YearToAvoid

2023 BMW i4 Electrical System Problems

The 2023 BMW i4 logged 18 Electrical System complaints, 40% of its 45 total complaints, the highest share of any model year. Owners reported drivetrain shutdowns, failure to start, and one fire, at a median 16,000 miles. Six related recalls cover high-voltage battery and drive motor software.

Electrical System complaints
18
40% of 45
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
16,000 mi
Related recalls
6

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle displays a 'drivetrain malfunction, driving not possible' warning and shifts into park or loses drive power, sometimes while moving on the highway.
  • Car fails to start, showing a stop/auto train failure message that requires roadside assistance and towing to a dealer.
  • One vehicle reportedly caught fire after sitting parked and idle for about 8 hours with no prior warning lights.
  • Drive unit or engine reportedly seizes with a grinding noise while driving at low speed, triggering a do-not-drive message.
  • Vehicle unexpectedly rolls or accelerates on its own at a stop, with drivetrain malfunction warnings appearing.
  • Charging system issues, including the car failing to connect to a fast charger and the charge port door locking shut.

When 2023 BMW i4 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 1, 2023, latest May 27, 2026.

2023 BMW i4 electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month4Feb 2023Jun 2023Aug 2023May 2024Aug 2025Apr 2026
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2023 to May 2026; peak Apr 2025 (4).

Electrical System recalls for the 2023 BMW i4

  1. NHTSA 25V395000Jul 23, 2025Electrical System71,286 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Electrical system:propulsion system:traction motor:controller:software

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2025 i4, 2022-2024 IX, 2023-2024 I7, and 2024 I5 vehicles. The electric drive motor software may shut down the high-voltage system, causing a loss of drive power.

    Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: The electric drive motor software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 5, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  2. NHTSA 25V470000Jul 16, 2025Electrical System136 vehicles

    Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2025 IX, 2023-2024 I7, and 2022-2023 i4 vehicles. The high-voltage battery cell modules may not have been assembled properly, resulting in stress on the module frame and possible module failure.

    Risk: Battery module failure may lead to a shutdown of the high-voltage system which can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, module failure increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace specific high-voltage battery cell modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed September 11, 2025. Another notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available, anticipated December 31, 2025Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  3. NHTSA 23V449000Jun 28, 2023Electrical System69 vehicles

    Electrical system:propulsion system:hybrid management

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive50, iX M60, i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, and 2023 i760 xDrive hybrid electric vehicles. The high voltage battery combined charging unit (CCU) may not have been manufactured correctly, resulting in improperly connected and/or assembled components inside the CCU.

    Risk: An improperly connected or assembled CCU can interrupt electrical power while driving and result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the high voltage battery combined charging unit (CCU), free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 23, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  4. NHTSA 23V295000Apr 26, 2023Electrical System31 vehicles

    Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 iX xDrive50 and 2023 i4 eDrive35, i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 Hybrid Electric vehicles. The high voltage battery cell monitoring circuit may have improperly secured electrical connections which can result in an engine stall.

    Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the high voltage battery cell monitoring circuit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  5. NHTSA 23V118000Feb 23, 2023Electrical System120 vehicles

    Electrical system:body control module:software

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, 330e, 330e xDrive, 430i Convertible, 430i xDrive, M440i, 2022-2023 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive, i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles. During a service visit, a replacement electronic control unit (ECU) may have been installed with incorrect programming, which can cause the automatic door locking (ADL) function to not lock the doors as intended.

    Risk: Doors that do not lock as intended while the vehicle is in motion may open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  6. NHTSA 22V944000Dec 20, 2022Electrical System14,086 vehicles

    Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery thermal:management:software

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60, i4 eDrive35, i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, and 2023 i7 xDrive60 vehicles. The high voltage battery electronic control unit (ECU) software may cause an interruption of electrical power.

    Risk: An interruption of electrical power may result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the high voltage battery ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 10, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Electrical System complaints by i4 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20223 (33%)
  2. 202318 (40%)
  3. 20243 (12%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical system complaints does the 2023 BMW i4 have?
NHTSA lists 18 Electrical System complaints for the 2023 BMW i4, which is 40% of the 45 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2023 BMW i4 electrical system?
Yes. Six recalls tied to the Electrical System affect the 2023 i4, covering the electric drive motor software, high-voltage battery cell modules, battery cell monitoring circuit, combined charging unit, battery ECU software, and ECU software.
At what mileage do 2023 BMW i4 electrical problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2023 i4 is 16,000 miles.
Did any 2023 BMW i4 electrical complaints involve a fire?
Yes, one fire has been reported among the 18 Electrical System complaints for the 2023 BMW i4, with no crashes or injuries reported.
Which model year of the BMW i4 has the most electrical complaints?
The 2023 BMW i4 has the most, with 18 complaints and a 40% share, compared to 3 complaints (33% share) for 2022 and 3 complaints (12% share) for 2024.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.