BMW: A Final Goodbye – Tech Weekly

To clarify, I never truly viewed myself as a car enthusiast. My driving journey has included an old vintage Volvo with a hole in the floor, along with more practical choices like a VW Golf and a Mazda SUV that has reliably served me for over a decade. Ultimately, I decided to lease a BMW i4 electric vehicle.

What drew me to the i4? Unlike many electric vehicles, BMWs exude a timeless elegance rather than an overly futuristic look; they are sophisticated cars that just happen to be electric. Their distinctiveness compared to other EVs in Northern California also caught my eye. Furthermore, the i4 boasts various color options, such as “Brooklyn Gray,” which offered me more satisfaction than Tesla’s limited color choices ever could. While I was aware that early adopters faced some software issues, I pushed those concerns aside, captivated by my new BMW. Those initial drives were exhilarating; the car was beautiful, the ride was smooth, and the entire experience was a thrill.

Fast forward almost two years, and I find myself in an unexpected predicament: eagerly anticipating the end of my lease on this luxury vehicle due to software glitches that make my old, rusty Volvo seem surprisingly dependable.

A love story turned sour

Let’s explore how this relationship deteriorated, starting with the most basic task: entering my car. Time and again, I’ve been stuck in parking lots unable to unlock the doors with my phone, even though the BMW Digital Key is specifically designed for that. While this may seem trivial, it’s a considerable inconvenience, especially when I’m juggling melting groceries while trying to open my own vehicle.

The recurring digital key issues have become so prevalent that BMW owners now share complicated, multi-step workarounds akin to bomb disposal instructions: “1. Open the BMW app on your phone to unlock the door. 2. Log into your BMW ID in iDrive. 3. Place your iPhone in the charging tray. 4. Wait for the digital key to appear in the Wallet app. 5. Double-tap the side button, confirm with Face ID, and—finally—start the car.”

Another major source of frustration is the user profile system. I’ve had a tough time creating guest profiles without losing my own settings. Practically, if anyone else drives my car even once, it automatically syncs with their phone and playlists as soon as they enter Bluetooth range. BMW has complicated the profile system to the point where specific linking steps are necessary when it should be straightforward.

The CarPlay integration is either subpar or genuinely troublesome. Software updates frequently disrupt CarPlay functionality, requiring complete reboots of the iDrive system. The reverse camera issue is particularly frustrating; when you switch to reverse using CarPlay navigation and then back into drive, you are redirected to the home screen instead of continuing your directions.

Additionally, the backup camera is nearly useless in low-light conditions, and the screen often becomes excessively hot to touch.

Let’s also address the lighting issues. If I forget to manually lock the car after exiting, I may return to find the exterior lights still illuminated. Initially, I attributed this to my own forgetfulness, but after the third occurrence, I discovered it’s a “feature” where the i4 enters a “pseudo-sleep mode,” keeping lights and other systems active indefinitely. Numerous owners have shared similar experiences: park the car, walk away, and return to find it shining like a beacon, draining the battery.

Beyond the feeling that the car suffers from daily lapses in memory, there are serious safety concerns as well. The 2022 i4 had six recalls in its first year, including one related to a fire hazard while parked, leading BMW to advise owners to “stop driving immediately.” Subsequently, additional recalls were issued due to battery control units that could result in sudden power failures.

BMW does roll out software updates for the i4 every few months, but the process is complicated. Updates often disrupt connected services, resulting in lost traffic information, weather updates, remote parking features, and even connectivity through the MyBMW app.

The over-the-air update system itself is prone to unreliability, with reports of updates freezing at various percentages for days and often necessitating a trip to the dealership for manual installation.

What’s particularly exasperating is that BMW markets these vehicles as premium products. If you decide to purchase rather than lease, the i4 starts at over $50,000, with fully equipped models exceeding $70,000. In contrast, owners of more budget-friendly brands like Hyundais and Lexuses report strong connectivity and seamless user experiences.

I’m not implying that the company hastily brought these cars to market without adequate testing of their digital systems, treating customers as beta testers with little regard for their concerns, but I’m also not dismissing that possibility.

I genuinely hoped for this relationship to flourish. The i4 is stunning, drives beautifully, and embodies everything I believed I wanted in an electric vehicle. However, I can’t sustain a relationship where basic functions—like unlocking doors, syncing my phone, and obtaining navigation—require constant persistence. (Regrettably, I lack such saintly patience.)

Even my tech-savvy husband, who usually attributes issues to user error, recently exited the car after a particularly irritating software glitch, saying he would “need to meditate for a bit.”

Owning a vehicle shouldn’t be a continuous source of frustration. I shouldn’t have to maintain a mental checklist of workarounds for features that should operate effortlessly. I shouldn’t dread software updates for fear they might disrupt something that was (mostly) functioning.

So, BMW, I’ve reached my breaking point. You crafted a beautiful car, but marred it with software that is so flawed it crosses into the absurd. I imagined us riding off into the sunset together. Instead, I am returning my i4 to the dealership as my lease concludes, and surprisingly, I can’t wait.