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2014 BMW I3 Rex
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
22 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 22, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (50% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#3 of 425Among the 2014 models with a matured record, the 2014 BMW I3 Rex ranks #3, scoring higher than 98% of them. See the 2014 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA hasn’t published a crash-test rating for this model year. That’s common for lower-volume or older models. It doesn’t mean the car is unsafe, just that this program hasn’t tested it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2014 BMW I3 Rex, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (11) · Engine (7) · Fuel system (6) · Electrical system (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
50%11 complaints
“THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO …”
Engine
32%7 complaints
“TEST DRIVING THIS BMW I3, I NOTICED THE REX RANGE EXTENDER ENGINE WAS DANGEROUSLY SLOW. THE 34 HP SCOOTER ENGINE IS A HAZARD IN TRAFFIC. I ALSO NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT…”
Fuel system
27%6 complaints
“I TEST DROVE A BMW I3. I GOT INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO CHARGE IT UP COMPLETELY WHEN I DROVE IT. ALMOST DIED. CONSUMER REPORTS DESCRIBES IT ALL BETTER THAN I …”
Electrical system
23%5 complaints
“THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD, CEASED IT OPERATION ANNOUNCING IT HAD DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING FOR A LIGHT, AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 22 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this BMW before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2014 BMW I3 REX beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2014? See how every I3 Rex model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2014 BMW I3 Rex against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.