My BMW i5 says Drivetrain Malfunction and won't move. What happened?

Short answer: Pull over safely, turn the car fully off for a few minutes and restart. That cleared it for some owners. Either way, run your VIN for recall 25V395000, which updates motor software that can cut drive power, and get it to the dealer. If it won't move or the steering goes heavy, don't drive it. Have it flatbedded.

Symptom: The i5 shows Drivetrain Malfunction or several drive-related errors. It may still drive, refuse to move, or lose power steering.

What to check first

1. Get to a safe spot and do a full restart.
2. If steering is heavy or the car won't move, call BMW roadside.
3. Run your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for 25V395000 and 24V135000.
4. Take photos of every message for the dealer.
5. Note the conditions, such as heat or remote climate use.

Likely causes

1. Drive motor software (recall). NHTSA recall 25V395000 says the drive motor software on some 2024 i5s may shut down the high-voltage system and cut drive power.
2. High-voltage system part or sensor. One owner's car had a failed rotor position sensor, which tells the computer the motor's position. A tech on another car first suspected the 12V battery but found a high-voltage part.
3. Software glitch that clears. Several owners had the message once and never again after a reboot or dealer reset.

What it usually costs

Owners report repairs under warranty. Recall work is free.

Is it safe to keep driving?

No. If drive power or power steering is lost, it's not safe to drive. Have it towed.

DIY or shop?

Only a restart. An EV's high-voltage system can stay live with the car off. Leave the orange cables, the big battery and the charging hardware to a trained EV technician.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Related recalls: NHTSA lists 25V395000 for certain 2024 i5s (plus some i4, iX and i7): the electric drive motor software may shut down the high-voltage system, causing a loss of drive power. It also lists 24V135000 for certain 2024 i5 eDrive40s: a high-voltage battery module may have weak weld seams and could overheat. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Plain words: The complaint count below shows how often owners reported problems that mention these words to NHTSA. A count is not proof of a defect.
• NHTSA complaints: 17 keyword-matched complaints for BMW i5 2024–2026 (of 29 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-11-01; keywords: drivetrain, malfunction, power, steering, lost, stall, warning) (NHTSA returned no data for 2 model-year queries). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In 2nd drivetrain failure on Reddit r/BMWi5, a 2024 i5 owner got a drivetrain failure for the second time, and the first time the car refused to move. It happened both times on a hot day after turning on the A/C remotely. Another owner said theirs had a failed rotor position sensor. Later a BMW tech first thought it was the 12V but found a high-voltage part.
• In Drivetrain malfunction on Reddit r/BMWi5, an i5 owner got a Drivetrain Malfunction message though the car still drove normally. Some owners said it happened once and went away. Others said their car died mid-drive and had to be flatbedded, and one dealer called it a software glitch after testing.
• In Multiple Drive-Related Errors on Reddit r/BMWi5, a 2025 i5 eDrive40 showed several drive-related errors and lost power steering, so the owner had it flatbedded. Another owner said they'd had the same issue for six weeks and three dealer visits without a fix.

Quick tip

If the dealer says 'it just happens sometimes', ask whether the recall software is installed and ask for the fault codes in writing.

Vehicle focus: BMW i5 eDrive40, xDrive40 and M60, 2024-2026.

Safety / mechanic note

Loss of power or power steering is dangerous. Verify with a mechanic.