U.S. public vehicle records

2023 Bmw I4 problems and owner complaints

Name: 2023 Bmw I4 problems and owner complaints
Creator: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

45 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

16,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2023 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 4 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 45 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	11	24.4%
Braking behavior	8	17.8%
Steering behavior	6	13.3%
Engine operation	5	11.1%
Transmission and shifting	3	6.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Service Brakes

Fuel/Propulsion System

Engine

Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking

Steering

Electrical System: 18; Unknown Or Other: 12; Power Train: 10; Service Brakes: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Engine: 5; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 4; Steering: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 41 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2023

2024

2025

2026

2023: 18; 2024: 8; 2025: 11; 2026: 8

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11528540 · 2023-06-23 (June 23, 2023)

On 6/8/23 I tried to start my car and received the following error: "Drivetrain malfunction: Driving not possible. Call Roadside Assistance" and the car turned off. I tried 3 more times to start the car and received the same message. I could not drive my car, and had it immediately towed to the dealer. This is a brand new 2023 BMW i4 eDrive40 with only 1469 miles on it. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer, testing confirmed faults for the high voltage battery and a 30F current violation and sporadic software issue. As of 6/23/23,…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11528540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11566379 · 2024-01-18 (January 18, 2024)

This is an electric vehicle. The affected part is called a heat changeover value - this value controls the coolant that is used by the car to keep the drive battery cool. The valves have a problem with leaks and when they leak, the car should not be driven out of safety concern. The main battery could overheat causing a fire/explosion. My vehicle experienced this issue and was undrivable for approx. 30 days. There are several Facebook and Reddit groups reporting this problem from all over the world. While my vehicle was at the dealer for …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11566379 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11524818 · 2023-06-01 (June 1, 2023)

I opened our garage door remotely, as I always do, and pulled into the driveway. As I entered the garage, I attempted to brake but the car continued to roll despite my pressure on the brake pedal. The car ran into the shelving and other items against the garage wall. I have entered our garage in this way many thousands of times, and I am confident I did nothing differently this time.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11524818 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11534481 · 2023-07-25 (July 25, 2023)

I am writing to file a formal complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding a serious safety issue with my recently purchased 2023 BMW i4. The incident involves a brake malfunction that occurred just two weeks after the purchase, posing a severe risk to my safety and potentially the safety of other road users. On 07/11/, while driving my newly acquired BMW i4, I experienced an alarming brake failure, which almost resulted in a collision with another vehicle. Fearing for my life and the lives of others, I i…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11534481 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11545371 · 2023-09-19 (September 19, 2023)

The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11557688 · 2023-11-30 (November 30, 2023)

My 2023 electric BMW i4 was driving normally on the evening of 11/29/2023. I was near the end of a 30 minute commute when a drivetrain error popped on the screen followed by an error that said "increased steering effort." Within seconds of those messages, without any physical signs of an issue, the car completely lost all power and steering and abruptly stopped in the middle of the street. As the car abruptly broke down, it went into park. It was so abrupt that there wasn't even time to pull over or coast to a safer area. I was stopped in the …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11557688 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11589917 · 2024-05-21 (May 21, 2024)

As I was driving my car into the main avenue out of a parking lot, the car stalled and lost all power, the charge went from 57% to 0% and the power train failure warning came on the dashboard and a high voltage warning as well. The incoming traffic had to stop since I could not move the car, so I had to turn power off and power back and only then the car started to move slowly, the battery charge went up only to 37% and both warnings were displayed on the dashboard (high voltage warning and power train failure) with a message that said that it …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11589917 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11656983 · 2025-04-26 (April 26, 2025)

Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11656983 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11521423 · 2023-05-10 (May 10, 2023)

A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

45 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

8.9%Usable mileage4 / 45 records

100.0%Valid incident date45 / 45 records

100.0%Valid filing date45 / 45 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates45 / 45 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2022	2023	2024
Electrical System	440.0% ODI 11507857 The contact owns a 2022 BMW I4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V944000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for the recall repair appointment; however, the contact was informed that the recall remedy would not be completed due to failures with the navigation and stereo systems. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect. Look up ODI 11507857 at NHTSA ↗	1840.0% ODI 11504941 On December 9, 2022, I tried to start my car in my garage. The car would not start..The dash read stop auto train failure contact roadside assistance. After calling my car salesman who told me I had to contact roadside assistance myself, I did so. Roadside assistance informed me they were unable to diagnose/correct the problem, and called a tow truck. The car was towed to dealership that day and has been on the lot ever since. After many consultations with the BMW people in Germany, the analysis was that the cell monitoring circuit module need… Look up ODI 11504941 at NHTSA ↗	311.5% ODI 11583837 Mechanical failure on the car air suspension especially on back left of the car. Car parked overnight and it automatically lowered and driving it out of the drive way there was no error that popped out on low suspension until driving out of drive way. That caused the scratch on left side under carriage. Dealer refused to run diagnostics to determine true cause of issue until we pay for the diagnosis although this car is newly purchased and covered under warranty period. Dealer is trying to put the blame on me although it is a malfunction with… Look up ODI 11583837 at NHTSA ↗
Unknown Or Other	220.0% ODI 11557412 I recently had an accident with the car. I was driving in a gated subdivision under very low speed, when I put the shifter in reverse in order to back up the car, the car failed to go into reverse and gave no warning, I assumed that the car was in reserve mode and tried to accelerate , the car lurched forward instead, hit some rocks and stopped. We requested BMW engineering team to inspect the car. they failed to identify any issue with the shifter or explain why the shifter did not go into reverse and gave no warning when it happened Look up ODI 11557412 at NHTSA ↗	1226.7% ODI 11511830 The on-board GPS sends incorrect information to Apple CarPlay devices, including both location and dead reckoning. This means that any application on the phone--including SOS and 911 calls, sends inaccurate location information when this is occurring. It is intermittent but acknowledged by BMW as an issue. Since CarPlay specifications for wireless CarPlay note that all GNSS information comes from the car to the phone, this is 100% a BMW issue (although they point to Apple). There are reports this happens with Android Auto, as well. There are al… Look up ODI 11511830 at NHTSA ↗	726.9% ODI 11544923 I encountered the safety issue on a test drive. The VIN which I supplied is typical of this model. The design of the gear selector lever makes it easy to inadvertently and unintentionally shift into Reverse, when Drive or Neutral is desired. A single click of the lever can engage either Reverse or the desired gear, depending on the engagement status of the brake pedal and the speed of the car. There is no Reverse gear lockout button, a standard safety feature on other vehicles. I almost backed into the vehicle behind me, when a red traffic… Look up ODI 11544923 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train	110.0% ODI 11527330 My BmW I4 M50 was parked and turned off. While I was behind the wheel the car. Suddenly the car took off and hit a curb and went thru some trees. I took my cat to creviar bmw and an engineer from bmw came to check out the vehicle. The engineer checked out the car, BMW had my car for 3 and half weeks and after told me nothing was wrong with the car. I don’t trust bmw. This is my second EV. I think BMW is trying to cover up the issue. Look up ODI 11527330 at NHTSA ↗	1022.2% ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗	519.2% ODI 11610800 While driving on the right lane of [XXX] I received a notification on the screen stating "DRIVE TRAIN: FAULT PULL OVER FOR SAFETY" and just as I attempted to turn the steering wheel to enter the shoulder lane of the highway, the car stopped. I was stuck in the right lane of the highway with cars and huge semi trucks swerving around me at 60+ MPH while I was on the phone trying to get help from roadside assistance BMW and 911. I was unable to start the car or put it in neutral to even try to move it off the road. I climbed out of the passenger s… Look up ODI 11610800 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	715.6% ODI 11524818 I opened our garage door remotely, as I always do, and pulled into the driveway. As I entered the garage, I attempted to brake but the car continued to roll despite my pressure on the brake pedal. The car ran into the shelving and other items against the garage wall. I have entered our garage in this way many thousands of times, and I am confident I did nothing differently this time. Look up ODI 11524818 at NHTSA ↗	311.5% ODI 11578573 The mount of the accelerator pedal of the car at the bottom broke off while driving, and the pedal fell to the left and got lodged behind the break pedal. Look up ODI 11578573 at NHTSA ↗
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	48.9% ODI 11567649 I was driving down a residential street with cars parked on both sides. My car stopped very suddenly because the passenger side front tire was pierced and flattened by something on the road. Almost simultaneously the car began to oscillate or jolt from side to side and hit a car parked on my driver’s side very hard and then oscillated back to a parallel position. This is a known problem on the i4 edrive community website. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11567649 at NHTSA ↗	311.5% ODI 11688849 I was parking my car and there was a car that was car parked beside the place I pulling into to. I had backed up and when took my foot off the brake the car took off and struck the corner of the parked car. It literally took off. I had zero control of the car and it didn’t brake until after I hit the car. Where I was parking was on an incline that was going up. It happened again when I was pulling into another parking spot. I was not close enough to the curb and that car felt the same way. It felt like it was just going to take off. I just p… Look up ODI 11688849 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel/Propulsion System	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	613.3% ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗	13.8% ODI 11723423 The vehicle experienced two sudden and complete losses of power, on December 29, 2025, and again on February 18, 2026. In both instances, the vehicle became inoperable while in motion and required towing. These failures created hazardous roadside situations. Look up ODI 11723423 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle Speed Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	36.7% ODI 11509728 · 2,098 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while turning into a parking space, the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration and crashed into a post and then into a wall. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,098. Look up ODI 11509728 at NHTSA ↗	415.4% ODI 11575181 Vehicle accelerated on its own as i was pulling into garage. Causing damage to the car, to my other parked car and house. Look up ODI 11575181 at NHTSA ↗
Engine	110.0% ODI 11527330 My BmW I4 M50 was parked and turned off. While I was behind the wheel the car. Suddenly the car took off and hit a curb and went thru some trees. I took my cat to creviar bmw and an engineer from bmw came to check out the vehicle. The engineer checked out the car, BMW had my car for 3 and half weeks and after told me nothing was wrong with the car. I don’t trust bmw. This is my second EV. I think BMW is trying to cover up the issue. Look up ODI 11527330 at NHTSA ↗	511.1% ODI 11518443 Wireless CarPlay is not operating correctly and proving to be a hazard in driving. Often times, the GPS will randomly shift the “location of the car”, making it unsafe to drive because it is off by several miles, and a distraction because the screen moves with the location ping. I’ve reported this to apple and BMW several times over the last few months since January. Attached are just three of several instances in which this has happened (and I had a friend who was able to screenshot these). Look up ODI 11518443 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Electrical System	Too few reports for a range	16,000 mi	2 (sparse)	ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi… Look up ODI 11654118 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train	Too few reports for a range	16,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗
Engine	Too few reports for a range	16,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi… Look up ODI 11654118 at NHTSA ↗
Steering	Too few reports for a range	16,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	2	None	ODI 11631462 Driving at night on [XXX] car in front of me swerved leaving a big deer in front of me on a car on my left, the BMW did not warn me, adjust speed, cinch restraints, or brake, There was no collision warning or advanced readiness at all! I hit the deer at 75 approx, went airborne and totaled my car. BMW wanted to see the vehicle and take data from it since even the cameras didn’t record, no safety features on this advanced vehicle functioned at 12,086 miles, this was an I4 M50 loaded, totaled the car INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDO… Look up ODI 11631462 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11633301 · 42,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated that while driving into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly shut off with the message "Drive Train Malfunction" displayed. The vehicle was restarted but would not shift into gear and could no longer be driven. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000. Look up ODI 11633301 at NHTSA ↗
2025-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	4	None	ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi… Look up ODI 11654118 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656435 The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even aske… Look up ODI 11656435 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656983 Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system Look up ODI 11656983 at NHTSA ↗
2025-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	1	25V395000, 25V470000	ODI 11676127 We had a drivetrain malfunction losing all power to car as we were driving.The car lost all control and drove less than 20 feet before coming to a complete stop on the middle of the road. We were not notified about any recalls on the car and just saw there was one on your site. BMW has now had our car for 3 weeks and has had their engineers working on it saying they are testing teach individual power cell at this time. They have not provided us any feedback other than this and a timeline of when we will get our car back. Look up ODI 11676127 at NHTSA ↗
2025-08	2	None	ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11683180 The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fir… Look up ODI 11683180 at NHTSA ↗
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	2	None	ODI 11699707 The sunroof of my BMW i4 exploded and shattered while I was driving under light rain on 45-mph road. The explosion was very loud and scary. Luckily sunroof sliding shade was closed otherwise shattered glass will fall inside of car. Look up ODI 11699707 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11700075 I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my 2023 BMW i4 (VIN: [XXX] ), currently at 28,426 miles. The vehicle has experienced three separate incidents of unexpected and complete loss of power while driving. The first incident occurred in March 2025. The vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without warning and came to an immediate hard stop. I was later informed this was related to a wheel-positioning sensor. The second incident occurred in October 2025. I had been told that a recall software update would resolve the problem, but the vehic… Look up ODI 11700075 at NHTSA ↗
2025-12	2	None	ODI 11705991 While merging onto an interstate at speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power and came to a complete stop in an active traffic lane. Approximately six weeks earlier, abnormal drivetrain behavior (hesitation and torque interruption) was reported to the dealer. The dealer attributed the issue to tires and recommended tire replacement. No drivetrain diagnostics were performed. Immediately following the incident, a drivetrain malfunction warning occurred. BMW remotely restricted vehicle operation to allow limited driving back t… Look up ODI 11705991 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11706959 On [XXX] in Columbia SC, my vehicle reported a drivetrain failure at approximately 1800 and advised me to pullover immediately and contact roadside assistance. I promptly parked in the safest space I could approximately within 50 yards of receiving the alert. The vehicle would no longer move once parked to include neutral. BMW roadside assistance took 48 hours to pick up and transport the vehicle to my dealer in Florence SC. I was informed of a recall on the vehicle by the dealership and advised they would not be able to diagnose and repair unt… Look up ODI 11706959 at NHTSA ↗
2026-01	1	None	ODI 11713771 The sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving on the freeway. The sun shade was closed but had it been open, the glass would have entered the cabin and potential for harm. In addition, the loud bang was a distraction and had there been more heavy traffic there was potential for accident. There was no identified object that hit the sunroof. The car was taken to the dealership for repair and inspection. Look up ODI 11713771 at NHTSA ↗
2026-02	1	None	ODI 11720407 I was driving about 30 mph when I was prompted with the following error message, “Drive train fault, restart not possible, High Voltage Battery,” I was able to drive home which was about 1 mile away. I drove the car home, parked it and turned it off for 45 minutes then I attempted to turn it on but was unable to and continued to receive the same message. Side note, this vehicle was purchased from BMW Beverly Hills on 1/25/26 and not a month went by before I ran into this issue. Look up ODI 11720407 at NHTSA ↗
2026-03	1	None	ODI 11722997 I am reporting a recurring, catastrophic suspension defect in my 2023 BMW i4 eDrive40 that results in life-threatening rear tire failure. Despite adhering to all maintenance schedules, the vehicle's rear axle geometry fails to maintain stability, leading to extreme, accelerated inner-tread wear while the center and outer tread remains healthy. Timeline of Events: Initial Incident 5/4/2025 (21,493 miles): Suffered a sudden rear tire blowout while driving due to the inner tire wall wearing down to the metal cords. The dealer (BMW of Fort Lauderda… Look up ODI 11722997 at NHTSA ↗
2026-04	1	None	ODI 11731151 On [XXX], while driving on a public highway, the vehicle shut off and came to a complete stop as I was going around a roundabout. I was in the inside lane, had just finished charging in Yuma, Az., and was just about to get back on the freeway heading back into California. Thankfully, there was no one behind me at that moment and I was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. After arriving at my destination in Winterhaven, CA, I later saw that I had two missed calls from BMW Roadside Assistance. They called to check on my welfare as, u… Look up ODI 11731151 at NHTSA ↗
2026-05	3	None	ODI 11735391 While driving on frewway in HOV lane next to tall concrete center barrier, side collision mitigation system suddenly began to aggressively and continuously jerk steering right and left. After about 10-20 seconds this caused loss of control, with vehicle turning around 180 degrees and, during the spin, impacting the center concrete wall, causing deployment of all airbags. Traffic was very heavy, and although there were no injuries or collisons with other vehicles, the loss of control was life-threatening. This route was driven previously under e… Look up ODI 11735391 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11739767 While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion… Look up ODI 11739767 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11740342 The dashboard turn signal indicators are blocked by the steering wheel unless I adjust the steering wheel to a very high position that makes driving unsafe. When the turn signals are on, there is no clicking noise like many cars have. I suggest that BMW update the vehicle software to allow the driver to adjust the location of the turn signal indicators within the digital dash display, or also include turn signal indicators in the heads-up display. Look up ODI 11740342 at NHTSA ↗
2026-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	1	None	ODI 11762571 The steering wheel would suddenly become stiff (frozen or locked) during normal driving especially during turning. When it happened, I lost total control of the car causing dangerous situations on the road. A warning message appeared stating: "Changed steering effort, drive moderately and contact service center." At a BMW dealership, the problem was reproduced and confirmed. They replaced 12 Volt battery, and the car was released. The new 12 volt battery didn't help the steeling issue. After a few weeks, the steeling system completely… Look up ODI 11762571 at NHTSA ↗
2026-10 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2022: 9 complaints · 2023: 37 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2022	3	8	9
2023	19	26	37

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2022	10	0	0
2023	44	0	1

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Electrical System	Unknown Or Other	Power Train	Service Brakes	Fuel/Propulsion System	Engine	Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	Steering
Electrical System	—	2 ODI 11683180 The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fir… Look up ODI 11683180 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11731151 On [XXX], while driving on a public highway, the vehicle shut off and came to a complete stop as I was going around a roundabout. I was in the inside lane, had just finished charging in Yuma, Az., and was just about to get back on the freeway heading back into California. Thankfully, there was no one behind me at that moment and I was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. After arriving at my destination in Winterhaven, CA, I later saw that I had two missed calls from BMW Roadside Assistance. They called to check on my welfare as, u… Look up ODI 11731151 at NHTSA ↗	6 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11528540 On 6/8/23 I tried to start my car and received the following error: "Drivetrain malfunction: Driving not possible. Call Roadside Assistance" and the car turned off. I tried 3 more times to start the car and received the same message. I could not drive my car, and had it immediately towed to the dealer. This is a brand new 2023 BMW i4 eDrive40 with only 1469 miles on it. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer, testing confirmed faults for the high voltage battery and a 30F current violation and sporadic software issue. As of 6/23/23,… Look up ODI 11528540 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11656435 The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even aske… Look up ODI 11656435 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656983 Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system Look up ODI 11656983 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11535935 Vehicle is an EV (platform G26) and charger flap door was locked and would not open. Problem is similar to problem reported on NHTSA for BMW vehicles for "fuel filler door will not open", SIB 51 27 20. Safety issue is vehicle can not be charged and creates risk for driver and passengers being stranded. Older BMW vehicles had an emergency release but new models eliminated this feature. Vehicle was taken to dealership for repair and item know as cover pot defect was confirmed and replaced. Requested confirmation that replacement part addressed … Look up ODI 11535935 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11739767 While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion… Look up ODI 11739767 at NHTSA ↗	4 ODI 11524209 Drivetrain malfunction, made car inoperable. Went into park mode. No neutral ability to move. Had to be special tow. Car is 2 days old. Only 200 miles on odometer. Check internet, many many same issues. Look up ODI 11524209 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11525905 On 5/10/23 I was driving approximately 50 mph on a highway when my car slowed to 15 mph. I stepped on the accelerator and nothing happened. On the dash screen there was a warning which stated "drivetrain malfunction. Driving not possible. Call Roadside assistance". So I was stuck with a sudden deceleration on a busy highway and had to creep over 2 lanes to the shoulder and put the car in park. It would not restart. Myself and my child were in the vehicle. It is a miracle that we were not rear-ended. After calling roadside assistance, the car di… Look up ODI 11525905 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi… Look up ODI 11654118 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗
Unknown Or Other	2 ODI 11683180 The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fir… Look up ODI 11683180 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11731151 On [XXX], while driving on a public highway, the vehicle shut off and came to a complete stop as I was going around a roundabout. I was in the inside lane, had just finished charging in Yuma, Az., and was just about to get back on the freeway heading back into California. Thankfully, there was no one behind me at that moment and I was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. After arriving at my destination in Winterhaven, CA, I later saw that I had two missed calls from BMW Roadside Assistance. They called to check on my welfare as, u… Look up ODI 11731151 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	0	2 ODI 11518443 Wireless CarPlay is not operating correctly and proving to be a hazard in driving. Often times, the GPS will randomly shift the “location of the car”, making it unsafe to drive because it is off by several miles, and a distraction because the screen moves with the location ping. I’ve reported this to apple and BMW several times over the last few months since January. Attached are just three of several instances in which this has happened (and I had a friend who was able to screenshot these). Look up ODI 11518443 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11683180 The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fir… Look up ODI 11683180 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11567649 I was driving down a residential street with cars parked on both sides. My car stopped very suddenly because the passenger side front tire was pierced and flattened by something on the road. Almost simultaneously the car began to oscillate or jolt from side to side and hit a car parked on my driver’s side very hard and then oscillated back to a parallel position. This is a known problem on the i4 edrive community website. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11567649 at NHTSA ↗	0
Power Train	6 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11528540 On 6/8/23 I tried to start my car and received the following error: "Drivetrain malfunction: Driving not possible. Call Roadside Assistance" and the car turned off. I tried 3 more times to start the car and received the same message. I could not drive my car, and had it immediately towed to the dealer. This is a brand new 2023 BMW i4 eDrive40 with only 1469 miles on it. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer, testing confirmed faults for the high voltage battery and a 30F current violation and sporadic software issue. As of 6/23/23,… Look up ODI 11528540 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	1 ODI 11656435 The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even aske… Look up ODI 11656435 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11700075 I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my 2023 BMW i4 (VIN: [XXX] ), currently at 28,426 miles. The vehicle has experienced three separate incidents of unexpected and complete loss of power while driving. The first incident occurred in March 2025. The vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without warning and came to an immediate hard stop. I was later informed this was related to a wheel-positioning sensor. The second incident occurred in October 2025. I had been told that a recall software update would resolve the problem, but the vehic… Look up ODI 11700075 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11739767 While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion… Look up ODI 11739767 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	2 ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11557688 My 2023 electric BMW i4 was driving normally on the evening of 11/29/2023. I was near the end of a 30 minute commute when a drivetrain error popped on the screen followed by an error that said "increased steering effort." Within seconds of those messages, without any physical signs of an issue, the car completely lost all power and steering and abruptly stopped in the middle of the street. As the car abruptly broke down, it went into park. It was so abrupt that there wasn't even time to pull over or coast to a safer area. I was stopped in the … Look up ODI 11557688 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes	3 ODI 11656435 The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even aske… Look up ODI 11656435 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656983 Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system Look up ODI 11656983 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 11656435 The only way I could explain it was as if my brakes were failing. After joining the bmw i4 group on Facebook and having my kids record while driving. I was able to capture the issue. The vehicle drive train will malfunction causing the vehicle to move while not in motion when at a stop light. The vehicle will accelerate on its on. It has recently power off on me while driving and restart back up. I took it to the dealership they said it was fine. I took it today. They couldn’t offer me and my kid ride home or a loaner due to policy. I even aske… Look up ODI 11656435 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗	0	2 ODI 11571923 This is the second time the brakes failed on this vehicle. The first incident, occurring as I pulled into my garage, in May 2023, was investigated by BMW North America and the vehicle was deemed to have no defect and to be safe to drive. The second incident occurred on [XXX]. The car was traveling approximately 15-25 mph on a collector road between [XXX] in downtown Los Angeles. The car immediately in front of me applied its brakes and when I applied my brake pedal the vehicle did not respond and my car did not slow down. I did not see any sor… Look up ODI 11571923 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel/Propulsion System	3 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11535935 Vehicle is an EV (platform G26) and charger flap door was locked and would not open. Problem is similar to problem reported on NHTSA for BMW vehicles for "fuel filler door will not open", SIB 51 27 20. Safety issue is vehicle can not be charged and creates risk for driver and passengers being stranded. Older BMW vehicles had an emergency release but new models eliminated this feature. Vehicle was taken to dealership for repair and item know as cover pot defect was confirmed and replaced. Requested confirmation that replacement part addressed … Look up ODI 11535935 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11739767 While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion… Look up ODI 11739767 at NHTSA ↗	0	3 ODI 11521423 A small spill of liquid (unsweetened iced tea) on the gear shift area inches from the cup holder shorted out the entire transmission of the vehicle, rendering it immovable. This happened while pulling into our garage, but if it had happened while the car was moving on the road it could have caused a catastrophic accident. Look up ODI 11521423 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11700075 I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my 2023 BMW i4 (VIN: [XXX] ), currently at 28,426 miles. The vehicle has experienced three separate incidents of unexpected and complete loss of power while driving. The first incident occurred in March 2025. The vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without warning and came to an immediate hard stop. I was later informed this was related to a wheel-positioning sensor. The second incident occurred in October 2025. I had been told that a recall software update would resolve the problem, but the vehic… Look up ODI 11700075 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11739767 While driving my 2023 BMW i4, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple drivetrain and chassis malfunction warnings shortly after charging the vehicle at a ChargePoint station. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power/propulsion while driving, creating a serious safety concern. After stopping, the vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly and several systems appeared to malfunction. The center display/screens became partially or fully unresponsive/blank and multiple warning messages appeared simultaneously. Due to the loss of propulsion… Look up ODI 11739767 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗
Engine	4 ODI 11524209 Drivetrain malfunction, made car inoperable. Went into park mode. No neutral ability to move. Had to be special tow. Car is 2 days old. Only 200 miles on odometer. Check internet, many many same issues. Look up ODI 11524209 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11525905 On 5/10/23 I was driving approximately 50 mph on a highway when my car slowed to 15 mph. I stepped on the accelerator and nothing happened. On the dash screen there was a warning which stated "drivetrain malfunction. Driving not possible. Call Roadside assistance". So I was stuck with a sudden deceleration on a busy highway and had to creep over 2 lanes to the shoulder and put the car in park. It would not restart. Myself and my child were in the vehicle. It is a miracle that we were not rear-ended. After calling roadside assistance, the car di… Look up ODI 11525905 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi… Look up ODI 11654118 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 11518443 Wireless CarPlay is not operating correctly and proving to be a hazard in driving. Often times, the GPS will randomly shift the “location of the car”, making it unsafe to drive because it is off by several miles, and a distraction because the screen moves with the location ping. I’ve reported this to apple and BMW several times over the last few months since January. Attached are just three of several instances in which this has happened (and I had a friend who was able to screenshot these). Look up ODI 11518443 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11683180 The vehicle randomly caught fire after sitting idle for approximately 8 hours. Going to a conference in Aria Las Vegas and drove over 260 Miles. There was no issues, no indicator warning lights or strange noises during the drive. Arrived at Aira approximately 4:00PM. Parked vehicle on the third floor of the Aira Self-Parking and did not touch the car after parking the car. I received a call at approximately 12:00AM that night from Aria Security. From Aria Security, stated that vehicle has caught fire. Fire was put out by Clark County Fir… Look up ODI 11683180 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	—	0	0
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	1 ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11567649 I was driving down a residential street with cars parked on both sides. My car stopped very suddenly because the passenger side front tire was pierced and flattened by something on the road. Almost simultaneously the car began to oscillate or jolt from side to side and hit a car parked on my driver’s side very hard and then oscillated back to a parallel position. This is a known problem on the i4 edrive community website. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11567649 at NHTSA ↗	0	2 ODI 11571923 This is the second time the brakes failed on this vehicle. The first incident, occurring as I pulled into my garage, in May 2023, was investigated by BMW North America and the vehicle was deemed to have no defect and to be safe to drive. The second incident occurred on [XXX]. The car was traveling approximately 15-25 mph on a collector road between [XXX] in downtown Los Angeles. The car immediately in front of me applied its brakes and when I applied my brake pedal the vehicle did not respond and my car did not slow down. I did not see any sor… Look up ODI 11571923 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11656987 While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.” Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—	0
Steering	1 ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗	0	2 ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while reversing, the drive train malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded with his commute however, the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shifted into park independently. There were several messages displayed on the infotainment screen, and the contact was unable to shift the vehicle back into drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mile… Look up ODI 11545371 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11557688 My 2023 electric BMW i4 was driving normally on the evening of 11/29/2023. I was near the end of a 30 minute commute when a drivetrain error popped on the screen followed by an error that said "increased steering effort." Within seconds of those messages, without any physical signs of an issue, the car completely lost all power and steering and abruptly stopped in the middle of the street. As the car abruptly broke down, it went into park. It was so abrupt that there wasn't even time to pull over or coast to a safer area. I was stopped in the … Look up ODI 11557688 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11678689 MVA: [XXX] Sudden acceleration of vehicle. Brakes failed to work. Steering suddenly inoperative. Front passenger and I were injured. Vehicle damaged 3 other vehicles. One or more drivers whose vehicles were hit complained of injuries. For inspection, contact property damage adjuster with Safeco Insurance: Collision adjuster: LYNAE MCCALL, P: [phone removed] Email: [email removed]. Complainant unaware if vehicle malfunction issues have been inspected to date by the dealer or an independent service nor inspected by the manufacturer, police, insur… Look up ODI 11678689 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

6 patterns with matching reports.

Stalling or loss of power

5 mentions · 11.1% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11589917

Look up ODI 11589917 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11656983

Electrical system stalling stopping the car it won’t move breaking system

Look up ODI 11656983 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11656987

While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent braking failures, electrical glitches, and/or sudden loss of power. These issues match known problems reported on similar 2023 BMW i4 models. My VIN does not show an active recall, but I am experiencing dangerous symptoms. I am concerned for my safety and others. I respectfully request an investigation.”

Look up ODI 11656987 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Brake response concerns

4 mentions · 8.9% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11524818

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ODI 11534481

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ODI 11571923

This is the second time the brakes failed on this vehicle. The first incident, occurring as I pulled into my garage, in May 2023, was investigated by BMW North America and the vehicle was deemed to have no defect and to be safe to drive. The second incident occurred on [XXX]. The car was traveling approximately 15-25 mph on a collector road between [XXX] in downtown Los Angeles. The car immediately in front of me applied its brakes and when I applied my brake pedal the vehicle did not respond and my car did not slow down. I did not see any sor…

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Matching rule

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

4 mentions · 8.9% of complaints

Median mileage: 16,000 mi (3 usable records).

ODI 11509728 · 2,098 mi

The contact owns a 2023 BMW I4. The contact stated while turning into a parking space, the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration and crashed into a post and then into a wall. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,098.

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ODI 11545371 · 16,000 mi

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ODI 11654118 · 16,000 mi

The contact owns a 2023 BMW i4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH with a fully charged battery, the engine seized on two separate occasions. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected. The inoperable do not drive message was displayed after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with drive unit failure. The drive unit, rear axle, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred. While his son was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illumi…

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Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Hard or delayed shifting

2 mentions · 4.4% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11616893

Slowed to a stop with B mode engaged. Suddenly car lurched forward prompting me to slam on the brakes. No one was injured or vehicles damaged but it was unsettling. No warning or other issues prior to failure. No manufacture has looked at it and since it’s likely unable to reproduce often a test drive would likely not see it either.

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ODI 11735391

While driving on frewway in HOV lane next to tall concrete center barrier, side collision mitigation system suddenly began to aggressively and continuously jerk steering right and left. After about 10-20 seconds this caused loss of control, with vehicle turning around 180 degrees and, during the spin, impacting the center concrete wall, causing deployment of all airbags. Traffic was very heavy, and although there were no injuries or collisons with other vehicles, the loss of control was life-threatening. This route was driven previously under e…

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Matching rule

Battery drain and no-start mentions

1 mentions · 2.2% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11504941

On December 9, 2022, I tried to start my car in my garage. The car would not start..The dash read stop auto train failure contact roadside assistance. After calling my car salesman who told me I had to contact roadside assistance myself, I did so. Roadside assistance informed me they were unable to diagnose/correct the problem, and called a tow truck. The car was towed to dealership that day and has been on the lot ever since. After many consultations with the BMW people in Germany, the analysis was that the cell monitoring circuit module need…

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Matching rule

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 2.2% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11762571

The steering wheel would suddenly become stiff (frozen or locked) during normal driving especially during turning. When it happened, I lost total control of the car causing dangerous situations on the road. A warning message appeared stating: "Changed steering effort, drive moderately and contact service center." At a BMW dealership, the problem was reproduced and confirmed. They replaced 12 Volt battery, and the car was released. The new 12 volt battery didn't help the steeling issue. After a few weeks, the steeling system completely…

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Matching rule

\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b