BMW i8 Hybrid Engine Jerking: Troubleshooting Help

Hey there! Some experience with hybrids here. Had a similar issue with my 2015 BMW i3. The jerking and power loss symptoms you describe sound very familiar. My car was doing the exact same thing after I had it chip tuned at a third-party shop. The dealership found that the tune was causing conflicts with the hybrid system management. Cost me around 180 Euro to get it fixed, they had to reset the ECU and remove the problematic tuning software. After that, everything went back to normal. No more jerking or power issues. Before I suggest anything specific though, could you tell me if you've had any recent modifications done to your i8? Also, what's the exact fault code you're getting? This would help confirm if we're dealing with the same problem.

Thanks for sharing that experience with your i3! My situation is a bit different though, I'm bone stock with no mods or tunes. Currently at 145363 KM and just had the service done last month. The fault code I'm getting is P0A7F. The jerking seems to happen most when transitioning between electric and gas power. Really hoping it's not the battery pack showing its age. Already called the dealership but their earliest slot is in two weeks. Just wanted to check if anyone here had a similar experience before I take it in.

Thanks for the additional info, sorry to hear you're dealing with this without any mods being the obvious culprit. Actually, after you mentioned the P0A7F code and the jerking during power transitions, it reminds me even more of what I experienced with my i3. While mine started from the tune issue, I had a similar thing happen again about a year later, totally stock that time. Turned out the hybrid control module needed a software update and they had to clean some corroded connections between the battery pack and the power electronics. The total repair was more expensive that time, around 750 Euro, but it completely solved both the jerking and the power loss. The good thing is that it wasn't the battery pack itself, which would have been way more costly. If you're getting the same symptoms during the gas-electric transition specifically, I'd bet you're looking at a similar fix. Keep in mind though that my i3 is a different system than your i8, even if they share some hybrid components. Still, might be worth mentioning this to your dealer when you take it in. Hope this helps give you some perspective while you wait for that appointment. Let us know what they find!

Thanks so much for sharing those details about your i3 repairs! That's actually quite reassuring to hear it wasn't the full battery pack in your case. The symptoms do sound really similar, especially the power transition issues. The corroded connections definitely make sense as a potential culprit, I've been caught in some heavy rain lately which probably didn't help things. I'll definitely mention both the software update and connection check when I take it in. Even if it ends up costing around 750, that's way better than having to deal with a full battery replacement! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Will make these two weeks of waiting a bit less stressful knowing there's likely a straightforward fix. I'll update the thread once I get it sorted at the dealership. Thanks again for the help!