bmw i3 motor bracket ( mount ) it broke ( 2016 no REX) - Manual for check and Replace...

[aponte]

Men, i know i have the same issue in Mexico, but i went all way i can to check this case with BMW Mexico, i have a letter of Director of customer support in Mexico that say that this is now a fail and have been cause due bad driving, I have submit a lot of cases like this I have collect in a time, now my bmw i3 is fixed but I check each month to prevent this, please contact me and I will give you all I can to help all bmw owners to get this part replace and BMW fix the issue.

 

[Fisher99]

$17k???? Did it damage a bunch of other stuff when if failed? I can't imagine it costing that much to replace a motor mount.

I just did a quick Google search to see if I could find any info on changing the motor mount but nothing has turned up so far. I wonder if this is a possible DIY job or if only the dealer can do it.

 

[Fisher99]

Men, i know i have the same issue in Mexico, but i went all way i can to check this case with BMW Mexico, i have a letter of Director of customer support in Mexico that say that this is now a fail and have been cause due bad driving, I have submit a lot of cases like this I have collect in a time, now my bmw i3 is fixed but I check each month to prevent this, please contact me and I will give you all I can to help all bmw owners to get this part replace and BMW fix the issue.

What is the procedure for checking the motor mount? Is it accessible/viewable from below if you put the car up on a lift?

 

[aponte]

My issue is that the motor broke the module allow the car to convert energy, and the arm that transfer the movement to the tires and other thinks, my quote in Mexico was of 7k with no discount, I am working this a friend to replace this part to prevent this issue.
We check the part by opening the engine cover monthly, we check that it has no sign of wear or any bad sign.

 

[Fisher99]

My issue is that the motor broke the module allow the car to convert energy, and the arm that transfer the movement to the tires and other thinks, my quote in Mexico was of 7k with no discount, I am working this a friend to replace this part to prevent this issue.
We check the part by opening the engine cover monthly, we check that it has no sign of wear or any bad sign.

So you are looking down at the motor from the top (inside the luggage area). I'm guessing that since my REX is mounted back there, that I would not be able to do the same.

 

[alohart]

So you are looking down at the motor from the top (inside the luggage area). I'm guessing that since my REX is mounted back there, that I would not be able to do the same.

The REx engine is on the right side when looking from the open hatch. The top of the motor mount bracket can be seen on the left side.

 

[aponte]

i think you can, i check from top, you need to take off the part #1 https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1Z21-EUR-05-2015-I01-BMW_i-i3_60Ah&diagId=51_9476 and when #12 in my case and your case #13 and you will see the mount of the motor, all cases you can see prior the fail:

 

[Fisher99]

So you are looking down at the motor from the top (inside the luggage area). I'm guessing that since my REX is mounted back there, that I would not be able to do the same.

The REx engine is on the right side when looking from the open hatch. The top of the motor mount bracket can be seen on the left side.

Thanks Art. Guess I'll have to pull the panel and take a look, as I'd like to know if it is the original plastic one or the newer metal one. Do you know of anybody changing a broken mount themselves?

 

[aponte]

i will create a PDF guide, in a week the new mount will arrive and upload. We have a 2 months to get it due covid.

 

[alohart]

Just to clarify, the motor mount is a fluid-filled rubber shock absorber like those used with ICE's. The rubber can tear causing fluid to leak. However, this isn't the problem that some early i3 drivers are having.

A bracket attaches the motor to the motor mount. In 2014-2015 i3's, this bracket is made of a plastic composite. The bracket or bolt attaching the bracket to the mount can break which can cause expensive damage. These parts can be seen here. The fragile bracket is part 1. The motor mounts are parts 3 and 4. The bolt that can break and that was replaced under a service action is part 9.

 

[Fisher99]

Just to clarify, the motor mount is a fluid-filled rubber shock absorber like those used with ICE's. The rubber can tear causing fluid to leak. However, this isn't the problem that some early i3 drivers are having.

A bracket attaches the motor to the motor mount. In 2014-2015 i3's, this bracket is made of a plastic composite. The bracket or bolt attaching the bracket to the mount can break which can cause expensive damage. These parts can be seen here. The fragile bracket is part 1. The motor mounts are parts 3 and 4. The bolt that can break and that was replaced under a service action is part 9.

Thanks for the clarification. Makes sense. Question: Is there just one bracket or is there one for each motor mount? The diagram only shows one.

 

[Fisher99]

i will create a PDF guide, in a week the new mount will arrive and upload. We have a 2 months to get it due covid.

So you are going to do the replacement yourself? I will be very interested in hearing the results and seeing the guide that you are creating. Hopefully I will never have to use it, but will be interesting to see the process nevertheless.

 

[alohart]

Do you know of anybody changing a broken mount themselves?

I haven't read of anyone replacing the mount mount bracket himself because doing so requires dropping the entire drivetrain out of the car, a labor-intensive process.

 

[Bertone]

From what can be seen in the Parts diagrams, the engine mount problem was not entierly fixed in late 2015 since the 2 engine mounts (parts no. 3 and 4) were updated again in july 2017....not sure why but obviously due to problems or design improvements.

My i3 is MY2016, should I be worried? :roll:

 

[aponte]

yes, i have this issue in my bmw i3 NO REX..... it take 15 min check it

 

[eNate]

From what can be seen in the Parts diagrams, the engine mount ... were updated again in july 2017....

Hmmm.... Mine was built on Slurpee Day 2017 -- July 11th. I wonder if it has the revised mounts?

 

[aponte]

The repair is so expensive that it worth checking it, you only need an Allen key and 15 minutes.

 

[alohart]

From what can be seen in the Parts diagrams, the engine mount problem was not entierly fixed in late 2015 since the 2 engine mounts (parts no. 3 and 4) were updated again in july 2017....not sure why but obviously due to problems or design improvements.

My i3 is MY2016, should I be worried? :roll:

Again, the potentially catastrophic and expensive failure that can occur is due to the breakage of the 2013-2015 plastic composite motor mount bracket, part 1, not the motor mounts themselves, parts 3 and 4. Your 2016 should have an aluminum motor mount bracket, so you needn't worry about the motor mount bracket breaking.

 

[aponte]

my bmw i3 is 2016 and it have factory plastic motor mount, when i remplace the part OEM i get the metal.

 

[alohart]

my bmw i3 is 2016 and it have factory plastic motor mount, when i remplace the part OEM i get the metal.

The motor mounts are fluid-filled rubber. Early motor mount brackets are plastic composite whereas later ones are aluminum. It can be confusing to describe a plastic motor mount bracket as a "plastic motor mount".

For which market was your i3 built? Maybe the plastic motor mount bracket was replaced with an aluminum version at different times depending on the market.