Research · complaint index
BMW I3 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 6 model years of the BMW I3 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. No single year stands far above the rest.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 13 | 2 | 0.4 | 1 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2018 | 14 | 2 | 0.4 | 3 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2017 | 53 | 5 | 1.4 | 3 | 2 | Typical |
| 2016 | 33 | 3 | 0.8 | 2 | 3 | Typical |
| 2015 | 47 | 4 | 1.0 | 3 | 1 | Typical |
| 2014 | 49 | 4 | 1.0 | 4 | 3 | Typical |
- 201913 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 201814 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 201753 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 201633 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 201547 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 201449 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 8, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2018, 2019.
About this comparison
What BMW I3 years have the most complaints?
No BMW I3 model year drew more than twice the typical complaint rate among the 6 model years compared. The highest was 2017.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.