BMW i3 Multiple System Failures, Clutch Switch Mystery

Hey there! I had a really similar situation with my 2016 BMW i8 Hybrid (also owned a 3 Series before). I'm someone with some basic car maintenance experience, but electrical issues always make me nervous. When I had those symptoms, especially the multiple error codes and gear display issues, it turned out to be a faulty cable connection to the transmission control module. The workshop diagnosed it pretty quickly, and they found some corroded wiring that was causing all sorts of weird electrical gremlins. The fix wasn't too complicated, they replaced the damaged cables and checked all the connections. Cost me about 95 Euro and solved all those issues you're describing. The car's been running perfectly since then. Before I can provide more specific advice, could you share: How many miles/kilometers are on your i3? When did these issues first start? Have you had any recent work done on the car? Are you getting any specific error codes? Let me know these details, and I might be able to help more!

Thanks for the detailed response! My i3 has 34149 KM on the clock and just had its service last month. The issues started about a week ago, pretty much out of nowhere. The error codes are a bit unusual and keep changing, sometimes P0704 and U0101 pop up, but they're not consistent. Your transmission control module issue sounds eerily similar to what I'm experiencing. I've been hesitant to drive it much since these problems started. Did your mechanic mention if this is a common issue with BMW hybrids? I'm honestly relieved to hear it might just be a wiring problem rather than something more serious with the transmission itself.

Hey again! Yeah, after seeing your mileage and those error codes, I'm even more convinced it's similar to what I experienced. My i8 had around 45000 KM when these issues popped up. The P0704 and U0101 codes are exactly what I got too! My mechanic actually told me that these electrical gremlins are somewhat common in BMW hybrids, especially around the 30-40K mark. The combination of regular and electric systems seems to make them a bit more sensitive to wiring issues. In my case, the workshop found that moisture had gotten into one of the main wiring harness connectors near the transmission. It wasn't immediately visible, but once they started testing the connections, they found the corrosion. The intermittent nature of your error codes matches perfectly with what I experienced, some days it would seem fine, then suddenly all these issues would pop up again. I'd definitely recommend getting it checked soon though. While it was just a wiring issue in my case, leaving it too long could potentially cause more problems. Since you mentioned you just had service last month, maybe check if the issues started appearing after that? Sometimes these problems can pop up if something wasn't reconnected properly during routine maintenance. Keep me posted on what you find out, really curious if it turns out to be the same issue!

Thanks so much for all this information, it's incredibly helpful! You've definitely put my mind at ease. I just checked my service records, and interestingly, they did have to disconnect some components during the last service. I'm starting to think you might be spot on about something possibly not being reconnected properly. I've already called my workshop and booked it in for tomorrow morning. I'll make sure to mention the wiring harness connector issue you experienced and those specific locations they should check. It's such a relief to know it might not be as serious (or expensive) as I initially feared! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience in such detail. I'll definitely keep you updated once they diagnose it. Having someone who's been through the same thing really helps navigate these tricky car issues!