Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age, so 10% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 4 complaints, typically at 1.8 years.
BMW i4 years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10 | 7 | too new |
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 30% | covered | |
| 1 year | 80% | covered | |
| 2 years | 90% | covered | |
| 4 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 90% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 10% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 10% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the BMW i4, the early trouble is Electrical System and Forward Collision Avoidance — reported at around 1.8 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1.8 yrs | 2 | 1 | |
| Tires | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 0.5 yrs | — | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 0.5 yrs | — | — | |
| Unknown Or Other | 1.5 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Lane Departure | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags | 1 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Power Train | 1 yrs | 1 | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the i4's vehicle class.
| Same class as the i4 | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic | 413 | 1981–2026 | |
| Ford Mustang | 315 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan GT-R | 9 | 2009–2026 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 204 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Supra | 35 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan Sentra | 158 | 1982–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
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Frequently asked questions
Is the BMW i4 reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.43 against 3.73 for the average car.
When do i4 problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 1.8 years, followed by Tires.
Will the warranty cover i4 problems?
Mostly yes: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and 90% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 10% of the complaints here.
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