Second Hand BMW i3 Door Lock Mechanism

The BMW i3 ran from 2013 to 2022, with a facelift arriving in 2017 that brought interior and exterior updates but no change to the fundamental door structure or count. The i3 was always a 5-door (4 passenger doors plus a rear hatch) with rear-hinged back doors, so the lock mechanism positions are consistent across the generation in principle. That said, whether a specific pre-facelift (2013–2017) lock mechanism crosses over to a post-facelift (2017–2022) car without issue is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration before buying.

Yes, door lock mechanisms are side-specific — the nearside (NS, passenger/left) and offside (OS, driver/right) units are handed and are not interchangeable. When getting a quote, always tell the breaker clearly whether you need NS or OS, and specify whether it is a front or rear door, as the i3's unusual rear-hinged back doors mean front and rear mechanisms are also different. Quoting your registration will help the breaker pull the right unit.

Yes, the BMW i3 does have door lock mechanisms — it is an electric vehicle but its doors use a conventional latch and lock mechanism that can fail just like any petrol or diesel car. The i3 has four passenger doors, with the rear doors being rear-hinged (sometimes called 'coach doors' or 'suicide doors'), which means the rear lock mechanisms are specific to that unusual door configuration. When sourcing a used part, make sure the breaker confirms front or rear and NS or OS to avoid getting an incompatible unit.

No, the trim or performance variant (standard i3 versus i3s) does not affect door lock mechanism fitment — the door structure and latch hardware are the same regardless of which variant you have. The i3s has cosmetic differences like wider arches and sportier styling, but these do not change the lock mechanism itself. Focus on confirming the model year, door position (front or rear), and side (NS or OS) rather than the trim level.

Both a 2014 and a 2016 i3 fall within the pre-facelift generation (2013–2017), so in principle the door architecture is the same and a mechanism from that era should be compatible. However, breakers may have seen minor running changes within a production run that are not always publicly documented, so it is worth having the breaker cross-reference both registrations before you commit. Always confirm NS/OS and front/rear door at the same time.

No — the presence or absence of the range-extender engine in the i3 Rex does not affect the doors or their lock mechanisms in any way. Door lock fitment is determined by the model generation, the door position (front or rear), and the side (NS or OS), none of which change based on the drivetrain. You can source a mechanism from either the pure-electric i3 or the i3 Rex without concern on that point.