NHTSA Complaint #11175779 — 2014 BMW I3 REX

THE REX (RANGE EXTENDER) ON MY I3 DOES NOT TURN ON, AT RANDOM, WHEN THE BATTERY LEVEL OF THE VEHICLE GETS TO A POINT THAT IS LOW ENOUGH FOR IT TO TURN ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT LOSS OF SPEED WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE BMW DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY VEHICLE AND HAS SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. IT HAS BEEN 'FIXED' ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AS WELL. THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS NO LONGER ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS ISSUE WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TAKEN A STANCE THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LOSING POWER AND SPEED (AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED HEAVILY) IS "OPERATION NORMALLY FOR CONDITIONS" AND "NO ACTIONS TAKEN" AND ADVICE THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND KNOWN AND HAVE "ADVISED CUSTOMER OF LIMITATION OF DRIVING ON THE REX WITH TOO MANY CUSTOMER DEMANDS..." THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE REX NOT TURNING ON AND LOSING POWER WHILE IN MOTION AND ON THE HIGHWAY AND SURFACE / LIGHT COMMERCIAL STREETS AT ALL LEVELS OF SPEED. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DOES NOT LIKELY HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING 35MPH AND ALSO WHILE GOING 70MPH, AND OTHER SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND HAPPENED TO MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE TIMES (DURING THE SAME TRIP, ON DIFFERENT DAYS) TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN THEIR CARE FOR REPAIR.