After 8 months, we have not been able to resolve the issue with the restoration of the PMSM electric motor for a BMW i3 with 183,000 km on the odometer. The motor stopped working after the outer bearing near the resolver sensor failed. The owner ignored the motor’s whining noise until the bearing completely failed, damaging the entire resolver sensor and the resolver hub on the rotor. Unfortunately, the resolver cannot be purchased separately, and the same applies to the resolver hub.
The bearings are commercially available, but the problem is further complicated by the unsustainable design of the electric motor. The resolver is unnecessarily fixed in place instead of using a keyway, as other manufacturers do, which would allow for safe disassembly and servicing of the motor. Although the motor is extremely reliable, designing systems that are not maintainable makes no sense; in short, such designs should be completely prohibited.
We even managed to adjust the clearance for the position and found another original sensor, but the vehicle still throws the error “2223E0 – Inverter, Controller voltages” precisely at 60 km/h. This adds to the confusion, suggesting that there is an additional fault in the inverter, which turned out to be an inaccurate diagnostic assessment by the system itself.
BMW has been a leader in e-mobility in Europe. By contrast, many other legacy manufacturers have struggled to produce EVs at the same reliability level. However, poor decisions in manufacturing powertrain systems that are not sustainable in the long term could permanently jeopardize the prospects of the only true EV leader in Europe.
Interestingly, this drive unit is still being produced and is found in the Dacia Spring. Besides Tesla, BMW is the only manufacturer offering realistic prices for EV parts, with this motor selling for around €4,500 including VAT (Stellantis €13,000, VAG €10,000, etc.).
In this case, the repair of the BMW failed; the owner purchased a used motor, which we installed, and everything worked immediately. If your motor is making a loud whining noise, you might consider preventive repair before the bearing and resolver are damaged. Several colleagues have reported experiencing the same problem, with repairs also being unsuccessful when resolver damage occurred. It is therefore to be expected that the lifespan of the electric motor in the BMW i3 is around 200,000 km, and repair outcomes may be uncertain. This is first electric motor nobody succeeded to repair it.
DTC Code: 2223E0 – Inverter, Controller voltages
Part number: 27217613560-06, 12377626083, 0-2177512-1, 1237762607603,
OEM : 4500€
EVC: –
Hi, this summer we made a video in the Czech Republic describing the technology of the BMW i3.
I managed to create subtitles for the video (in English, German, French, and Spanish).
By the way, the video explains why people who tried to replace the motor bearings were unsuccessful. If you have any meaningful insights or ideas, feel free to write to me.
Thank you, Havrla.
Hi Havrla,
Can you share the link to the video?
I could not find it on the „evclinic“-Youtubechannel.
Best regards
Simon
https://www.youtube.com/@evclinic/videos
I know that this is the evclinlic youtube channel.
Unfortunately I cannot find any videos about the mentioned defect of the i3 there.
I used the following search terms:
– “i3”
– “bmw”
– “decoder”
– “bearing”
There just is no video showing this 🙁
Maybe it is yet set to private or on another channel I don’t know.
Maybe you or Havrla could look into this.
Best regards
Simon
Looks like a lot of the bearing is dust now…
Here in Slovenia i just got one I3 with buzsaw noise in the bearings. We removed the motor off the car and split it in halfh. I replaced both bearings with commercial SKF high speed bearings. You need a high hydraulic press…and a lot of bushing dimensions to choose from :).
Then i also replaced coolant O rings. I carefully applied spline grease which i got from BMW in a small 30ml pack.
The thing that gave me most grief was just resolver, its inner running core. It is pressed onto the shaft and it requires prepositioning of shaft and a complicated steel bushing. Warning!!! This bushing is there simply to keep the bearing fixed from the outside.
When fitting the resolver you can easily get it offset if you do not apply markings to inner shaft AND outer bushing together with resolver core before dissassembly!!!
When we finished and closed all the panels and returned power to its brain, we tested the I3 with wheels up, but it only gavve us limited speed because ABS would see front wheels stationary. No biggie, we went for a drive and we passed clear of 100km/h. I guess we doged the bullet no?
Hi
No need for blackmail or any other type of harassing/spamming. We already have solution and repaired 3 of them. But repair doesnt apply always if resolver hub or resolver is damaged and changed.
Hi
Antispam automaticly blocks unwanted links or anything else. Promotion of other channels is not possible here, it is considered spamming and unfairly and unsupportingly activity.
Thank you for the explanation. However, it goes against our mission — to provide electric vehicle owners with information about faults and possible repairs.
Hi
It goes against our missin to spam our comment section where we provide EV owners with information, technical documentation, trainings and services. If EV owner needs help we are here to assist.