Used Car Checklists

2022 BMW i4: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical and wheels and tires. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

BMW i42022
Owner complaints
9
Recalls
8
1 urgent
Crashes reported
3
2 injuries
Reliability
Good
72/100 on Auto Reliability Index

One recall on this model year told owners to stop driving until the repair was done.

Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.

Run the VIN before you go

A history report shows accidents, title brands, odometer readings, and open recalls for this 2022 BMW i4. Ask the seller for the VIN; it is also on the dash at the base of the windshield.

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Reported on other i4 years with the same design

These years share the 2022's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.

2023 i4

40 owner complaints
  • Electrical 10
  • Transmission 8
  • Steering 3

Worth adding to your 2022 checks

  • Ask for service records showing drivetrain malfunction or high-voltage battery warnings, tows, or drive unit and battery replacements.
  • Have a BMW dealer run the VIN for open recalls and confirm all software updates are installed.
  • Inspect the rear tires' inner tread edges for uneven wear and ask for alignment records.
Open the 2023 checklist

Which i4 is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2022 BMW i4. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

VersionDriveEPA rating
ElectricAWD, RWD270–301 mi range
  • With a full charge, the range estimate on the dash should land near the EPA figure of 270–301 miles. A much lower number on a mild day can mean a worn battery; ask for a battery health report.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2022 BMW i4, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

  • Electrical21 crash

    Sudden surging at low speed is the most serious report here. The car lunges forward while the steering wheel turns on its own, leading to a crash with 2 injuries, and the air bags do not deploy. The other complaint is about getting work done, not a failure while driving. A dealer could not complete a recall repair because the navigation and stereo systems were failing, so the car went home unrepaired. Neither complaint gives a failure mileage.

  • Wheels and tires2No crashes

    Sudden blowouts while driving are the pattern here, including one at about 60 mph on the freeway. Drivers hear a loud bang, may feel vibration, and see a dashboard warning that tire pressure is dropping. Damage tends to be heavy, with holes in the sidewall and tread, and the tire gets replaced rather than repaired. Both drivers pull over safely, but a blowout at speed carries a risk of losing control. Repairs can also drag on, with one dealer taking 10 days to replace a single tire. No failure mileage is reported.

How the 2022 compares with other i4 years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2022 has the fewest owner complaints of the 3 i4 years we cover, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2022 Average of other years
  • Electrical25
  • Wheels and tires20

Where the 2022 fits in the i4's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2022 is the first model year of the i4's fifth generation (2022–2023). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that BMW fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.

BMW updated the i4 for 2024, so a 2022 does not have those changes.

What changed for 2024 (not on a 2022)

  • Updated headlights
  • New taillight design
  • Enhanced infotainment features

Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.

Recalls to confirm (8)

Recall repairs are free at any BMW dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

  1. 22V541000ElectricalDo not driveJul 2022

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive50, iX M60, 2022 i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles. The high voltage battery may have internal damage, resulting in an electrical short-circuit.

    Risk: A short-circuit in a high voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Owners are advised not to drive or charge their vehicles, and to park outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 23, 2022. A second letter will be mailed when remedy parts become available. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Owners will also be contacted by phone.

  2. 25V395000ElectricalJul 2025

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2025 i4, 2022-2024 IX, 2023-2024 I7, and 2024 I5 vehicles. The electric drive motor software may shut down the high-voltage system, causing a loss of drive power.

    Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

    Fix: The electric drive motor software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 5, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  3. 25V470000ElectricalJul 2025

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2025 IX, 2023-2024 I7, and 2022-2023 i4 vehicles. The high-voltage battery cell modules may not have been assembled properly, resulting in stress on the module frame and possible module failure.

    Risk: Battery module failure may lead to a shutdown of the high-voltage system which can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, module failure increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Dealers will replace specific high-voltage battery cell modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed September 11, 2025. Another notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available, anticipated December 31, 2025Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  4. 23V449000ElectricalJun 2023

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive50, iX M60, i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, and 2023 i760 xDrive hybrid electric vehicles. The high voltage battery combined charging unit (CCU) may not have been manufactured correctly, resulting in improperly connected and/or assembled components inside the CCU.

    Risk: An improperly connected or assembled CCU can interrupt electrical power while driving and result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the high voltage battery combined charging unit (CCU), free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 23, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  5. 23V118000ElectricalFeb 2023

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, 330e, 330e xDrive, 430i Convertible, 430i xDrive, M440i, 2022-2023 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive, i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles. During a service visit, a replacement electronic control unit (ECU) may have been installed with incorrect programming, which can cause the automatic door locking (ADL) function to not lock the doors as intended.

    Risk: Doors that do not lock as intended while the vehicle is in motion may open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  6. 23V026000Backup cameraJan 2023

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 i4 eDrive40 and iX xDrive50 electric vehicles. During vehicle start-up, the artificial sound generator control unit may experience a fault and fail to generate the external pedestrian warning sound. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.".

    Risk: Without external warning sounds, pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will update the external artificial sound generator software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  7. 22V944000ElectricalDec 2022

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60, i4 eDrive35, i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, and 2023 i7 xDrive60 vehicles. The high voltage battery electronic control unit (ECU) software may cause an interruption of electrical power.

    Risk: An interruption of electrical power may result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will update the high voltage battery ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 10, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  8. 22V483000ElectricalJul 2022

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60, 2022 i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles equipped with hybrid electric powertrains. While in Valet Parking Mode, the Central Information Display (CID) may not display critical safety information, such as warning messages and/or warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays.".

    Risk: A display that does not show critical information, such as warning messages and/or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will update the display's head unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

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