NHTSA Complaint #11256755 — 2014 BMW I3

STEERING issue reported to NHTSA

Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report

Complaint Details

ODI Number	11256755
Vehicle	2014 BMW I3
Component	STEERING
Date of Incident	September 19, 2019
Date Filed	September 19, 2019
Mileage	42,000 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	TN

Consumer Description

WHILE PULLING ONTO THE ROAD MY CAR STARTED PULLING STRONGLY TOWARDS THE LEFT AND WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. IT HAD VERY HEAVY DIFFICULT STEERING. IT FELT ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING I'VE FELT IN THE TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND 'GOOGLED' I3 DIFFICULT STEERING AND CAME ACROSS MULTIPLE FORUM POSTS AND DISCUSSION OF THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS THE I3 POWER STEERING CAN RANDOMLY STOP WORKING AND THEN RETURNS WITH AN IGNITION CYCLE. I LOCKED THE CAR, WENT IN A STORE FOR 5 MINUTES, AND NORMAL STEERING RESUMED WHEN I DROVE AWAY. ONE BECOMES USED TO THE WAY THEIR CAR DRIVES WHEN THEY DRIVE IT EVERY DAY. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING CHANGES DRASTICALLY IT SEEMS IT CAN BE AN ALARMING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Related Complaints for the 2014 BMW I3

Other STEERING Complaints

#11528759 — June 25, 2023 — While driving through a parking lot at slow speeds on 6/24/2023 around 6:30 pm in Phoenix AZ, I noticed the steering ...

#11512015 — March 15, 2023 — The steering becomes sluggish, hard to turn back to center. Seems as though I had a flat front tire. This was not the...

#11338790 — July 11, 2020 — SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING FEELS HARD TO TURN. SEEMS LIKE STEERING WANT TO REMAIN CENTERED OR OV...

#11245653 — August 22, 2019 — INTERMITTENTLY, THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED ON. STEERING IS HEAVY AND SLOW. TURNING T...

#11182758 — February 27, 2019 — TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. FROM A STOP, THE ASSIST WILL FUNCTION CORRECTLY UNTIL 30MPH. FROM THEN ON, THERE WILL...

Recent Complaints for the 2014 BMW I3

#11680869 — POWER TRAIN — August 15, 2025 — back in march 2025 my 2014 BMW i3 REX gave out a "Drivetrain Malfunction" error. The car's propulsion died while dri...

#11618578 — STRUCTURE:BODY — October 7, 2024 — The carbon fiber roof is delaminating and a portion of it came off and hit the front windshield of another car, causi...

#11613788 — STRUCTURE:BODY — September 10, 2024 — A large portion of the car's hood (carbon laminate?) has ripped off and is surely to continue to tear and fly off whi...

#11594331 — POWER TRAIN — June 14, 2024 — When the vehicle depletes it's battery and switches over to the range extender or the gas engine, the car will sudden...

#11576295 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — March 8, 2024 — AC Compressor for the car battery system failed. There was a check engine light that was on steady, but not flashing...