Buyer Research

2022 BMW i4 — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $40,000–$55,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.

Kestrel Take

A driver-focused electric sedan — the i4 (especially the M50) drives like a proper BMW, with strong range, a familiar upscale cabin, and normal CCS fast-charging. It's a more conventional, better-built EV than many first-gen efforts because it shares the 4 Series platform. A well-kept i4 with a healthy battery and remaining warranty is a genuinely satisfying electric sedan; verify battery health, charging, and (as a used BMW EV) budget for premium service.

What we checked

Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 9 owner complaints for the 2022 BMW i4, across 8 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 33% of them are about one thing — electrics and electronics. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

8 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Not written up yet: the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (2 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.

Looked at and set aside: back over prevention (2) — 2 backup-camera complaints; often a software update, worth testing on the test drive.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2022 BMW i4

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

BMW EV service / repair costMedium

BMW service and out-of-warranty EV repairs cost more; demand history and budget accordingly.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Software / early featuresLow

Verify software updates and that all iDrive/EV features work.

Repair cost (estimate): $0-$500

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (3).

Tire wear (heavy)Low

Heavy EV wears tires; budget accordingly.

Repair cost (estimate): $800-$1,600

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under tyres (2).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Battery/range concerns
✗No service history
✗Software/feature faults
✗Salvage title

Good Signs

✓Healthy battery, good range
✓Remaining warranty, documented service
✓Software up to date

Found a specific BMW i4?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2022 BMW i4 in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.