Known APK problem

BMW i i3: tyres

On the BMW i i3 the APK inspector finds tyres problems 2.4× as often as on cars of the same age: at 11–12 years 15.3%, against about 6.4% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Too little tread (at least 1.6 mm), cracks or uneven wear.

Repair indication: smallusually a small repair, often done with the service.

How to check it at the viewing

Check the tread and look for uneven wear: that points to an alignment problem. The DOT code on the tyre tells its age.

Ask the seller: How old are the tyres, and has the car been aligned recently?

By age

Share of inspected BMW i i3s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	i3	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
3 – 4 years	B	11.6%	9.3 – 14.2%	12.9%	0.9×	658
3 – 4 years	C	9.1%	7.1 – 11.6%	4.3%	2.1×	658
5 – 6 years	B	15.2%	13.5 – 17.1%	13.8%	1.1×	1,487
5 – 6 years	C	10.6%	9.1 – 12.2%	4.8%	2.2×	1,487
7 – 8 years	B	15.7%	14.1 – 17.3%	15.7%	1.0×	1,959
7 – 8 years	C	10.9%	9.6 – 12.4%	5.2%	2.1×	1,959
9 – 10 years	B	17.4%	15.1 – 20.0%	15.8%	1.1×	906
9 – 10 years	C	10.4%	8.6 – 12.5%	5.8%	1.8×	906
11 – 12 years	B	17.5%	14.8 – 20.7%	17.5%	1.0×	639
11 – 12 years	C	15.3%	12.8 – 18.3%	6.4%	2.4×	639

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 11–12 years

Model	Tyres	Vs. national
BMW i i3	15.3%	2.4×
Toyota Prius III	14.7%	0.9×
Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447	22.9%	1.4×
Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212	14.9%	0.9×
Honda Insight II	15.0%	0.9×
Chevrolet Aveo II	19.4%	1.1×

Looking at a BMW i i3? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other BMW i i3s of the same age.

All weak spots of the BMW i i3 · Tyres: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the BMW i i3 often have tyres problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 11–12 years the inspector found a tyres defect on 15.3% of inspected BMW i i3s, against about 6.4% of all cars of the same age (2.4×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the tyres on a used BMW i i3?

Check the tread and look for uneven wear: that points to an alignment problem. The DOT code on the tyre tells its age.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know