Model year record
2016 BMW i8 recalls & problems
The 2016 BMW i8 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 3 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (2 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2016 BMW i8.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2016 BMW I8 2 DR AWD
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
i8 Plug-in Hybrid
| City / highway | 28 / 29 mpg |
|---|---|
| Electric range | 15 mi |
| On electricity | 76 MPGe · 43 kWh/100 mi |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
1.5 L · 3 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,950/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | — |
| Tires | 1 | — |
| Engine | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Electrical system
2016 BMW I8 EME HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY TEMP SENSORS (NTC SENSORS) WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED WHILE DRIVING LOSS POWER AND MY HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY SHUT DOWN AT THE RED LIGHT BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AGAIN AD MAKE IT HOME
- Electrical system
High voltage battery assembly cell module temperature sensors Over time one or more of the high voltage cell modules internal sensors fail its a saftey issue A shut down of the high voltage electrical power would result in loss of propulsion increasing the risk of a crash vechicle will not restart
- Tires
I PURCHASED PIRELLI P ZERO SUMMER SPORTS 245/40 IN THE REAR AND DROVE ABOUT 300 MILES SINCE, AND THEY LOOK WORN-OUT AND THE CAR SLIPS PRETTY BAD IN THE RAIN. JUST AFTER PURCHASING THE TIRES ON A RAINY DAY ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR SPUN OUT ALMOST RAN INTO THE MEDIAN. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT BRAND NEW TIRES WOULD WEAR OUT SO QUICKLY THAT IT WOULD BECOME SLICK IN 100-200 MILES WITH NORMAL DRIVING, NO TRACK, NO RACING? PIRELLI OR DISCOUNT TIRE IS NOT TAKING THIS SAFETY CONCERN SERIOUSLY AND IS ONLY STALLING. I HAVE CALLED 6-7 TIMES AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME TO CONTACT THE DISCOUNT TIRE, AND DISCOUNT TIRE SAYS I NEED TO CALL PIRELLI FOR MANUFACTURE DEFECTS. *TR *BF
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
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 matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…