BMW i3 Emergency Call System Acting Up? Possible Fix!

Hey there! I've had some experience with car maintenance, and funny enough, I dealt with almost the exact same issue on my 2019 BMW i4 last year. I totally get your frustration with those emergency call system problems. The symptoms you're describing sound identical to what I faced. For me, it turned out to be a completely discharged emergency backup battery, same thing I suspect you're dealing with. I took it to my workshop, and they confirmed it right away. The fix wasn't too complicated, but it needed proper diagnostic equipment to reset the system after replacing the battery. The whole thing cost me about 110 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. My regular BMW 3 series never had this issue, so it seems more common in the hybrid models. Could you share how long you've been noticing these symptoms? Also, have you had any other electrical issues lately? That might help determine if there's more to it. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any other details about my experience with this.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's super helpful to know about the backup battery fix. I've been noticing these symptoms for about 2-3 weeks now. Just had my service at 105,555 KM and everything else seems to be working fine, no other electrical gremlins to report. Think I'll schedule a workshop visit to get this sorted, especially since it affects such an important safety feature. Really appreciate the heads up about the diagnostic equipment needed. Good to know what I'm potentially looking at cost-wise too. Fingers crossed it's just the backup battery like in your case!

Hey again! Great to hear back from you. Yeah, that timing makes sense, around 2-3 weeks is about when these symptoms start becoming really noticeable. When I had my issue, it also cropped up pretty suddenly. Glad to hear you're not having any other electrical problems, that's exactly how mine was too, just the emergency call system acting up on its own. Just to share a bit more from my experience: after they fixed mine, the workshop mentioned these backup batteries typically last about 3-4 years, so your timing fits right in that window. Since you're at 105,555 km, it's probably just regular wear and tear, just like what happened with mine. Quick tip though, when you take it in, ask them to check the connections too. In my case, they found a bit of corrosion on one of the battery terminals while they were in there. They cleaned it up as part of the service, and it probably helped prevent future issues. Keep us posted on how it goes! Always good to know if it turns out to be something different than what I experienced with my i4.

Thanks so much for the extra details and that great tip about checking the connections! You've made me feel a lot better about this whole situation. Interesting to learn about the 3-4 year lifespan of these backup batteries, makes total sense since my car's about 3 years old now. I'll definitely ask them to check those battery terminals when I take it in. Got my workshop appointment scheduled for next week, and I'll make sure to mention your experience with the corrosion issue too. It's just good to know I'm not dealing with some major electrical problem, seems like a pretty standard maintenance thing after all. I'll update this thread once I get it sorted out. Really appreciate everyone's help here, especially your detailed insights from dealing with the same problem. Hopefully it'll help other i3 owners who might run into this issue down the line!