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Model file · BMWUpdated · 10 sources

Selling a wrecked or dead BMW i8

The i8 ran on a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a 7.1 kWh battery, and NHTSA's file holds just 10 owner complaints about it, counted as of October 10, 2026. Half of those are on one year, the 2015.

A dark gray BMW i8 coupe parked at a city curb in front of a row of shops
Photo: Qviri · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years (EPA)
2014-2020
Engine
1.5L turbo three-cylinder, plug-in hybrid
Battery
7.1 kWh lithium-ion
Complaints to NHTSA
10
Recall campaigns
6
Built in
Leipzig, Germany

When an i8 is too far gone to fix, it can still leave on a truck in one piece. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Background

Wikipedia dates production from April 2014 to June 2020 at BMW's Leipzig plant. The engine sits mid-car, the layout is all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed Aisin automatic does the shifting. U.S. deliveries began in August 2014, and a roadster joined the coupe in May 2018.

Known problems, early and late cars

2014-2016 coupes

Nine of the ten complaints fall here. The 2015 has 5, with the engine named twice. The 2016 has 3, mostly electrical.

Two recalls list the i8 alone. 14V674000 covers 223 cars built May 16 to September 16, 2014: a bolt holding a ground cable between the fuel tank and the chassis may not have been installed right. Dealers inspect and replace the tank if needed. 15V882000 covers 16 cars built in a single week in 2015 whose stability control hydraulic unit had badly drilled holes.

2017-2020, coupe and roadster

These years hold one complaint, on the 2020, about the electrical system. The recalls are shared with other BMWs:

  • 16V914000 (2017): air bag modules, 3,506 vehicles across many models.
  • 18V652000 (2019): charging cable inspection, 3,501 plug-in vehicles.
  • 19V599000 (2019): a circuit board in the electric motor electronics may cut high-voltage power. 139 i3 and i8 cars.
  • 20V601000 (2020): battery module inspection and replacement. NHTSA's notice said the remedy was still being developed when it was filed.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Model yearComplaintsRecall campaignsMost-named components
201411Suspension 1
201551Engine 2, stability control 1, electrical 1
201630Electrical 2, tires 1
2017-2019016V914000 (2017); 18V652000, 19V599000 (2019)None on file
202011Electrical 1

No crashes, fires or injuries appear. One complaint reports a tow.

Fix it or sell it?

  1. Search the VIN on NHTSA's recall page.
  2. Hybrid fault or no power? Our hybrid battery guide and electrical problems page help you read the quote.
  3. Body damage? The i8 is a niche car to repair. See wrecked or totaled.
  4. Compare the quote with what a running i8 of that year sells for.

How to sell an i8 whole

  1. Keep the i8's VIN, mileage and problem at hand.
  2. Request an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Say what it's sitting on, a driveway, a garage floor or a lot, and if it can be pushed.
  4. Leave everything on. The battery, wheels and charging cable should all stay with it.
  5. At pickup, have the title, ID and key. Plates: after you sell.

Questions people ask

Which i8 model year has the most NHTSA complaints?
The 2015, with 5 of 10 as of October 10, 2026. Two name the engine. The 2020 reached owners last, giving it the fewest years to draw reports; the 2017 through 2019 have none on file.
Were 4,509 i8s in the battery module recall?
No. Campaign 20V601000 counts 4,509 vehicles, and its list also takes in 5 Series, X3, 3 Series, 7 Series and X5 plug-in hybrids and the MINI Countryman. Only the 2020 i8 is on its list. The two i8-only campaigns are 14V674000 (223 vehicles) and 15V882000 (16).
Will you buy an i8 that won't start?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Tell us whether it powers on and whether the doors open.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 14V674000: fuel tank ground cable bolt nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 15V882000: stability control hydraulic unit nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 16V914000: air bag modules nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 18V652000: charging cable nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 19V599000: electric motor electronics nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 20V601000: battery module nhtsa.gov
  9. EPA fuel economy data (model years and variants) fueleconomy.gov
  10. Wikipedia: BMW i8 en.wikipedia.org