Wrong Land Of Accuse Readings Causing Problems For I3 Owners
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| With the i3 REx, Reduced Power tin tin tin can hap if the operator continues to work more free energy than the REx engine tin create. Examples of this would live continued high speed (over lxx mph) driving or long, sustained hill climbing. However this novel chore that has plagued nigh i3 owners isn't caused past times over-taxing the REx. |
In mid 2016, BMW released a software update, (version xvi-07-501) that was supposed to right the outcome, only for around unknown fence it didn't operate on all of the vehicles. They so sent out letters to the early on buyers to inform that they involve a software update. Recently though, the job seems to have got larn more than than as good as more than mutual, amongst many owners reporting it. I'thousand non 100% sure if that initial software update did what it was intended to, or if it genuinely exacerbated the upshot, because it genuinely seemed that the job became more than than widespread inwards 1 example people had the novel software installed.
Perhaps it was only timing that made it appear that way because the cars are getting older together with natural battery capacity loss is occurring. Also, the colder conditions came as skillful as that could select played a role inward magnifying the number. BMW did realize the novel software didn't do what it was supposed to, as well quickly issued a novel version, likewise as a service bulletin (B61 20 xvi) which informed the service centers of the task together with how to right it. However, more than or less centers haven't been quick to choice upward the job, inward addition to I've had more than a few i3 owners enquire me for assistance getting this problem resolved.
There are belike dozens of service bulletins issued past times BMW every month, hence it'2nd understandable that or thus centers powerfulness live a little slow to take concur of every 1, but it'sec right away more than vi months into the task as good as at that position are fifty-fifty so many centers that aren't able to diagnose the chore when a machine comes inwards with it, inwards addition to that'sec but as adept long. One potential ground they were having problem diagnosing the chore is that the symptoms of this outcome are really similar to how the motorcar may human action under normal performance when the hit extender is over-taxed. It'sec been skillful documented that the get in at extender has limits. If you lot hold at highway speeds upwards continuous steep inclines in improver to as well as and so in that location testament come up upwardly a indicate that the gain extender cannot render plenty energy to maintain the speed. The motorcar testament thus get into reduced ability trend together with wearisome downwards to nearly twoscore mph. However, speed or excessive hill climbing isn't the origin crusade of this issue, it's genuinely an wrong adaption value of the battery'2nd land of health, even though the results are similar.
A simple explanation of the task is that the affected cars are incorrectly reading the battery's ground of charge (SOC), together with slightly overestimating it. This doesn't acquaint whatever existent chore unless you lot discharge the battery to well nether x%. At such a depression province of accuse, it'2nd existent important to hold as accurate of a reading every flake possible, since every percent counts when you're trying to brand a goal. Calculating the precise solid ground of accuse of a battery is rattling difficult, as skilful as with all EVs, the displayed SOC is a closed approximation of the actual SOC, it's non a perfectly accurate value.
The 2014 to 2016 i3s choose most xix kWh of usable battery capacity, when new. Like all batteries, as they historic period they lose capacity. If an i3 battery loses 10% of its original capacity, together with thence the usable capacity is most 17 kWh. If the automobile doesn't properly recognize the loss of capacity, it tin tin miscalculate the remaining province of accuse. That is what'sec happening with some of the older i3s. The onboard battery direction arrangement (BMW calls it the SME High Voltage Battery Module) isn't adjusting quickly plenty to the capacity loss, inward improver to it is overestimating the actual remaining airplane of charge.
What this way is, if yous crusade an older i3, you lot may think you convey slightly more than than range left than you really do. There convey been reports of a few i3 BEV drivers having the auto tedious downwardly to reduced ability fashion, in improver to thus crawling to a halt when the SOC estimate states that there is some other v% or six% battery available, together with iv or v more than than miles of hitting however "inward the tank." Most i3 BEV owners don't drain the battery to such a depression state of accuse, too so they'd never 50-l know their motorcar is affected past times this final result.
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| A quick facial aspect at the display tells yous all you lot involve to know well-nigh this upshot. My motorcar states that it is at v% state of accuse, but nearly of the xi power blocks on the right side of the ePower gauge are grayed out. That way the machine is inward reduced powerfulness. At 5% SOC, I shouldn't live inward reduced powerfulness unless inward that location was a severe temperature effect (fashion besides high or likewise depression) with the battery or motor, which wasn't the example. These powerfulness blocks shouldn't first off disappearing until the terra firma of accuse is below ii%. Since the power blocks are close all gone inwards this pic, my truthful SOC was belike at or below 1%. Even amongst the arrive at extender running I could solely make close xl mph. |
It's non as unproblematic for the i3 owners that accept the ranger extender pick, as well the bulk of people reporting the job are indeed i3 REx owners. That'2d because different BEV owners, it's non strange for them to drain their battery style downward to solely vi.v%, since that'2nd the ready signal for the reach extender to turn on. Because the SME module is slightly misreading the battery's state of wellness (capacity), the REx is really turning on at virtually ane% to iii% patch the automobile thinks it has vi.v% remaining. Once the REx does turn on, it doesn't pop off at a high plenty output to sustain driving at highway speed because it thinks the SOC is at half-dozen.five%, patch the battery is struggling to render power at less than 3%. In some cases the auto will maintain to endeavor along at reduced powerfulness style, only others convey seen the automobile just tiresome downwardly inwards improver to unopen off shortly later on the reach extender performance began.
In virtually cases a BEV owner testament live rattling or hence their goal when they realize they have got the labor, since they alone had a few miles of brand remaining anyway - some they thought. On the other manus, REx owners could alive many miles from their goal, every fight they were relying on the reach extender to permit them to consummate their trip. Either agency, it'sec not a pleasant experience, together with I know because it happened to me dorsum inward December. I have ane of the early on 2014 i3s (the showtime REx delivery inwards the U.S.A. of America, genuinely), as well as also ane of the highest mileage i3s with over 67,000 miles on the odometer. Luckily, I was able to learn domicile. Since I had heard of others experiencing this instance, I knew precisely what was happening. I took secondary roads place, kept the speed under 45 mph besides I made it without a chore. However nigh other i3 owners aren't necessarily equally informed as I am skillful-nigh the auto, besides they won't understand what'sec happening or how to mitigate the outcome in addition to exceed to a plug.
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| The power bars are showtime to disappear with the REx running inward improver to a displayed iv% SOC. That shouldn't live happening, peculiarly when driving similar shooting fish inward a barrel every bit I was. At that speed, the range extender should have got no chore maintaining half-dozen.v% all 24-60 minutes interval long. |
Recommendation:
I'yard recommending all 2014 i3 owners that haven't already had their automobile reprogrammed, have it to their dealer to hold it checked for this chore. Tell your service writer to wait upward service bulletins B612016 inward improver to B612116. These bulletins testament teach the dealers on how to right the task. You should too make for certain you hold software version 16-xi-502 or after. inwards the meantime, if you lot endeavour a BEV i3, inwards improver to thence endeavor not to allow the SOC driblet below viii%. If you lot take a REx, closely monitor the powerfulness bars when the REx turns on. If you lot come upwardly across whatsoever of them disappearing, hence ho-hum downwards inwards add-on to get to a charging station every fleck presently as possible because you lot tin't rely on the REx until this is fixed. If you have a 2015 or newer i3, as well as then I wouldn't worry nearly this. By the quaternary dimension your machine mightiness experience these symptoms, yous'll have got had newer software updates that testament proactively eliminate the job earlier you've experienced it.
Recently, BMW HQ has stepped upward their game inwards add together-on to has been reaching out to their service centers to create sure plenty they are aware of the issue inward improver to tin tin can place it speedily. due due southervice bulletins B612016 inwards add together-on to B612116 have been updated with a novel procedure to perform an ISTA capacity adaptation examine later on programming (This is a novel office inwards ISTA 4.04.iii). It should foreclose futurity cases of hit extender non turning on when the SOC drops below the threshold. At the rattling to the lowest level, this testament permit REx owners to larn abode theatre if they come up across this task because the arrive at extender will plow on together with replenish the battery plenty to permit driving. However, so far what I've witnessed is the uptake has been uneven; around dealers are on it, as well others are nonetheless struggling to identify the final termination when a customer comes inward. The 1 matter I've noticed is that when the owner knows the exact termination, in addition to gives the service author the bulletin numbers, therefore inward nearly every representative I've followed it's been fixed on the outset see. Don't permit the dealership enjoin you lot there'sec naught wrong with the auto. Forward them this postal service service, if you must. There concord been cases where the software update didn't part for close to fence. When that happens, the dealership needs to connect the machine to BMW HQ together with perform a remote IRAP session. The IRAP reprogramming testament definitely resolve the case if the software update doesn't.
I know this because many i3 owners achieve out to me for advice with their machine, ofttimes when in that location'sec an upshot. In this instance, I've had more than than a dyad dozen i3 owners enquire if I could aid them out. They concord been driving the auto for more than than than ii years now, so they know this isn't how it commonly establish. Yet, when they convey it inwards for service, oftentimes the service team tells them in that location'2nd goose egg wrong. Here'sec an illustration of what i service centre told an i3 REx possessor that had the number i time patch driving, as adept as another fourth dimension when he tried to turn it dorsum on to kicking the bucket on driving:
Hi Xxxxxx,
"It appears tchapeau you lot are driving the motorcar downwardly to a really depression accuse. Once it is stopped, the accuse is and so depression that it will non permit you lot drop dead anywhere. They’ve told me that when the gain extender kicks inwards, it does non accuse the battery. It keeps the battery charged to learn you lot some other 10-xxx miles downwardly the route depending on driving atmospheric condition. The vehicle will trim powerfulness inward addition to loads to assistance become the battery to terminal a trivial longer, how I understand it. But later on yous hit your goal, the auto needs to live charged."
That's only an wrong diagnosis, together with non genuinely a proper explanation of how the go far at extender institute. The only reason the land of accuse is likewise low when the vehicle stopped is because of this problem. Under normal performance, the REx will proceed the SOC above the depression accuse threshold that prevents startup. The fact that the possessor tin motility it to the signal that it won't restart should forthwith live a cherry flag that at that identify'sec a chore. In the case of this example, the gain extender is really working properly. Its functioning is based on the land of charge. The lower the province of accuse, the harder the REx constitute to make energy to maintain the SOC. If the automobile is telling the REx that at that position's more than than than than vi.v% SOC, than the REx won't turn on. But if reality inwards that location'2d really less than ane% SOC, so the auto won't turn on. The misdiagnosis together with improper reply to the client is really a microcosm of the challenges dealerships accept dealing with a machine like the i3 REx, that operates different whatsoever other machine inwards production today.
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| An i3 with the attain extender option exposed. The electrical motor inward improver to power electronics are on the left, with the jumper cables attached. The REx motor is on the right under the dark oestrus shield. |
There may live nigh adventurous i3 owners who want to cheek for themselves if their automobile has this task. The solitary fashion to examination it, is to exhaust the battery inwards improver to come up across if the resultant appears. The skillful thing is you don't necessarily select to look until you're stuck to run into if you are skillful-nigh to get into reduced powerfulness way. The ePower display will allow you know earlier it'sec as proficient belatedly. There are xi pocket-size blocks on the right side of the driver'sec display covert. (See pictures of the powerfulness blocks to a higher place) Under those blocks is the give-as well as-take "ePower." As the auto begins to expire into reduced power style, i past times i the blocks disappear, starting from the superlative. To examine if you have got the job, you lot wish to:
A) Drain the battery downward below 7% SOC, also in addition to so
B) Keep driving but sentinel the ePower guess.
If you lot encounter the ePower blocks disappearing from the meridian, earlier your SOC drops below three.0%, together with hence you lot probable hold this job. You shouldn't feel whatsoever reduced power alongside more than than iii.0% terra firma of accuse. To protect yourself from getting stranded during this seek, do it within a mile of a charging station, or movement upward a long hill -- you lot tin tin ever turn most together with descend to regen or so power dorsum into your battery. If you conk the battery downwardly to iii.0% SOC with no loss of ePower blocks, so yous don't select the outcome. To display the battery SOC, tap the BC push on the stop of the plough signal stem together with lookout man human existence the upper left corner of the driver's display. However, fifty-fifty if yous don't seem to take the labor, I'd advise having your dealer update your version of software together with banking company bank check the state of wellness adaptation value.
Finally, I don't desire owners to freak out over battery capacity loss. This is completely normal for whatever electrical automobile together with that'sec non the task hither. The machine needs to properly adapt to the capacity loss over quaternary dimension to mitt a proper province of accuse reading as well as therein lies the drive of this last final result. Once BMW updates the software, in that location is no event. As I mentioned inward a higher place, I have got around seventy,000 miles on my i3 direct off together with my battery is nearly as robust as it was when it was new. My reach seems but as proficient as it was inward May of 2014 when I took delivery. Perhaps I've lost 4 or 5 miles or range only honestly, I tin't tell. BMW has an viii twelvemonth, 100,000 mile battery capacity warranty for the i3 that guarantees at to the lowest plane lxx% capacity. Based on what I've seen inwards improver to so far, I highly doubtfulness that they testament select many claims on that warranty, if whatsoever.
Hit tip to boyfriend i3 driver Chris Campbell for providing information used hither, together with for prodding me to mail service service most the problem in addition to hence other i3 owners affected by the upshot know what to create.
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