BMW i3 Hybrid Stalls: Critical Power Loss Issue Alert

Hey there! I can totally relate to your i3 situation. I had similar issues with my 2016 BMW i8 Hybrid last year after getting it chip-tuned at a third-party shop. The jerking and power loss started about two weeks after the tune. Turned out the aftermarket chip tune wasn't properly calibrated for the hybrid system, causing conflicts between the electric motor and combustion engine coordination. The ECU was throwing multiple errors because of this mismatch. Had to get the original BMW software restored and have the entire engine management system reset. It was definitely a serious issue that could've damaged both powertrains if left unchecked. The car needed to stay at the garage for three days to sort everything out. My advice: If you've had any recent tuning work done, that's probably your culprit. If not, get it checked by a certified BMW technician who specializes in hybrid systems. These symptoms could also point to battery management system issues, which isn't something you want to mess around with.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the i8! That's super helpful to hear about the tuning issues. My i3 is actually completely stock, never been tuned, so I'm guessing it might be something different. Do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the software restore and reset? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks?

Hey again! Glad I could help earlier about the i8 troubles. Good news, my car has been running absolutely perfect since getting it fixed, not a single problem! The whole software restore and reset job cost me 180 € to get sorted. Money well spent considering it completely solved those annoying jerking and power issues. Since you mentioned yours is stock, it's definitely a different beast than what I dealt with. Mine was 100% caused by that dodgy third-party chip tune. Really taught me a lesson about sticking with authorized work on these complex hybrid systems. The mechanic showed me how the faulty tuning was messing with the whole system, pretty crazy stuff! My car's been smooth sailing for over 8 months now. No more error codes, no more power loss, just running like it should. The electric and gas motors are playing nice together again! If you're still having troubles with your stock i3, might be worth checking the battery management system. These hybrids can be pretty particular about their electronics. Let us know what you find out! Always interested to hear how these issues get resolved.

I really appreciate your detailed follow-up! Just wanted to update everyone, finally got my i3 sorted out last week. Took it to a certified hybrid specialist and turns out it was a failing fuel injector causing all the drama. The jerking was happening because of irregular fuel delivery to the range extender. The repair wasn't cheap, around 800 bucks including parts and labor. But after getting it fixed, what a difference! No more jerking, full power restored, and the error code's gone. The mechanic was super thorough and even showed me the old injector, it was pretty gunked up. Learned my lesson about trying to save money with non-specialist mechanics. The previous guy I went to completely missed this issue and wasted my time with unnecessary repairs. Should've gone straight to someone who really knows these hybrid systems. Thanks again for sharing your experience. It helped me make the decision to get it properly checked out by the right people. Car's running like new now!