The 2019 BMW i3 is associated with 13 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Steering, accounting for 3 reports (23% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning all-electric and 0.6L 2-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 100 MPGe (31 MPG on gasoline) with up to 126 miles of electric driving range. All-electric variants deliver up to 113 MPGe with an estimated range of 153 miles. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 13 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 campaign
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: Steering (3 / 23%)
  • • Safety Incident Signals: 1 crash / 0 fire / 0 injury reports
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Efficiency: 113 MPGe (4 variants • PHEV up to 100 MPGe)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
113MPGe
4 EPA certified variants (all-electric and 0.6L 2-Cyl plug-in hybrid configurations)
Reported Complaints
13
13 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
1
1 official NHTSA recall
NCAP Safety Rating
Not rated by NHTSA

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2019 BMW i3?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
i3 100% Electric Electric Motor Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 124 MPGe 102 MPGe 113 MPGe 153 mi $650 / yr
i3s 100% Electric Electric Motor Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 124 MPGe 102 MPGe 113 MPGe 153 mi $650 / yr
i3 with Range Extender Plug-in Hybrid 0.6L 2-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 107 MPGe (30 MPG) 93 MPGe (31 MPG) 100 MPGe (31 MPG) 126 mi EV (200 mi total) $2,450 / yr
i3s with Range Extender Plug-in Hybrid 0.6L 2-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 107 MPGe (30 MPG) 93 MPGe (31 MPG) 100 MPGe (31 MPG) 126 mi EV (200 mi total) $2,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2019 BMW i3 provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 153 miles on a single battery charge.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2019 BMW i3?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
BEV 5 HB RWD —
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2019 BMW i3 models.
View complete 2019 BMW i3 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2019 BMW i3?

Summary of 13 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
13
Crash Reports
1
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
0
Total Injuries
0

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Steering 3 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 complaint
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 complaint
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 complaint (1 crash)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2019 BMW i3 problems & component breakdown (11 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2019 BMW i3?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V599000 Active Recall
Affected Component: HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 i3 BEV, i3 REx, and i8 vehicles. A circuit board problem within the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module may shutdown the supply of high-voltage electrical power.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
View all 2019 BMW i3 recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.