BMW i3 Airbag Replacement Parts

The BMW i3 ran as a single generation from its UK launch in 2013, with a facelift arriving in 2017, so a 2014 car sits in the pre-facelift phase and a 2018 car sits in the post-facelift phase — and you should confirm with the breaker whether the airbag from one phase crosses that 2017 boundary before buying, as trim and interior updates may affect compatibility. Specify your registration and the exact airbag location (dashboard, steering wheel, door, seat) when you contact the breaker. Airbags are safety-critical, single-use components, so professional fitting by a qualified technician is strongly recommended.

For airbags, the engine or range-extender setup does not affect fitment — what matters is the generation, the specific trim or interior specification (since seat and interior trim varies), and the exact location of the airbag (for example NS or OS seat-mounted airbag). If your car has an upgraded interior trim such as Lodge, Loft, or Suite, confirm with the breaker that the seat-mounted airbag matches your seat type, as seat construction can differ between specifications. Airbags are safety-critical parts and must be fitted by a qualified professional.

A 2016 i3 is pre-facelift and a 2019 i3 is post-facelift (the facelift arrived in 2017), so these sit either side of a known model update — name both your registration and the donor car's registration to the breaker, and ask them to confirm whether that specific airbag crosses the facelift boundary safely. The location of the airbag (steering wheel, dashboard, curtain, seat) also needs to match exactly. Because airbags are safety-critical and single-use after deployment, always have the replacement fitted by a qualified technician.

Yes — side absolutely matters for seat-mounted airbags; a nearside (NS, passenger) airbag is not interchangeable with an offside (OS, driver) airbag, so always specify which side you need when requesting a quote from a breaker. You should also confirm the generation and interior trim specification of the donor car matches yours, as seat construction varies across i3 trim levels. Airbags are safety-critical components, so professional fitting is essential.

Year does matter because the i3 received a facelift in 2017, and interior components including airbags may differ between pre-2017 and post-2017 cars — so always give the breaker both your registration and the donor car's details rather than relying on year alone. You should also specify the exact airbag type and location (for example steering wheel, dashboard, curtain, or seat-mounted) since these are not interchangeable with one another. As a safety-critical, single-use part, a used airbag should only be sourced from a reputable breaker and fitted by a qualified professional.

Interior trim levels such as Suite, Lodge, and Loft can involve different seat constructions on the i3, and seat-mounted airbags are built into the seat itself, so there is a real possibility that the airbag from a different trim specification may not be a straight swap — confirm with the breaker that the donor car's seat specification matches yours before purchasing. For non-seat airbags such as the steering wheel or curtain airbag, trim level is less likely to be a differentiator, but generation and facelift phase (pre- or post-2017) still apply. Airbags are safety-critical and single-use, so professional fitting is mandatory.