BMW i3 Hybrid: Rough Running and Acceleration Issues

Hey there! I've got some experience with hybrids and had a similar issue with my 2016 BMW i8. My 'check engine' light came on last year with pretty much the same symptoms you're describing. Took it to my regular workshop and it turned out to be a faulty injection valve. One of the injectors wasn't spraying fuel properly, causing those exact symptoms, rough running, hesitation, and jerking during acceleration. The repair set me back about 515 Euro, but it's been running perfectly since then. Before I can provide more specific advice, could you share: How many miles/kilometers are on your i3? Have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption? Did you get any specific error codes from the diagnostic? I've owned both the i8 and i3, so I might be able to help you narrow this down further with that info. Stay connected and let me know these details, I'd be happy to share more from my experience!

Thanks for the detailed response! My i3 just had its latest service 3 weeks ago, and I'm currently at 187143 KM. Haven't checked the error codes yet, but I have noticed the fuel consumption has increased by about 15-20% in the last month. Actually, the symptoms started showing up right after a long weekend trip. Really appreciate the info about the injection valve, that could definitely explain the symptoms I'm experiencing. I'll get the error codes checked tomorrow and update here. Thanks for offering to help diagnose this further!

Hey again! Glad to help further with this. You know, when you mentioned the symptoms started after a long weekend trip, that really rings a bell. Had almost the exact same thing happen with my i8, symptoms showed up after a lengthy drive too. Given your mileage and what you're describing about the increased fuel consumption, I'm even more convinced it's likely an injector issue like what I experienced. In my case, the highway driving seemed to be what finally pushed the failing injector over the edge. The 15-20% increase in fuel consumption is particularly telling, that's almost exactly what I noticed before getting mine fixed. The bad injector was either dumping too much fuel or not enough, making the engine work harder than it needed to. Definitely get those error codes checked, but I'd put money on it being injector-related. When you get the codes, let me know what they say. Quick tip from my experience: if they come back with a P0201 to P0204 code, that's pretty much confirmation of an injector problem. Just make sure you don't wait too long to get it sorted. I learned the hard way that running it like this can potentially cause more issues down the line. Keep me posted on those codes, I'm curious to see if your i3 is showing the same patterns mine did!

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! Just got back from checking the error codes, and wouldn't you know it, got a P0203 code, exactly like you predicted! Guess my wallet's about to get a bit lighter, but at least I know what I'm dealing with now. Really grateful for your help in figuring this out. You saved me a lot of time and worry with your experience. I've already booked it in at my regular shop for tomorrow morning. They quoted me roughly the same price range you mentioned, which makes me feel better about not getting ripped off. Will definitely get this sorted right away, don't want to risk any additional damage like you mentioned. Thanks again for walking me through this. It's such a relief to know exactly what's wrong and that it's a fixable issue. You've been incredibly helpful!