Having had the message a couple of times now I took mine into BMW yesterday. Like others they say it needs a new HV cable, which they can't source until Monday. They said there is also a software upgrade required. I am also getting them to strip down and rebuild properly my entire dashboard as it has a couple of loud and constant squeeks and rattles, which drive me crazy. Estimate is all will e complete by middle of next week. I already had the KLE replaced previously due to woeful range. I've told them to take their time as the brand new (75 miles on the clock) Mini Cooper loan car with every conceivable extra is a nice change. In fact I adore the Mini, which let's just say is not an emotion I feel for the i3!!
How many have had the drive train malfunction error?
- Thread starter jtoast
- Start date
Help Support BMW i3 Forum:
A defective KLE would not affect range but would affect how fast the battery pack could be charged. My i3 BEV still has a defective KLE but my average consumption rate is 5.6 mi/kWh, or over 100 miles range. When I have my KLE replaced, software will be updated which others are reporting increases the useable battery pack capacity which should improve my range as it might have done yours.PipPip said:
I hope that your other problems will be repaired well!
Perhaps it wasn't the KLE then. All I can tell you is that with a 100% efficient driving score the maximum range we were getting was 60 miles, or around 48-50 miles for normal driving. BMW replaced something and had it in for over a week. They described it as a recall. My range has now increased to around 80 miles absolute maximum with a 100% efficient driving score, or 60 to 65 for normal driving. Less than others get from theirs but adequate for my needs.
I do look forwards to giving the i3 back though (its a company car). The Mini has reminded me what a well built car feels like.
I do look forwards to giving the i3 back though (its a company car). The Mini has reminded me what a well built car feels like.
My wife told me that she saw the message a few days ago when she started our i3 REx on a very damp morning. We live in a rural spot where 95-98% humidity at night is usual this time of year. It happened while she was still on the drive, after overnight charging and precon. She turned the vehicle off, then back on - the message disappeared. We will keep an eye on it.
janner said:
Really? It's not that hard to achieve. Switch off aircon, turn your fan down to 1 bar, put it in Ecopro+, drive a quiet route accelerating gently and only using regen braking. I have an 18 mile country B road option to work which is a mix of 30mph and 50 mph limits where 100% efficiency on the app is easy enough. I only did it in the beginning partly as a challenge as my wife gets 100% a lot and partly to test the range. Since it didn't make a huge difference the range, these days I just bomb about in comfort and don't think about it. I can charge up at work for free so electricity usage is not a concern.
I couldn't post a pic right now though as the car is in bits at a BMW garage!
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i3StormTrooper
Member
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- Nov 30, 2015
- Messages
- 11
Add me - USA
2015 i3 Rex - March 2015 Build - November SW update 11/25/15 w/ 170 miles on ODO.
Delivery 10/30/2015
1st real drive with the car Nov 28th 2015
Running REx and about 58 miles into trip I received the error code.
Dropping off at dealer 11/30 for service on 12/1
Drove approx 600 miles with error running REx without charges in between.
Decent touring car - 2 gallons at a time.
VERY discouraged that after a year+ of production this error is still an issue for owners.
2015 i3 Rex - March 2015 Build - November SW update 11/25/15 w/ 170 miles on ODO.
Delivery 10/30/2015
1st real drive with the car Nov 28th 2015
Running REx and about 58 miles into trip I received the error code.
Dropping off at dealer 11/30 for service on 12/1
Drove approx 600 miles with error running REx without charges in between.
Decent touring car - 2 gallons at a time.
VERY discouraged that after a year+ of production this error is still an issue for owners.
Especially since many of us thought that the November software update would fix spurious check engine light warnings (not a problem for our i3 which has no enginei3StormTrooper said:
But maybe you have a real problem that needs fixing. If so, the check engine light would be warranted. Keep us informed.i3StormTrooper
Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2015
- Messages
- 11
Decided to call another BMW dealer and they got me in today. Received a voice mail a few minutes ago that stated ' moisture in some electronics' - Car will be ready tomorrow.
I have a '16 328 loaner with 1300 miles. Nice for sure, but miss my i3 already.... especially the ACC, NAV screen size, although it has the 8.3 screen. I think we should receive an i3 as a loaner...or a 650GC))
Keep you posted.
I have a '16 328 loaner with 1300 miles. Nice for sure, but miss my i3 already.... especially the ACC, NAV screen size, although it has the 8.3 screen. I think we should receive an i3 as a loaner...or a 650GC
))Keep you posted.
i3StormTrooper
Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2015
- Messages
- 11
Picked up my car tonight drove about 25 miles without issue.
Per the work order:
Error code 886.
Moisture in the range extender electrical machine. Performed vehicle test. Found fault stord for isolation resistance. Followed the test plan. Test plan checked isolation resistance and found OK. test plan indicated problem caused by moisture in the range extender electrical machine. Performed drying procedure by removing temperature sensor 6mm and running the engine for 3 hours. Before engine run, discharged vehicle battery with electrical consumers. Perform drying procedure. Reinstall temperature sensor. Torque bolts to 5NM and TECH 3 verifed this. Cleared fault memory and drove the vehicle. No faults or indicators returned. Charged the vehicle battery to full capacity.
Per the work order:
Error code 886.
Moisture in the range extender electrical machine. Performed vehicle test. Found fault stord for isolation resistance. Followed the test plan. Test plan checked isolation resistance and found OK. test plan indicated problem caused by moisture in the range extender electrical machine. Performed drying procedure by removing temperature sensor 6mm and running the engine for 3 hours. Before engine run, discharged vehicle battery with electrical consumers. Perform drying procedure. Reinstall temperature sensor. Torque bolts to 5NM and TECH 3 verifed this. Cleared fault memory and drove the vehicle. No faults or indicators returned. Charged the vehicle battery to full capacity.
After having a single spurious "Drivetrain - do not switch off - you will be unable to restart" warning a couple of weeks ago (reported on another thread), I've done another couple of 100 miles - but now I'm getting "Drivetrain - check soon" alerts every single time I switch on, even on pure electric use.
Anyone else had it this frequently?
Anyone else had it this frequently?
FrancisJeffries
Well-known member
We had this "drivetrain - continue but get it checked" problem when the car was new and we used the Rex. The fault came and went, but they had the car in and changed "The high-voltage cable".
Now, a year later, the fault's back. It asserts only after longish runs on Rex, but clears only after several battery-only journeys. It's booked in for a week for them to look into it.
Maybe I'll get a software update thrown in.
Now, a year later, the fault's back. It asserts only after longish runs on Rex, but clears only after several battery-only journeys. It's booked in for a week
for them to look into it.Maybe I'll get a software update thrown in.
My i3 has now been in service for almost 10 weeks. I had the drive-train warning with "you can continue driving" - and in the end left it at the dealers to have them check everything out. I got the car back after they upgraded some software but I didnt even get home, after only a few km's there was a "thunk" in the back of the car and it halted immediately with some nasty "drive train" error messages on the screen. After this moment the car was alive for about 17 minutes and then it was completely dead, no warning lights and I could not open trunk - not anything.
It was shipped back to the dealer and since then they've had it - BMW Assist here in Sweden gave me a slightly damaged Skoda as a loaner (I'm especially not that keen on not being able to close the inner-roof console that always hangs down, its sharp edges and something hitting the car from the side would not be fun).
They claim to have BMW Germany involved but they seem to replace a single part at a time, before ordering the next, so progress is really-really slow. There is also talk of some software bug.
The i3 is a very-very nice car as long as it works - but the lack of support makes it a bad deal here in Sweden.
It was shipped back to the dealer and since then they've had it - BMW Assist here in Sweden gave me a slightly damaged Skoda as a loaner (I'm especially not that keen on not being able to close the inner-roof console that always hangs down, its sharp edges and something hitting the car from the side would not be fun).
They claim to have BMW Germany involved but they seem to replace a single part at a time, before ordering the next, so progress is really-really slow. There is also talk of some software bug.
The i3 is a very-very nice car as long as it works - but the lack of support makes it a bad deal here in Sweden.
10 weeks with no result?
That sounds a bit painful. How old is the car and did you buy it new? I'd be standing outside the dealer demanding a replacement if it were new, and I wouldn't accept a damaged Skoda as a loan vehicle. What are they thinking?
That sounds a bit painful. How old is the car and did you buy it new? I'd be standing outside the dealer demanding a replacement if it were new, and I wouldn't accept a damaged Skoda as a loan vehicle. What are they thinking?
I've got the same drive train issue with my i3. Went to out to drive it after charging overnight - turned it on, put it in drive, heard a pop or clunk from the rear and then got the drive train error. Couldn't even put the car in neutral for towing - BMW roadside had to send a tow truck with skates to prop up the back end and push it out of my garage. It's been at the dealer almost 2 weeks now - the local mechanics have had calls with BMW back in Germany and they can't seem to figure out what the problem is. Funny thing is they are working on the car in the parking lot since they can't get it into neutral to move it. Glad I leased this thing and only have 1 year left on my two year lease. Was thinking I'd probably buy it once the lease it over, but not now (this is the 5th time it's been at the dealer for various problems). I think I see a used Tesla in my future.
Sparky
Well-known member
frugger said:
Checkout my thread here:
http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3083
FrancisJeffries
Well-known member
When I had the fault last May, the garage wanted the car for a week to try and make the fault re-occur (it had vanished again before I got the car to them. I said "no thanks - I'll keep the car and bring it back when the fault returns."
It came back mid-December (after using the Rex for a long journey). I booked the car in again, and this time they told me Munich told them to change the Rex generator. They said there was "condensation in the generator from manufacture". It'd take 6-8 weeks to come from Germany, so I've got the car back - without the drivetrain error!
It came back mid-December (after using the Rex for a long journey). I booked the car in again, and this time they told me Munich told them to change the Rex generator.
They said there was "condensation in the generator from manufacture". It'd take 6-8 weeks to come from Germany, so I've got the car back - without the drivetrain error! DeafSoundGuy
Well-known member
Hello all, been off the i3 forums for awhile using my little time I've had hanging out on the Jag F-Pace forum (uh, getting a F-Pace). It's nice to come back and see so much useful information regarding so many things.
Yes, I'm back because I too got my first "Drivetrain malfunction but you can still drive the car" notice. So after reading so much here, I'm going to make an educated guess that it is just common sense and condensation as the culprit, at least for me.
I rarely use the Rex, normally less than 20 minutes when it does come on. My i3 has been problem free except for the preconfiguring app never working. I've only used my Rex for more then 20 miles one time I think, went about 90 miles and in around 60 to 70 degree weather. No problems. So here a few days ago, we decided to go to the beach and it was a 140 mile trip. Cold weather and heater use made me get about 55 miles of electric. Went Rex the rest of the way. Got there no problem. We came back a few days later. Same thing, about 55 miles back, the Rex kicked in. Went about 70 miles and then got the Drivetrain malfunction notice driving down the freeway. It was raining. In fact the weather was the kind of day when it fogs up inside your car in a hurry. You can't leave the fan off for more than a minute before it starts to fog up. Error stayed there for the next 24 hrs, we gave it a full charge and it spent it's time in our garage. After 24 hrs it went away, and hasn't been back.
So after reading the posts, it sure seems to me like a common sense issue. You have a Rex generating heat, it's wet out or very moist air outside. The steam created by the Rex in such a small little place forces condensation to appear in places that it shouldn't. Electronics are very touchy when it comes to moisture. It seems like if this is the problem, delicate electronics shouldn't be anywhere near the Rex. Condensation happened, giving an error, it dried up, things are cool. at least this is what it sounds like what happened to me.
I've been around long enough to see dealers replacing tons of things that didn't need replacing so it scares me when I read some of these posts with guys having their cars in for weeks and dealers replacing other items because of ineptitude. Maybe I'm just lucky.
Yes, I'm back because I too got my first "Drivetrain malfunction but you can still drive the car" notice. So after reading so much here, I'm going to make an educated guess that it is just common sense and condensation as the culprit, at least for me.
I rarely use the Rex, normally less than 20 minutes when it does come on. My i3 has been problem free except for the preconfiguring app never working. I've only used my Rex for more then 20 miles one time I think, went about 90 miles and in around 60 to 70 degree weather. No problems. So here a few days ago, we decided to go to the beach and it was a 140 mile trip. Cold weather and heater use made me get about 55 miles of electric. Went Rex the rest of the way. Got there no problem. We came back a few days later. Same thing, about 55 miles back, the Rex kicked in. Went about 70 miles and then got the Drivetrain malfunction notice driving down the freeway. It was raining. In fact the weather was the kind of day when it fogs up inside your car in a hurry. You can't leave the fan off for more than a minute before it starts to fog up. Error stayed there for the next 24 hrs, we gave it a full charge and it spent it's time in our garage. After 24 hrs it went away, and hasn't been back.
So after reading the posts, it sure seems to me like a common sense issue. You have a Rex generating heat, it's wet out or very moist air outside. The steam created by the Rex in such a small little place forces condensation to appear in places that it shouldn't. Electronics are very touchy when it comes to moisture. It seems like if this is the problem, delicate electronics shouldn't be anywhere near the Rex. Condensation happened, giving an error, it dried up, things are cool. at least this is what it sounds like what happened to me.
I've been around long enough to see dealers replacing tons of things that didn't need replacing so it scares me when I read some of these posts with guys having their cars in for weeks and dealers replacing other items because of ineptitude. Maybe I'm just lucky.
