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2017 BMW I3 Phev
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
50 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 25, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#145 of 573Among the 2017 models with a matured record, the 2017 BMW I3 Phev ranks #145, scoring higher than 72% of them. See the 2017 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 crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
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 2017 BMW I3 Phev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Steering (11) · Body & structure (10) · Electrical system (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Steering
22%11 complaints
“AFTER DRIVING SHORT DISTANCE ON A CITY STREET, SUDDENLY CAR STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT SIDE, THE STEERING BECAME VERY HEAVY ( IT FEELS LIKE POWER STEE…”
Body & structure
20%10 complaints · 7 in the last 2 years
“The roof is delaminating causing a danger to my vehicle and others”
Electrical system
14%7 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“There was an electrical fault in the door handle, specifically for the comfort access function circuit inside the handle itself. There was smoke and extreme heat. Luck…”
Transmission & drivetrain
12%6 complaints · typically near 32k mi
“The car turned off while driving and presented a "drivetrain" error message. The car lost power but I was able to safely steer to the side of the road. Car was taken t…”
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.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 50 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 4 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 steering problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any steering symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report body & structure problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any body & structure 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 2017 BMW I3 PHEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2017? See how every I3 Phev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2017 BMW I3 Phev 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.