BMW i4 electric car battery fault leaves frustrated Leeds customers without vehicles for three months

Matthew Ashworth and Graham Glynn both purchased their BMW i4s last year and had to take them to Stratstone BMW Leeds on Gelderd Road in November due to warnings of a potential defect with the battery. The couple both said that their cars haven’t moved from the forecourt since they were dropped off and that messages relayed to them about the parts arriving and the completion of the works being imminent have been “lies”.

Mr Ashworth also complained about the amount he has spent on petrol in the courtesy car provided, saying it has cost him over £500 more than what he would have spent running his electric car.

BMW has apologised to the two customers and said it will discuss the fuel expenses with them.

Mr Ashworth, of Garforth, said he paid £60,000 his car second hand just two weeks before he received a message saying his car needed “immediate attention and should not be driven”. The message said that there may be a “defect within the battery cell” which “in a worst case scenario” could result in a fire.

He said: “It was a wonderful car for the two weeks that I had it.

“It has been sat for over 12 weeks now and has yet to even be looked at. This is apparently due to them only having two technicians who are qualified to work on electric vehicles and only one bay where they can service electric vehicles.

"I’ve always been an advocate for electric cars but this has really set me back. It’s disappointing as they’re saying they want everyone driving electric in seven years or so but that doesn’t seem feasible at this point.”

He said he has spent over £600 in fuel for his courtesy car and that for the same amount of travelling it would’ve cost him about £50 to charge his electric car at home. He said: “This is a significant cost that they refuse to tell me if they will reimburse me for.”

Mr Glynn took his car in after a notice flashed up on his dashboard while he was driving. He said that he is now seeking legal advice on how to get a full refund for the car, which he bought brand new for nearly £70,000 for in June 2022.

A spokesperson for BMW said that in October 2022, BMW recalled a “small number of battery electric vehicles” as part of “ongoing quality control measures” and offered customers to have the work done free of charge.

They said: "Although replacement parts were initially in short supply due to widely reported global logistics challenges, the process has been completed on over 90% of the UK vehicles involved. We're sorry that this has not been the case for the two customers who contacted the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"BMW has ensured continued mobility with the provision of loan vehicles and we will also make contact with these customers in relation to their fuel expenses. BMW UK has discussed these cases with the relevant franchise retailer and it has been confirmed that the outstanding work on these vehicles will be completed in the coming days.”