3 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2017 BMW i3. Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about this model year. Every recall repair is free at any BMW dealer.
Is yours affected? Recalls cover ranges of VINs, not every 2017 BMW i3. Check your i3 by VIN and confirm open recalls at NHTSA.gov.
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Owners filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 BMW i3, reporting 2 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries. BMW has issued at least 201 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation lists this model year in one investigation. An investigation is not a recall; it is how NHTSA decides whether one is needed.
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 BMW i3. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“Summary On September 30, 2025, the passenger in a 2017 BMW i3 REX was involved in a severe frontal collision with a Gas Company Utility Vehicle. The impact struck the driver's side extending toward the passenger side, causing the vehicle to spin violently and nearly flip.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11705719
“A BMW i3 caught fire in our garage. Maintenance on the car had been performed the day prior and it was found that the mechanic left the oil cap off. It took less than 7 minutes from the time the car started smoking to the point where the entire home was engulfed in flames.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11588266
“THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 BMW I3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, HIS VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE CONTACT STRUGGLED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, HE STEERED THE VEHICLE INTO A WOODED AREA WHERE HE HIT A TRASH DUMPSTER.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11321023
“WHILEEXITING A PARKING PLACE ALONG A CURB - SLIGHT VEER OUT,ON DRY PAVEMENT, NIGHTIME, ON AN AVERAGECITY STREET. STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME BULLISH.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11270342
“My 2017 i3 has a deteriorating roof. The roof, which is made of carbon fiber, is peeling and pieces are breaking off. This has also led to the interior upholstery of my roof to peel and sag. I am worried moisture will be let into my car, creating a mold issue.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11764977
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2017 BMW i3 is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any BMW dealer.