Which versions of the AC compressor have people had failures with?

[BL5]

My husband just got a 2015 i3, would it be worth replacing the compressor before there are issues as an in-case or would an extended warranty possibly be better?

Just make sure the service plan includes the AC compressor. When the 2015’s explode, they tend to destroy everything from the A/C Condenser back (from the horror stories I’ve read online). I’ve also read a lot of service plans (extended warranties) sold by dealers are not up to snuff for EVs. So make sure to double check on exclusions. BMW’s plan seems to be the most comprehensive, but I sure are a premium price.

A thought on AC failures. Is there a higher frequency of failures in warmer climates? With 85k on the clock of my 2017 REx & no more warranty, crossing my fingers there’s no issues.

WA is a CARB state, but only to 75K as I recall.

 

[Dutchi3]

Is there a higher frequency of failures in warmer climates?

Good question, I think that in warmer climates the A/C is used more often, either to cool the batteries and/or the cabin. In moderate climates and easy driving, the batteries do not warm up that much and probably needed much less active cooling. So I would expect more failures in warmer climates due to wear. On the other hand, never using the A/C is also not good, as the dealer told me to use the A/C once in a while, something to do with seals. It needs some exercise now and then.

 

[ksnax]

My husband just got a 2015 i3, would it be worth replacing the compressor before there are issues as an in-case or would an extended warranty possibly be better?

edit to add: We live in Arizona, car has under 40k miles on it

I don't believe that makes practical sense financially. Most compressors don't fail, at least before the main battery ultimately needs replacing from normal degradation. Throw on the fact that anytime a perfectly functioning system is disassembled and parts are replaced introduces new potential failure causes, that's probably not worth the risk either.

 

[alohart]

Many have reported failures with Denso and Sanden AC compressors across various models, especially with certain Subaru vehicles, like the WRX. Common issues include premature clutch failure, refrigerant leaks, and noisy operation.

I'm pretty certain that the i3's compressor has no clutch and is directly driven by an electric motor, so it might be quite different from a compressor driven by an ICE accessory belt requiring a clutch to disconnect it from the ICE when it's not needed. However, the compressor internals might be similar.

On an i3 Facebook group, photos of disassembled failed i3 compressors were posted. The moving part of the scroll had scraped against the stationary part creating noise and metal fragments. This might have occurred when the bearing supporting the moving part had failed or had become loose because of excessive wear. I don't know why it's taken multiple versions of the i3 compressor to resolve this problem assuming that it was finally solved in late 2018 when the current version began being installed.

 

[jeeringtowser]

I'm pretty certain that the i3's compressor has no clutch and is directly driven by an electric motor, so it might be quite different from a compressor driven by an ICE accessory belt requiring a clutch to disconnect it from the ICE when it's not needed. However, the compressor internals might be similar.

On an i3 Facebook group, photos of disassembled failed i3 compressors were posted. The moving part of the scroll had scraped against the stationary part creating noise and metal fragments. This might have occurred when the bearing supporting the moving part had failed or had become loose because of excessive wear. I don't know why it's taken multiple versions of the i3 compressor to resolve this problem assuming that it was finally solved in late 2018 when the current version began being installed.

Do we know how many compressors of the latest type have failed?