New to the BMW i brand, the 2022 BMW i4 eDrive 40 and fully-electric i4 M50 are pivotal in the BMW Group’s declared transformation to a 50% share of fully-electric vehicle sales in 2030. The automaker also states that this is the “first electric vehicle focused squarely on driving dynamics.” Driven by factors like agility, drivability, and stability, driving dynamics govern performance, safety, comfort, and driving pleasure. But owners whose cars have malfunctioned and crashed, or whose tires have had major blowouts, are left wondering what other dynamics are at play.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2023
Most Common Problems
The most common problems 2022 BMW i4 owners are reporting to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) relate to the electrical system, and tires. There are also complaints that focus on issues that affect critical safety features: forward collision avoidance, lane departure, and backover prevention.
Additionally, in the past year to June 2023, there have been 6 recalls, one of which is regarded as extremely urgent. Hundreds of i4 and iX owners have been told that their vehicles are a fire risk when parked and that they shouldn’t drive them because of safety risks. Since these are electric vehicles, a particular concern is that half of the recalls are due to battery malfunctions.
2022 BMW i4 Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Electrical System
3
3
Tires
2
2
Unknown Or Other
2
2
Air Bags
1
1
Back Over Prevention
1
1
Back Over Prevention: Warnings
1
1
Engine
1
1
Forward Collision Avoidance
1
1
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
1
1
Lane Departure: Warning
1
1
2022 i4 Recalls
The 6 recalls that affect the 2022 BMW i4 were issued between July 7, 2022 and June 28, 2023. Of these, 1 increases the risk of fire, 4 increase the risk of a crash, and 2 increase the risk of injury if there is a crash or accident involving a pedestrian.
The first recall warns that the display in certain 2022 (and subsequently 2023) i4 and iX BMWs doesn’t show critical information like warning messages or lights when in valet parking mode. This can increase the risk of a crash. There are potentially 6,030 vehicles affected, all of which have hybrid electric powertrains.
There is also a recall for 120 varied model BMW vehicles that states their doors don’t lock as intended because of an automatic door locking malfunction. The result of this is that doors can spontaneously open when vehicles are moving, increasing the risk of injury. Both the BMW i4 eDrive40 and i4 M50 are affected.
A recall that is also common amongst many other brands warns that there may be a pedestrian warning sound malfunction. NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V026000, issued on January 25, 2023, affects as many as 3,431 2022-2023 i4 eDrive40 and iX xDrive50 electric vehicles. When the vehicles start up, a fault in the artificial sound generator control unit might fail to generate the required sound to warn pedestrians of an approaching vehicle. This is, of course, an injury risk. Dealers are instructed to update the relevant software free of charge.
But an owner who wanted the recall repair done on March 15, 2023, was told that the recall repair was not yet available!
Recalls Due to Faulty Batteries
There are two recalls that are caused by high-voltage battery defects. The most serious, NHTSA Campaign Number 22V541000, affects 367 2022-2023 iX and i4 vehicles including the 2022 i4 eDrive40 and i4 M50. The problem is that the battery may have internal damage that could result in an electrical short-circuit, which increases the risk of a fire. Issued on July 27, 2022, the recall is considered urgent and warns vehicle owners whose cars are part of the recall that they are a fire risk when parked. Additionally, the recall recommends that they “stop driving this vehicle immediately.”
The other, NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V944000, warns that the high voltage battery electronic control unit (ECU) software may cause an interruption of electrical power. This could result in a sudden loss of driver power that would, in turn, increase the risk of a crash. A wider range of 2022-2023 BMW vehicles is affected, including the i4 eDrive40 and i4 M50, and in total, up to 14,086 are at risk.
This recall was issued on December 20, 2022, and owner notification letters were to be mailed on February 10, 2023. An owner who went straight to the dealer on February 17 after receiving his notification was informed that “the recall remedy would not be completed due to failures with the navigation and stereo systems.” So, the vehicle was not repaired.
The most recent recall, issued on June 28, 2023, warns that certain 2022-2023 BMW vehicles including the i4 eDrive40 and i4 M50, have “improperly manufactured battery charging units.” The danger of these is that they can interrupt electrical power while the vehicle is traveling. This can cause engines to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Only 69 vehicles are said to be affected.
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Electrical System Problems
Complaints that blame the 2022 BMW i4 electrical system for problems also implicate other components and systems. For instance, an owner whose i4 M50 crashed after it had been parked and turned off, also links it to an engine and powertrain problem. Stating that he had parked the car and turned it off, and was still behind the wheel, he says it suddenly “took off.” It “hit a curb and went through some trees.” The car was with BMW for 3½ weeks during which time an engineer “checked out the car.” But they told the owner there was “nothing was wrong with the car. I don’t trust BMW. This is my second EV. I think BMW is trying to cover up the issue.”
Another 2022 BMW i4 crashed while the owner was pulling into the parking garage of her apartment building. “The vehicle surged forward as the steering wheel independently maneuvered to the left without warning. The vehicle initially hit the rear bumper of her passenger’s vehicle and then a concrete planter.” It finally came to a stop after crashing into the wall of the apartment building. The airbags did not deploy on impact. The wall of the building was damaged and both the driver and passenger were injured. They filed a police report.
According to the complaint, there was an investigation (presumably undertaken by BMW), but the owner of the vehicle was “found to be partially at fault for the failure.” She, on the other hand, objected to the finding and maintained that an electrical defect caused the failure. The outcome of this dispute is not known.
Tire Problems
An owner from California states in a complaint to the NHTSA that he heard “a loud bang” while driving on the freeway at about 60 mph. “The car started to vibrate and shortly after that I realized I had a problem with a tire. The display indicated a tire with low pressure. I pulled over and saw the damage to the tire on the driver’s left hand side.” He states that he took the vehicle to the dealer, paid to have a new tire installed, and kept the damaged one in case the NHTSA wants to inspect it. “There are seven (7) holes on the side wall and one (1) hole on the tread.”
Another owner from California was going to work in his 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 when he heard the rear tire blow out. The notification on the screen indicated that tire pressure on the rear right tire was going down fast. “I was able to pull over safely to the curbside and called for roadside assistance.” He had the vehicle towed to a dealership that said that the damage to the tire was “so immense,” it was “beyond repair.” He had BMW wheel and tire insurance, so was only charged $50 for a new tire to be installed.
Faulty Errors Messages
An owner from California describes how when driving a 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, malfunction messages were erroneously displayed. The complaint indicates that these were related to forward collision avoidance, lane departure, and backover prevention issues.
First, the system flashed a notification that driver assistance was permanently restricted. It also displayed the adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings on the vehicle’s touch screen. This happened on 3 separate occasions. The owner took the vehicle to a dealership “where they observed and diagnosed the car.” He was told they would have to replace 2 parking distance control (PDC) sensors for the assistance warning light.
He also complained to the BMW service department that the information screen had gone blank several times, only showing the BMW initials on a black screen. The dealer diagnosis was that there were only 2 occurrences and that the “system was working fine.” But only 2 days after collecting the vehicle from the dealership, it flashed the warning that driver assistance was permanently restricted. Less than a week later, there was a new notification that there was a parking assistance malfunction plus 2 check control messages.
The complaint stated that the owner would be returning the i4 to the dealer for a service in two weeks time. The outcome is not known.
What if your 2022 BMW i4 is a Lemon?
If you have had recurring problems with your 2022 i4 and think that you might have bought a lemon, you are welcome to contact Lemberg Law. We will assess your problems free of charge and if we agree, we will help you get lemon justice.
We have negotiated many settlements for clients leading to buybacks, trade-ins, or replacement vehicles. Because they are lemon cases, BMW has to pay the legal fees.
You can contact us by calling our Helpline or filling out a contact form.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
