2017 i3 Rex EME Repair $14,000 USD? Is this for real?

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AlohaSpirit

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Jan 30, 2023
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2017 i3 Rex EME Repair $14,000 USD? Is this for real?

I've owned 9 BMW's from the same Hawaii BMW dealer over the past 25yrs and this EME repair is incredibly shocking. How does any car after 5 years have a $14,000 repair on only a electronic voltage controller? My main batteries were still charging great at 147 miles on my nightly charge. In perspective, who would have ever thought this EME repair would cost the same as buying a used 2019 i3 with 50K miles for $15K. This is crazy! Any ideas or thoughts from anyone that has had experienced this i3 EME repair would be greatly appreciated? Thank you from Hawaii.

Aloha!
 
AlohaSpirit said:
2017 i3 Rex EME Repair $14,000 USD? Is this for real?

I've owned 9 BMW's from the same Hawaii BMW dealer over the past 25yrs and this EME repair is incredibly shocking. How does any car after 5 years have a $14,000 repair on only a electronic voltage controller? My main batteries were still charging great at 147 miles on my nightly charge. In perspective, who would have ever thought this EME repair would cost the same as buying a used 2019 i3 with 50K miles for $15K. This is crazy! Any ideas or thoughts from anyone that has had experienced this i3 EME repair would be greatly appreciated? Thank you from Hawaii.

Aloha!

Yeah that's ridiculous...report them to BMW...that should no be that expensive...it's a $500 part AT THE MOST.
 
Arm said:
Yeah that's ridiculous...report them to BMW...that should no be that expensive...it's a $500 part AT THE MOST.
You must be thinking of a different module. The EME seems to be the most expensive electronic module in an i3, maybe because of its wide-ranging functionality including converting DC power from the battery pack to AC power for the propulsion motor, converting AC power from the propulsion motor to AC power for the battery back (regen), converting high-voltage DC power to 12 V DC power, etc. It includes its own liquid cooling circuit. High-power electronics aren't cheap. A company in Bulgaria repairs i3 EME's for $2,535 and sells reconditioned i3 EME's for $3,400. This wouldn't be a viable business if a new EME cost only $500.

If the EME in our i3 failed, I would seriously consider shipping it to the U.K. or Bulgaria where companies claim to be able to repair them.
 
AlohaSpirit, what did you end up doing? I got a similar quote from my BMW dealership in Ohio, $14k for replacing EME, Safety box and HV cables after Drivetrain Malfunction. I have 2014 i3 BEV with just under 27k miles. It's shocking because the car was without a problem for 10+ years other than needing a new 12v battery last year.
 
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