BMW i8 Parking Heater Dead: Troubleshooting Help Needed

I have some experience working on hybrids, and had a similar issue with my 2016 BMW i3. The symptoms were exactly the same, no activation, complete silence from the heater. Took it to my regular workshop, and they diagnosed a defective glow plug in the auxiliary heater system. The repair including parts and labor came to 440 Euro, but it fixed the problem completely. Haven't had any issues since then. Before you proceed though, could you share: Are you getting any specific error codes? Does this happen only when it's cold outside? Have you noticed any changes in your fuel consumption? This info would help determine if you're facing the same issue I had with my i3. BMW's hybrid heating systems can be tricky, and I've seen similar problems in other models like the i4 too.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My car's been serviced regularly (last one just 2 months ago at 35803 KM), and I am getting error code P0674. The issue happens regardless of outside temperature. Fuel consumption seems normal, haven't noticed any significant changes there. I was hoping it wouldn't be the glow plug, but your experience makes me think that might be exactly what I'm dealing with. Did you notice any warning lights on the dash before the heater completely stopped working? Mine just went from working fine to completely dead overnight, which seems a bit strange.

Hey again! Comparing this to my i3 experience, yes, that error code P0674 is exactly what I got too. And just like your case, my heater also went from perfectly fine to completely dead without any warning signs. It's actually quite typical for glow plugs to fail this way, they rarely show gradual deterioration. Since you mentioned it went out suddenly and you've got the same error code, I'm even more convinced now that we're dealing with the same glow plug issue. Just to put your mind at ease, while it's annoying, it's not a major system failure that's going to harm your car. A quick tip from my experience, if you're planning to get it fixed, try to do it soon. I initially tried to ignore it since it wasn't winter, but that ended up causing some starting issues later on. The repair cost might vary a bit from what I paid, but it's usually in the same ballpark. I know hybrids can be intimidating when things go wrong, but this is actually one of the more straightforward fixes. Let me know how it goes if you get it checked out, always curious to hear if these issues follow similar patterns across different BMW hybrid models.

Thanks so much for all the detailed info and advice! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. You've definitely convinced me to get this sorted sooner rather than later, don't want to risk those starting issues you mentioned. The fact that you had the exact same error code and sudden failure really helps confirm what I'm dealing with. I'll book it in with my mechanic next week. The repair cost sounds reasonable, especially considering it's a BMW hybrid. It's actually a relief to know it's likely just the glow plug and not something more serious. Will definitely keep you posted on how it goes and whether it turns out to be the same issue. Really glad I asked here before heading to the shop, at least now I know what to expect!