NHTSA Complaint #11229974 — 2014 BMW I3

THE I3 REQUIRES FUNCTIONAL HV BATTERY COOLING TO OPERATE PROPERLY AND SAFELY. THE CAR USES A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM TO CONDITION THE HV BATTERIES. ON MY CAR, THE A/C SYSTEM (BATTERY CONDITIONING) FAILED WITH NO MESSAGE OR WARNING TO THE DRIVER. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, I WAS GIVEN A QUOTE FOR $24,038.21 TO FIX THE CAR. THE INVOICE ALSO STATES "NOTE: VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE." HOW I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM THIS VEHICLE IS AN EARLY I3 WITH THE FAST-CHARGE SYSTEM INCLUDED. IN JULY, 2018, THE FAST-CHARGE FAILED TO WORK. I TRIED SEVERAL CHARGERS AND THEY ALL FAILED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE THIS WAS IRRITATING, I DID NOT TAKE THE CAR FOR SERVICE BECAUSE FAST-CHARGING IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO DRIVE THE CAR AND I DON'T USE IT OFTEN. I AM SPECULATING THAT THE A/C SYSTEM BEGAN TO FAIL AT THIS TIME, BUT I WAS GIVEN NO WARNING OR MESSAGE. IN THE FALL OF 2018, THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A MUCH LOUDER MOTOR NOISE DURING PRE-CONDITIONING IN MY GARAGE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE IN FEB., 2019, A BMW DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (THE PROBLEM HAPPENED EVERY DAY DURING PRE-CONDITIONING AND DRIVING). IN APRIL, 2019, I TURNED ON THE A/C AND DISCOVERED THE CABIN A/C DID NOT WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A/C VALVE FAULTS, GRAY METALLIC DEBRIS, INSUFFICIENT REFRIGERANT (877G VS. REQUIRED 970G), AND ZERO (VS. REQUIRED 300G) REFRIGERANT OIL. ACCORDING TO BMW LITERATURE ( BMW TECHNICAL TRAINING, HEATING AND A/C SYSTEMS, P.43), "THESE QUANTITIES ARE CRUCIAL TO THE OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM........" THIS QUOTE REFERS TO THE QUANTITY OF REFRIGERANT IN THE SYSTEM OF THE BEV OR REX. I HAVE ATTACHED THE INVOICE FROM BMW-ROCHESTER HILLS ON JUNE 1 WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION AND THE QUOTATION FOR REPAIRING THE SYSTEM. THE TRAINING MANUAL IS A LARGE FILE. I CAN SEND IT AS REQUIRED.