! Sounds really scary (if the issue you’re referring to is parts grenading and severing the coolant lines, causing thousands in damages). Let me know if it’s something else, and we need to do a 10 good i3 things list first! 😄
@@thefleet I'm about to pull the trigger on a 2016 BEV 60ah i3 for 15000€, but reading about this fault might actually put me off the deal.
If its bought in a CARB state. That is covered for 10 yrs 150miles make sure yall check the carb warranties think me later.
The foot seal can easily be fixed with Silicone sealant.
I had good luck using Permatex Optimum Max Flex Gasket Maker to patch the hole.
I put rubber patch on mine and it's holding up well
Great points. and such a bad place to install a 12v battery. German engineering...
Just installed a new one - happy it’s done, but totally agree - taking apart the frunk storage area and having to remove the windshield washer filler tube while banging your knuckles throughout due to limited clearance is not par for the course when it comes to 12v battery swaps. 😅
@@thefleet taking apart the frunk ...2 screws
My driver side airbag went out. $1200 to get fixed. It should have been a recall. If enough people complain we could get our money back from the manufacturer. Please report if you have had this issue to safety people in government. (I can't remember which one right now that handles recalls)
See if you can code it
The speedy disintegration of the suspension boots and door seals suggest a particularly poor grade of synthetic rubber was selected by BMW senior management, most likely from a Chinese supplier. Totally unacceptable in a car offered at $55,000.
One doesn’t own a modern BMW. BMW controls how long you can drive it. BMW controls data. Memory.
Things are already going in an interesting direction with all the subscriptions and data connectivity. Already lost the app control of the i3 due to the outdated cellular modems, and we’re dependent on BMW keeping their servers up and going. Interesting point raised!
tyres £100 each and only two wear quickly...cup holders cup holders £13....
Here is an issue: a 2015 i3 is advertised for sale near me and it’s price is more than a new Nissan Leaf. Sorry what? Is it better than a new Leaf?
Love the username. That’s wild pricing, and the seller is living on Fantasy Island pricing it like that. Love the i3, and prefer it to the Leaf, but I’d go for the Leaf in that situation!
where is leaf for sale ...i can get a 2015 bmw i3 for £10k....i will buy a new nissan leaf for £10k now please show me.
@@whocares264 just found a 2015 with extender for 5k...is it worth it?
@@sirij8784how many miles
Thank goodness for the hidden key and manual frunk pull. Ignored signs too long and found my 2017 bev stone dead in the driveway yesterday while plugged in. New Remy AUX18L will be here tomorrow for top off and install made easy with RUclips. I found this best last time. ruclips.net/video/Glef-agDBTY/видео.html&ab_channel=CTP1111
Otherwise Little Blue has been flawless in every way. Great Boomer choice for me!👍
Great link, thanks! Our battery has a 2016 date code, so we will likely be replacing it sooner rather than later. Are you still seeing 100+ miles of range on a full charge on yours? The battery capacity degradation has been better than expected in our 60Ah model.
@@thefleet More like the full 124 miles per charge, but I seldom run it down in my Florida environment on just random short trips as an old guy.
Or carbon fiber roof delaminating…
Have that filmed for Part 2 already! 😭 You can see ours starting to bubble at the beginning of the next video: ruclips.net/video/IYwH1XMBOhA/видео.html
I think it’s not carbon fiber but a carbon fiber-like cover. Real carbon fiber don’t make big bubbles like on my roof
It really is cfrp scraps formed into a roof panel. Moonroof cars have an aluminum roof.
@@kwenger7088 It's a great way to recycle the scraps! Definitely wish we had the moonroof, but it seems to be a rare option - haven't seen one in person, even after looking at dozens of cars.
@@gibemato It's not carbon fiber in the traditional sense where you can see the lovely weave, but recycled carbon fiber pieces that are mixed in with plastic resin to create a strong lightweight part.
I feel you, because ours is starting to bubble and delaminate too. Thinking about getting the roof vinyl wrapped or sanded down and re-cleared.
More info on the CRFP roof: www.plasticsnews.com/article/20140818/NEWS/140819921/bmw-closes-the-carbon-fiber-loop
The AC compressors fail in this car often. The battery's are cooled by the AC system. It makes the compressor replacement much more expensive and hard to do by yourself. I would not buy a used i3 for this reason only. 5-8k cost for dealership replacement.
Door card warping - I do have that issue. How to fix it?
I have talked to two dealer service departments about the issue and taken my door apart to see what’s going on.
Basically the door card itself is made from kenaf plant fiber mixed with polypropylene fiber and EPDM modified talc-filled plastic. It was made to be lightweight using sustainable materials, and is not as rigid as a traditionally constructed door card.
All of that is to say that it will deform more over time compared to a traditional panel. The concern is when it begins to separate from the rubber moldings between the window and the top edge of the door card, leaving a visible gap.
At this point, there can be water ingress if opening the window/door when raining, more deformation, and there will be increased pressure on the yellow push clips holding the card to the inner door skin, causing some to pop out and the card to come loose. It is not super common, but definitely something to keep an eye on.
On my i3, the flex and gap are definitely worse than when new, but it is not to the point of concern yet. Just keep an eye on it. Replacement door cards run about $400-500 each from the dealer, so it’s a bit spendy but not horribly so.
Hope that helps! 👍
@@thefleet That helps a lot, thanks! Mine isn’t super concerning either and there is no gap yet. Still, that imperfection wouldn’t fit to the rest of my pristine car. 😉
And gearbox reducer dead every 40k km...
Saw some reports on that and it sounds scary and expensive if BMW does not cover it under warranty. Looks like we might need to do a Part 2 with more issues, thank you!
what is a gearbox reducer
@@whocares264 it’s the part that transmit the power from the motor to the wheels by reducing the rotation like a gearbox on a thermic car.
@@gibemato thanks
Not to mention if the EME shorts (common issue) , $6k-$7k replacement cost, if your lucky you didn't burn anything else out at the same time. Pass on these i3.
A model year 2019 issue only, afaik
So, normal BMW quality 😂
Pleasantly surprised at how much better it's been overall than past BMWs! Dealt with N54 HPFP issues, DCT issues, prematurely failing injectors, coils, cracked rear subframes, all that good stuff. It's all relative, I suppose. Thanks for stopping by!
All of these problems are like a trip to Disneyland compared to a gasoline bmw
I had an E90 with an early build N54, Murphy’s Law on that one. 👎
You would expect better from the name BMW but the i3 is worse than Korean cars.
all korean car are better than german cars
this car have 12v battery!!!?? why!!! i thought that use the big battery !!!!!
The big battery can charge the little battery under certain conditions, but it’s a definitely a legacy thing to still have a 12v battery to power some of the systems. Agree with you, looking forward to the day where the huge high voltage pack can just do everything! 👍
Teslas also have 12V battery. actually all EVs have 12Volts to power lights, infotainment and so on when car is not turned on!
You’re always going to have a small 12 volt battery in ev’s as the main battery is 600 to 800 volts somehow I don’t think your going to run a car stereo with that voltage