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Light NHTSA footprint — 47 owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2015 BMW i3 has 47 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is steering at 15 complaints (~$700 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 i3 | 49 | 4 |
| 2015 i3 (this page) | 47 | 3 |
| 2016 i3 | 33 | 2 |
| 2017 i3 | 51 | 3 |
| 2018 i3 | 0 | 3 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Twice the power steering failed to function correctly. Each time the feedback to power assist "floated" in an undetermined state. The ability to force a turn (make hard turns) seemed to active the power assist and worked as expected. Straight driving seemed to caused the…
2015 BMW i3. Consumer writes in regards to range extender safety recall. *ld consumer sent additional correspondence. *ld the consumer stated the vehicle has had multiple recalls and 2 lightweight tires that have ruptured easily. Updated 11/15/2017*js the consumer stated…
When driving down the interstate the carbon fiber roof suddenly delaminated of its top layer causing the cars behind me to have to slam on the brakes as chunks of carbon fiber flew off the car. This is a known issue with the BMW carbon fiber roofs that is worse on the i3 because…
The contact owns a 2015 BMW I3. The contact stated that after turning on the fan, there was plastic particles blowing out of the vents. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the particles were blowing out of the vents…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
During a frontal impact, unbelted, small adult, drivers could be at a higher risk of neck injury.
A fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
In the event of a vehicle crash, an air bag that does not deploy properly increases the risk of injury to the front seat passenger.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 BMW i3 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2015 BMW i3 is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the steering first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 15 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 47 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is steering. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 15 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 47 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.