BMW i8 Door Handle Causing Battery and Access Problems

Hey there! I've got some experience with hybrids and their electrical quirks. Had a similar issue with my 2015 BMW i3, actually. These high-tech door systems can be tricky. I faced almost identical symptoms, keyless entry failing and those pesky battery warnings. Turned out to be a loose connection in the door handle wiring harness. My trusted workshop found that the cable connecting to the door handle sensor was damaged, causing intermittent connectivity issues. The fix wasn't too complicated, they replaced the wiring harness and reprogrammed the door module. Cost me about 95 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. Before offering more specific advice, could you tell me if you've noticed any other electrical issues? Also, does the key fob battery still work fine? These details would help pin down if we're dealing with the same problem.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My i8 just had its service last month at 14635 KM, and everything was fine until now. Actually tried changing the key fob battery already, but no luck. Haven't noticed any other electrical issues, everything else works perfectly fine. The dashboard lights up normally, and all other electronics seem to be working great. The only annoying bit is having to use the physical key to get in, which feels like going back in time with such a high-tech car! Would you mind sharing how long your repair lasted? Just trying to figure out how long I might need a replacement car if it's the same issue as yours.

Hey again! Always good to help out a fellow BMW owner. Yeah, I remember my i3 situation quite well, it's frustrating when these fancy features stop working, right? Since you mentioned your car was recently serviced and the key fob battery change didn't help, it does sound very similar to what I experienced. My repair took about 4-5 hours total. The longest part was actually the reprogramming of the door module, the physical wiring replacement was pretty quick. In my case, I dropped the car off in the morning and got it back by late afternoon. But honestly, this kind of repair can vary depending on parts availability. I was lucky they had the harness in stock. If they need to order parts, it might take a day or two longer. Quick tip though, when I had this issue, I noticed that sometimes if I held the key fob really close to the door handle (like literally touching it), it would occasionally work. Might be worth trying while you wait for the repair. Not a fix, obviously, but could be a temporary workaround. Let me know how it goes when you get it checked out. Always curious to hear if these issues turn out to be similar across our BMW hybrids!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! That's super helpful to know about the repair timeline. I'll definitely try that key fob trick you mentioned, anything to avoid fumbling with the physical key for now! I've actually just booked it in for next week, and they said they'll check the wiring harness first based on what I've told them. Really hoping it's the same straightforward fix as yours. Funny how these high-tech cars sometimes have the most basic issues, right? I'll keep you posted on what they find. Still love my i8 despite this problem, guess even the fanciest cars have their off days! Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's made me feel much better about the whole situation.