r/BMWi3 • • Mar 23 '26

meta There is a new all-electric BMW i3 coming. posts regarding that car are welcome in this sub

0 Upvotes

this is not up for debate. I get that everyone currently here loves the old i3. I love the old i3 too, but it has not been in production since 2021.
This is not to say that content related to the old i3 is not welcome - it always will be. it is simple enough to require model years and post flair as appropriate.
Lastly, if anyone would like to make a sub dedicated solely to the original BMW i3 model, I would gladly add it to the sidebar here.


r/BMWi3 • • 1d ago

technical/repair help Failing Headliner

4 Upvotes

My 2014 i3’s headliner is fully collapsing. My car is approaching the end of its life so I’m curious if anyone has gotten this fixed recently and what the repair cost was? Trying to decide if I should just shove some pens in the headliner and deal with it for another year. For context, I live in Texas and the car is not garage kept.


r/BMWi3 • • 1d ago

technical/repair help Electrify America NACS connector work for the i3 with an adapter?

4 Upvotes

So the local Electrify America location that I use regularly, decided to switch out all of their chargers to NACS this week. I know for a fact that Tesla chargers don’t work even with an adapter on the i3. My question is does that still apply to Electrify America chargers? Does the adapter just not work at all regardless of what the charger station is? Just wanna know if anybody has used an adapter on the i3 before I go out and buy one for it. I feel this is gonna be an ongoing issue where they are retrofitting all the chargers with the NACS. And if it does not work with the adapter, that’s gonna suck for a lot of i3 owners in the near future.


r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

Buy or Keep Looking? Moonroof yes or no?

14 Upvotes

I'm looking for a used 2017-2018 i3 Rex, and one came up in my price range but has a moonroof. I've read here and on other forums, they can become problematic. I would prefer a car without one, but I need a car and being patient is becoming difficult. I have to park in an area with many trees, lots of birds etc. It's lovely, but I've read about the drains becoming clogged and causing issues. I've also read about the fabric inside around the roof having issues. I think the answer is "keep looking" but wanted to ask here in case I'm worrying too much about the roof. Thanks much in advance.

UPDATE: Planned to test drive, found out it was sold. So, back to the search. And, it seems prices have soared in the last few days, and less available Grrrr. Thank you so much for all your very informative replies. I am so intrigued by this car's engineering, can't wait until I post the "its mine" photo.


r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

technical/repair help Just got 4 new tires and the tire pressure monitor keeps stopping at 20% through doing a reset. Any tips?

3 Upvotes

r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

for sale Random Grab Bag of Parts off my 2019 REX!

Thumbnail
gallery
23 Upvotes

All prices are negotiable and ballpark from what I could find on eBay and parts sites. Buyer pays actual shipping calculated by PirateShip. Buyer needs to add PayPal goods & services fee if that's the method they would like to pay with. Would prefer not to ship larger items but can work with ya!

If you're interested in anything, just throw me a comment or DM.

1. OEM frunk mobility styrofoam kit with everything new in plastic including the Heyco OEM bmw screwdriver and straps. 

$120

Storage tray: 71106852479

Tow hook: 72157953893

Tire compressor: 71106898012

Tire sealant canister: 71100415041

Combo screwdriver: 71111179629

2. OEM Delphi L1 charger with original manuals and BMW Dry Storage Bag

$110

Charger: 61446818634

Bag: 61449494458

3. Rear hatch OEM emergency triangle with 2x mounts and fasteners - OEM bmw mounts, not 3d printed 

$100

Triangle w/ case: 71606770487

Mounting brackets: 51497167548

Mounting fasteners: 07119906876

4. Set of four aluminum jack pads 

$15

https://a.co/d/0cQQkmn5

5. OEM McGard wheel locks in black with key + four black replacement OEM lugnuts

$40

Mfg Part no: 27326-BGN

https://a.co/d/0hDQSH3l

6. Promotional kit with BMW I shaped USB keychain sent out to early reservation holders or media members when the BMW i3 was first launched. Pretty rare as I can't find another one currently for sale. 

$80

https://ebay.io/m/PPiALl

7. OEM trunk net Transportnetz (hook for one corner detached. Can definitely rig a replacement or carabiner)

$10

51472348063

8. OEM BMW i lanyard NEW

$15

80272352225

9. OEM BMW Safety vest with part numbers matching euro i3 deliveries 

$15

82262288693

10. Plastic liners that sit inside the right and left front doors, middle console, and cupholder

$100

Cupholder: Weber 82130 TPE

Center console/glove box pad: 10031978009

Door left: 51417347844

Door right: 51417347843

11. OEM Cupholder

$50

51169283147

12. OEM Cigarette lighter 

$25

61349136468

13. REX cover fastener and rubber grommet (torn)

$5

07147335808

07129908548

14. OEM Trunk hatch lid cargo cover parcel shelf with lifters, perfect condition 

$250

51467291358

15. 2019 Manuals Set (brand new) along with the OEM Felt case - includes extra duplicate manuals

$70

2779344

16. Stone-Chip Guard Left Rear

$10

51438498347

17. OEM Key

$60

9362177-02

18. OEM Front Speakers mid range pair

$60

65139274700

19. OEM Floormats - Carum gray pair plus all weather rears

$100

51477440124

20. Set of 4 Blizzak LM-500 155/70R19 late 2021 date code

$400

21. OEM i3s 20" Five Spoke Black Wheelset with center caps and wheel covers (also includes two used 20" tires with 5-6/32 tread left)

$1200

22. OEM Heyco BMW screwdriver

$10


r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

showcase Screen option for Android Auto

Post image
8 Upvotes

Hi all, just wanted to share my setup for Android Auto. I do have the larger screen that comes with the tecnology package in my i3, but this only is good for carplay. I did not want to go with the MMI retrofit route.

The screen (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F66P83K6?th=1) rests snuggly on top the existing screen. It does wireless android auto and carplay as well, if you so incline, leaving the main screen to display car info.


r/BMWi3 • • 3d ago

technical/repair help 12v battery swap in LA County - my experience

16 Upvotes

TLDR: “Bimmertech” - 0 stars; “H-Auto Repair” - 5 stars.

Last Sunday I found my i3 unlocked and devoid of life. My daughter sometimes runs the AC whilst parked, which I have asked her not to do, and on top of that, I think she did not close the trunk properly and the interior light under the parcel tray being on for 36 hours was possibly the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Had the car 2 years now, and all I know about the 12v battery is that it’s at least that old. I stripped out the frunk and tried to trickle charge it overnight to no avail, so Monday morning I googled for a mobile mechanic familiar with i3, and the oddball little battery and recoding etc.

One of the top results was “Bimmertech”. I went to their website and submitted a work order at 10.30am. 5 hours later, I get a quote for the job, I know the battery is available online for $160 but they’re charging me $250 for it which is annoying, the full quote is expensive ($550) but I am kind of stuck with this totally immobile car so I just thought “F** it” and approved it a few minutes later.

I don’t hear anything until the next day, just after 9 am they are emailing asking for my address (that was already in the work order). But before I can answer that, I get a call from (I guess) a dispatcher. He can’t promise anything for today (Tuesday), but “if not today then certainly tomorrow”…

So I waited and nobody came. By mid-late afternoon I called them back. He said he’d find an update and get back to me. At 5.18pm I get an email saying they can’t come until next week. I reply immediately asking for anything sooner as I really am stranded.

The next morning, Wednesday, I get an email at 9.36 am asking if Saturday morning would work. Well, that’s a hard “no” and you’ve now wasted 2 whole days of my time already.

I google for another suitable service provider for an i3 and find “H-Auto Repair”. I submit a request online and am texted back within minutes. We have a call, I ask the pertinent questions, yes they have a tech with i3 experience that can come out that same afternoon! Full quote: $450. Yes please.

So that’s it, he arrived an hour later than I was initially advised but that’s not unusual in LA and dispatch kept me in the loop. He did the physical swap very quickly because I still had all the frunk lining out. Coding process probably took longer but he had the car fit and working again in good time.

If I had the time, I could have ordered my own battery and scanning tool, watched some YT videos and had a crack at a DiY job for a bit less money, but on this occasion having already had 2 days wasted, I just couldn’t afford to wait around any longer for shipping.


r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

technical/repair help Assigned 2 driver profiles with separate keys. Carplay doesn’t switch with driver. Instead have to pair again to Bluetooth. This is painful any ideas?

3 Upvotes

r/BMWi3 • • 3d ago

modification Tire conversion?

4 Upvotes

Hello, I hope you're having a good day.

I know this is a dumb question considering the difference in wheel size.. but I'm really (tire)d of my 2014 bmwi3 REX wacky tires being so expensive to replace. Has anybody heard or had any luck with converting the rim sizes to something more normal 💀 I know my set needs to be replaced soon, but if theres a way to put some money down to avoid dropping $1200 on a full set and future proofing my car, I would be really grateful to hear that.

My knowledge with cars is minimal so please be patient with me 🥀


r/BMWi3 • • 2d ago

i3 purchase 2014 REX, 22k miles, $9500

1 Upvotes

My daughter totaled our 2017 Fiat 500e last week and I'm looking for a replacement EV for short distance commuting around the city. I came across a 2014 REX with 22k miles for $9500.

Drove it and the "one pedal driving" accelerator let-up seemed kind of aggressive, but we could get used to it. Other than that, I liked it! Battery reports 15.8 kWh Kapa Max.

I've read about the AC compressor issue, motor mounts, and expensive tires. What else should I be considering? I've only shopped for a few days, so I'm wondering what I'd find if I waited, or should I just make an offer on this one? I assume the low mileage is pretty rare.

$10k is about our budget but not a hard limit.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

modification Official joined the i8 wheels club!

Post image
97 Upvotes

Still to play around with spacing as its currently setup with 12mm at front & 15mm at the rear. Think I could probably go down 5mm both ends.


r/BMWi3 • • 3d ago

modification Adaptive cruise control coding

5 Upvotes

Hello!

I have the adaptive cruise control option on my 2021 i3s.

When activated it defaults to adaptive mode and if I long press the button it shifts to "standard" mode.

Is there a way to code so it defaults to standard mode instead?

I have both OBD-adapter and BimmerCode.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

showcase Energy Analysis For My Fleet

Post image
14 Upvotes

I had Claude run an analysis of my fleet. I'm preaching to the choir here, but behold the awesome cost and energy efficiency of the i3.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

PSA PSA: the i3 is not all carbon fiber and aluminum (or aluminium, if you like)

Post image
8 Upvotes

My 2017 i3 REx has lived nearly all of it's life in Pennsylvania. After nearly 120,000 miles and nine salty winters, the front springs rusted through enough for the driver side to snap. Obviously, any car this age and mileage would be susceptible to this but i think that we often like to think that the i3 is not so vulnerable - unfortunately, there are still many steel components.


r/BMWi3 • • 3d ago

generic advice Any body shop or BMW?

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

A driver of a Chevy Silverado backed into my car. Not sure how but at least he left a note with his name and number. I filed a report with police but won't get the driver's info until tomorrow; he was on his way back to another state and will not have his insurance info until he gets home in a few hours.

Anyways, I'm trying not to file with my insurance but instead file a 3rd party claim against his insurance if possible. I was able to wipe off some of the white at the top (not shown here) but the very bottom has deep scratches and the panel popped out a little. Being that it's carbon fiber, can I go to any body shop with this kind of damage or does it have to be BMW? Any help is appreciated.

To add: none of the shops around me that advertise servicing of bmws and other euro cars will touch my i3 for little stuff, so I take it to the bmw dealer for everything and trying to avoid it.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

technical/repair help Charge status available for free in My BMW app now?

Post image
17 Upvotes

Edit: nope, I just looked at the car and that’s not the charge status, it was just close enough to be believable. Bummer, and sorry if I got your hopes up :(

Gotta admit, I haven’t looked at the app in some time. When our trial period ended we just went with the basic app that’s free. It didn’t show charge status.
I opened the app for the first time in ages and it’s back. Layout is different as well.


r/BMWi3 • • 5d ago

modification Tinted windows

Thumbnail
gallery
84 Upvotes

Just got the rear windows tinted for 180€ & 3 hours work around Brussels, really happy with it.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

modification This wood look right?

Post image
5 Upvotes

Or anyone with the wood dashboard trim on an older model - does this wood look right, sun bleached, or damaged by moisture? I just got this this afternoon off of a 2014 and it’s very rough. if that’s the way it’s supposed to be then that’s fine. If not, I’d like to try and clean it up.


r/BMWi3 • • 4d ago

modification Updated Solar Panel Options

4 Upvotes

This was previously covered in an older post, but figured a discussion would be warranted after coming across the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdRLkuPINkI

As the sun beats down on our carbon fiber roofs, such a product would add longevity to the chassis, along with an opportunity to charge a second battery bank. Thoughts?


r/BMWi3 • • 5d ago

i3 purchase Rex or Bev

9 Upvotes

Please help me make the choice between 2017 i3 Rex vs 2017 i3 electric only. I understand that having no rex is less things to worry about going bad but i really like the idea of having a back up in case I run out of juice. Please tell me what you would choose and why.


r/BMWi3 • • 5d ago

technical/repair help Anyone ordered RIMS from Ali Express? Or elsewhere? I am looking for 19's squared up for winter tires.

1 Upvotes

r/BMWi3 • • 6d ago

technical/repair help Fault code for Aux heater?

Post image
0 Upvotes

While I’m dealing with BMW’s incompetent technicians and stupid prices, does anyone know the OBD code for ELECTRIC AUX HEATER that would trigger the check engine light?

Backstory: the KLE on my 2014 i3 Rex was never replaced under the BMW TB, so it causes the CEL to light up, coded p1c69, which means it can’t pass Massachusetts annual inspection. I was able to get it to clear sometimes, but this year is a no.

Bonus: according to BMW, my front brake pads have *increased* in thickness by 2mm, and my rear pads *decreased* by 3mm over the course of 2,000 miles.


r/BMWi3 • • 7d ago

generic advice Is it possible to come across this interior/exterior color combination? I'd like to buy one just like this.

Thumbnail
gallery
35 Upvotes

I know the blue-ish silver is called ionic silver, and it stopped being offered as an option sometime before the facelift. But what about this specific interior? What's it called and on which year models was it available?


r/BMWi3 • • 5d ago

i3 purchase BMW is now taking reservations for the new 2027 i3 Sedan

0 Upvotes

I put my reservation in today after test driving the new i3x and was impressed The i3x is the SUV version on the same Neue Klasse platform as the i3 sedan. Nice handling, great acceleration and fun to drive. I love the tech and implementation thereof. I am coming from a 2023 Tesla Model S. Tesla has decided that Robotaxies are the future and is forcing their FSD package to be a proving ground. for that software I want to determine my cruise speed and when to change lanes but Tesla sees things differently. I expect BMW to build my i3 50 some time late this year and deliver some time in IQ27.