BMW I3 -Most Dangerious Steering Of Any Car I've Owned!

[Idleup]

Stephen,

Never said once I didn't like the car, in fact one of us use it almost every day. It gets great range, roomy for a small car, easy to park, etc. I only started this thread in hopes of keeping drivers alert of the fact the steering is over-sensitive which could result in an accident and I got pounded for speaking negative of the car - its Ok though - bullets bounce right off me!

 

[jadnashuanh]

To my mother, any spice is too spicy. To some people, highly responsive, tight steering is too much to handle. Some LIKE the steering the way it is...BMW does not feel it is dangerous, or they wouldn't have sold the car with an intentionally dangerous feature. BMW's choice on packaging options on the i3 is not out of line with their whole range, and is very similar to many of the German brands. Bundles are a way of life. Some people hate it that some things like say a sunroof are only packaged with some other desirable features, when the addition of one can make the difference between whether one fits in the car or not, or must then make the decision to being locked out of other desirable options. This is the way with bundles. To some, certain 'options' are a required feature of a car purchase...to others, it is a superfluous frill, they do not want, nor do they want to pay for it. THe backup camera is a case in point. It costs, even the car company, more money to include a backup camera in a car than $3.50 (one report said in the order of $40-200, depending on the vehicle, and that's cost...not counting markup - you can't give things away for free, in the end, the consumer pays for it). There's more to it than just the camera, there's the different rear hatch, the wiring, the interface to trace the lines on the display matched AND calibrated during assembly to the steering wheel's sensors, which may not exist unless that is installed, and then the digital video input processor. There are probably other things as well. In the USA, the feds have mandated all cars by 2017 have one, and you'll see that happen on all brands - the timing of the ramp up is up to the manufacturer. IN the interim, if they can get people to pay for the package, more power to them...if you want something, whether it is 'standard' or whether you pay for it as an option, you're still paying for it - they don't give it away for free. In the USA, we get the KLE, the heat pump (on the BEV), and 'free' maintenance on our cars, in other markets, people pay for them separately (and there are probably other differences, like the LED headlights verses halogens). Are they 'free' because they are standard, hell no. It's a marketing decision. BMW is a business. THeir goal is to make money. Bitching about something you think should be standard is just that...your opinion. If it was a critical thing on your purchase, and you chose not to buy it, whose issue is that? Certainly not BMW's...you either pay up, or you don't buy it! If enough people don't buy it, they may change, but complaining, after the fact, may make you feel better, but annoys others. You walk into a Chinese restaurant, but you hate that type of food...do you complain they won't make you a nice juicy steak? It is what it is, if that's what you want, you go elsewhere.

To the vast majority of people buying the i3, the steering is not dangerous...it is somewhat different, but then again, many of the features on the car are unique. It took me all of a couple of days to acclimate just like the one pedal driving. It obviously won't match everyone's desires...make something too 'common' or 'bland' and then you won't please those that like unique and responsive.

 

[I33t]

Still no response to pointing out that you should brake, not steer when a dog runs in front of you on the highway. That is dangerous behaviour, not dangerous steering. It would even be dangerous in a Pontiac!

 

[I33t]

You're talking in circles and making excuses for your mistake of buying the car - we're not talking about eating here so save the spice theory!

face the facts, everything I stated in this thread is factual and right to the point. Like I said to a few others; you're like the lady who just drove 4 miles on a flat you're not capable of of feeling the problem so don't worry about it.

Sit down later on tonight and ask yourself this genius; why BMW would make a steering that is not replicated by any car they build to include the BMW I8 - Do you think that maybe only I3 owners are an elite group of drivers who require this "Over-Sensitive" steering to drive their compact EV economy car to the grocery store and pick up kids from school?

Regards

What a load of bunk.

No-one here has said that the i3 steering is exactly the same as any other BMW. Given the weight of the i3, the track and wheelbase, the narrow tyres, the weight distribution, the COG, why on earth would you expect an i3 to steer like an i8 or any other BMW. The car is unique in all of it's characteristics. BMW blessed it with direct steering that you don't like, apparently because you wrench the wheel and are unable to use fine motor movements.

Give it up.

 

[sithsmith23]

isn't danger a good thing? Why go through life with safe/understood/calm/controlled/secure/

Isn't that the point of something like an I3, if I do lose control when driving it and take out a dog and myself then I'm happy in the knowledge it will be in an I3 and not a Ford Focus

 

[epirali]

You're talking in circles and making excuses for your mistake of buying the car - we're not talking about eating here so save the spice theory!

face the facts, everything I stated in this thread is factual and right to the point. Like I said to a few others; you're like the lady who just drove 4 miles on a flat you're not capable of of feeling the problem so don't worry about it.

Sit down later on tonight and ask yourself this genius; why BMW would make a steering that is not replicated by any car they build to include the BMW I8 - Do you think that maybe only I3 owners are an elite group of drivers who require this "Over-Sensitive" steering to drive their compact EV economy car to the grocery store and pick up kids from school?

Regards

What a load of bunk.

No-one here has said that the i3 steering is exactly the same as any other BMW. Given the weight of the i3, the track and wheelbase, the narrow tyres, the weight distribution, the COG, why on earth would you expect an i3 to steer like an i8 or any other BMW. The car is unique in all of it's characteristics. BMW blessed it with direct steering that you don't like, apparently because you wrench the wheel and are unable to use fine motor movements.

Give it up.

Actually you have. You told me in another thread that the i3 was like other bmws, I just didn't know better. When I said it isn't like an i8, a 1 series, an X1, or a 5 series and asked which typical BMW you went silent and never responded (which you like to point out to others).

You are also hijacking multiple threads, not adding anything to the discussion but insults. No facts, no useful information, no help.

So it's funny you are telling others to give it up. No one made you the defender of the i3.

 

[Idleup]

Still no response to pointing out that you should brake, not steer when a dog runs in front of you on the highway. That is dangerous behaviour, not dangerous steering. It would even be dangerous in a Pontiac!

I'll give you a response - Ok Genius, so your saying if your driving down a 4 lane highway and a deer (or car) runs out and blocks you lane, you'll just brake and "Hit Them" rather than steer into the other lane.

See what I mean guys - by the way, have you ever driven a long distance on a flat and not known it? LOL

 

[I33t]

Actually you have. You told me in another thread that the i3 was like other bmws,

Here you go misquoting again. I said that the _ride_ was like other BMW's, "firm but not harsh". I did not say it was exactly like any other particular BMW model.

Please stick to the truth, don't make up information if you don't have any, it just makes you look bad.

 

[I33t]

Still no response to pointing out that you should brake, not steer when a dog runs in front of you on the highway. That is dangerous behaviour, not dangerous steering. It would even be dangerous in a Pontiac!

I'll give you a response - Ok Genius, so your saying if your driving down a 4 lane highway and a deer (or car) runs out and blocks you lane, you'll just brake and "Hit Them" rather than steer into the other lane.

So you steer rather than brake? There's your problem with the steering in the i3.

The best outcome from a sudden intrusion in your lane is always to wash off speed as quickly as you can. Sudden swerving is going to put the car out of control, put you in the way of other traffic and probably hit the obstruction anyway.

 

[epirali]

Actually you have. You told me in another thread that the i3 was like other bmws,

Here you go misquoting again. I said that the _ride_ was like other BMW's, "firm but not harsh". I did not say it was exactly like any other particular BMW model.

Please stick to the truth, don't make up information if you don't have any, it just makes you look bad.

Hahaha you are very funny. I mean you know everything, and you don't bend the truth at all. You have advice for everyone, yet you don't seem to read what the poster actually says nor respond to a direct question.

Ok let's say you meant it was the ride, how come you never answered? Your typical answer is either "its like a BMW" or "its not like a BMW." Very insightful indeed.

 

[I33t]

Actually you have. You told me in another thread that the i3 was like other bmws,

Here you go misquoting again. I said that the _ride_ was like other BMW's, "firm but not harsh". I did not say it was exactly like any other particular BMW model.

Please stick to the truth, don't make up information if you don't have any, it just makes you look bad.

Hahaha you are very funny. I mean you know everything, and you don't bend the truth at all. You have advice for everyone, yet you don't seem to read what the poster actually says nor respond to a direct question.

Ok let's say you meant it was the ride, how come you never answered? Your typical answer is either "its like a BMW" or "its not like a BMW." Very insightful indeed.

I answered multiple times. Maybe I got bored with you not reading what I wrote.

 

[noakey]

I was not going to post this problem but I know its not just me there are hundreds of owners who hate the steering on the I3 - I'm posting this in hopes of warning other drivers that the I3 can and will be very dangerous at highway speeds.

Just the other day while my wife was driving at 60 mph, a dog ran our from the shoulder and while it was no real threat to us, she nearly lost control of the car by the over-reactive steering - the steering is 100% too sensitive expessially on a narrow wheelbase car that is on the top-heavy side.

The steering requires 100% of attention all the time, even the normal gesturescause the car to move out of its track and lane. The other day I just leaned over to remove my phone from my pocket to lay it on the seat and the car was all over the road. Every friend wants to drive our I3 and without us saying a word, everyone loved the car but felt uncomfortable with the steering,

I know the steering is electric therefore both the sensitivity and effort can be changed by coding - so I'm asking if anyone knows of any coding for the steering is available - if not, as much as I love the car, I'm dumping it before the steering causes and accident.

Just so you know we're not a couple of idiots with regard to our driving abilities, I've built and owned race cars all my life and our present "other" vehicles are a BMW I8 and a C7 Corvette. My I8 has perfect steering and no sensitivity issues what-so ever.

No probs with the steering myself... but i havnt tried leaning over to remove my phone outy pocket yet...

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, deer are so unpredictable, steering away from them may just prompt them to still run into you...best choice is to slow as much as possible, then see what you can do. In Europe, they perform some tests for this type of situation...the i3 passes them all. If you can't control the car, maybe some more practice is called for. It is a lot more stable than you may think. Sitting up high on a short wheelbase makes things feel different than on a longer one, or lower one, but that does not make it unsafe, just different. Once you get your 'sea legs' so to speak, it just drives without issues. Some people may take forever to acclimate...maybe a different car would be better for them. In the interim, I still don't feel it's unsafe.

 

[epirali]

I answered multiple times. Maybe I got bored with you not reading what I wrote.

Please don't b.s., post a link to the response that says "the typical BMWs I am talking about are X,Y and Z." And btw if people stop reading your responses it really is not surprising. They are almost always troll-ish, off-topic and downright offensive. And mostly content free.

And having said that I am going to do my best to stop responding as I am pulling threads off topic also.

 

[noakey]

I answered multiple times. Maybe I got bored with you not reading what I wrote.

Please don't b.s., post a link to the response that says "the typical BMWs I am talking about are X,Y and Z." And btw if people stop reading your responses it really is not surprising. They are almost always troll-ish, off-topic and downright offensive. And mostly content free.

And having said that I am going to do my best to stop responding as I am pulling threads off topic also.

ermm.. why is everyone so angry? But agree... keep on topic

 

[WoodlandHills]

FWIW, deer are so unpredictable, steering away from them may just prompt them to still run into you...best choice is to slow as much as possible, then see what you can do. In Europe, they perform some tests for this type of situation...the i3 passes them all. If you can't control the car, maybe some more practice is called for. It is a lot more stable than you may think. Sitting up high on a short wheelbase makes things feel different than on a longer one, or lower one, but that does not make it unsafe, just different. Once you get your 'sea legs' so to speak, it just drives without issues. Some people may take forever to acclimate...maybe a different car would be better for them. In the interim, I still don't feel it's unsafe.

Seriously? Your response to an experienced driver who used to be an on-track racer complaining about the steering is to PRACTICE!? Maybe the reason he "cannot control" his car is that there is something wrong with HIS particular car. Just because the chassis geometry and steering is built correctly in YOUR car does not mean that it is correct on HIS.

BMW is unable to build this car to the standards we are used to. There are lots of individual vehicles out there with significant defects such as all the whooping chassis that BMW cannot diagnose or repair. Most cars are just fine, but some have major problems and the front chassis geometry and steering feel are something that sure seems to have a lot of variation in build.

 

[noakey]

FWIW, deer are so unpredictable, steering away from them may just prompt them to still run into you...best choice is to slow as much as possible, then see what you can do. In Europe, they perform some tests for this type of situation...the i3 passes them all. If you can't control the car, maybe some more practice is called for. It is a lot more stable than you may think. Sitting up high on a short wheelbase makes things feel different than on a longer one, or lower one, but that does not make it unsafe, just different. Once you get your 'sea legs' so to speak, it just drives without issues. Some people may take forever to acclimate...maybe a different car would be better for them. In the interim, I still don't feel it's unsafe.

Seriously? Your response to an experienced driver who used to be an on-track racer complaining about the steering is to PRACTICE!? Maybe the reason he "cannot control" his car is that there is something wrong with HIS particular car. Just because the chassis geometry and steering is built correctly in YOUR car does not mean that it is correct on HIS.

BMW is unable to build this car to the standards we are used to. There are lots of individual vehicles out there with significant defects such as all the whooping chassis that BMW cannot diagnose or repair. Most cars are just fine, but some have major problems and the front chassis geometry and steering feel are something that sure seems to have a lot of variation in build.

I think I will try out the steering feature on the way home tonight. It came as standard on my i3 and so far hasn't particularly drawn itself to my attention. I turn left the car goes left..etc... it even beeps if I let it go (in traffic jam assist)... awesome.

 

[i3atl]

Seriously? Your response to an experienced driver who used to be an on-track racer...

Building and owning race cars is not the same as driving them on track, and definitely not the same as racing them.

I have a hard time believing anyone who has actually raced wheel to wheel would make statements suggesting that the i3 steering is dangerous.

 

[I33t]

Perhaps you don't get many obstructions running out in front of you on the highways where you live.

Over here, in the Antipodes, we have some jumping marsupials called Kangaroos, They are not terribly well road trained and they can be by the side of the road (in or out of your vision) and they can just literally hop in front of your car. Swerving is dangerous, because you a) may lose control of the car, b) you may put your vehicle in the way of other traffic, c) the kangaroo will probably hop where you swerve to anyway. The only proven, safe, response is to react quickly and brake as hard and safely as you can.

I have close to a million km in my driving history, and I have been in this situation hundreds, possibly thousands of times. I have hit less than a dozen kangaroos, some of them because they literally hopped out too close to the front of the vehicle to afford any useful reaction time. Of the rest, they have been minor impacts because I keep a weather eye out for them and I brake hard, and I don't swerve. Sometimes, I have gotten the speed low enough 20-30kph to drive around the jumpers, but most often there has been a minor impact. Some of those instances, the 'roo has jumped into the side of the vehicle. lol. I have seen the results of inexperienced or inept drivers making radical steering moves to avoid animals on the road, and it never ends well. If you get away with it, buy a lottery ticket. Modern stability systems has improved things, but just don't go there. Brake!

Emergency braking at highway speeds will dramatically reduce impact forces and often, it will afford enough time for the animal obstruction to get out of the way.

Emergency swerving at highway speeds is simply madness.

 

[RonRPH]

Having about 1000 miles on my Rex I have pretty well adapted to the steering. At first it kind of suprised me once or twice with the responsivenes at highway speeds, but I have grown used to it. I am still of the opinion it would be "better" with a decrease ( larger?) in assist at highway speeds; I think it would be more relaxing to drive. I find myself driving a lot at faster speeds with 2 hands on the wheel (maybe a good thing?), rather then, for me, a more normal one- handed style.