- A software update is throwing a fake battery warning at owners.
- The alert tells drivers to replace the battery.
- BMW says ignore it because nothing is actually wrong here.
BMW is telling owners of the i3 and i4 to ignore a warning that says their battery needs replacing. The company traces the message to a recent over-the-air software update that misfired.
Over the past few days, it appears that thousands of BMW EVs worldwide started throwing the same alert: “Replace battery: You can continue driving. Have the problem checked by your service center.” Telling someone to keep driving and also replace the battery is the sort of contradiction that gets dealerships a lot of phone calls.
Read: BMW’s New i4 M60 Is Half A Second Faster Than An M3
BMW has sold tens of thousands of i4s globally, and a large share of them appear to be caught up in this. Cars.com reports the i3 is affected too, which raises a question, because the original i3 hatchback most people picture never supported OTA updates for critical electrical systems. The more likely candidate is the i3 sold in China, an electric version of the current long-wheelbase 3-Series sedan. We’ve asked BMW to clarify which car is involved.
It’s reported that owners quickly began reaching out to dealerships when the warning messages appeared. Fortunately, BMW quickly determined it was caused by a software update pushed out to owners and has started alerting some to the issue through the My BMW app.
BMW Responds
“Due to the presence of an incorrect date in a system, a check control message is falsely appearing in some EVs,” the company confirmed. “The message advises the customer it is possible to continue driving the vehicle, but the battery would need to be replaced. This situation is temporary and no immediate action is required by those customers arising from this issue — replacing the battery is not necessary.”
BMW has also clarified that the message doesn’t actually refer to the high-voltage battery pack, as some owners had feared, but rather to the 12-volt battery. If a real issue appears with the battery pack, owners likely wouldn’t be told they can continue driving.
BMW is also working on a “high priority” software fix and says the warning message will automatically disappear once the update is rolled out. In some markets, dealers have already begun informing customers about the issue.
