BMW i3 Bad KLE / Swap w 11k

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incogma
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2026 12:48 am

BMW i3 Bad KLE / Swap w 11k

Post by incogma »

I have a 2016 i3 BEV. It only charges via DC fast charge right now and I believe I’ve isolated it to the KLE. I bought the car at an auction and was able to bring it back to life with a new 12v from Remy and a DC fast charge. However, I’ve tried 2 different level 1 chargers and a level 2 charger and all fail with the error “Insufficient Grid Power”. I’ve confirmed my AC terminals at the chargers run about 236-239v normally.

I’m considering a KLE swap as it looks straight forward and I’m
used to working with high voltage DC from
solar. However, I saw mention to the newer 11kW i3 chargers which I believe were added in 2018.

Does anyone know if the 11kW 2018+ variant of the i3 charger could be coded to work on a 2016 i3 with ISTA+ etc?
AT118
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2026 9:54 am
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Re: BMW i3 Bad KLE / Swap w 11k

Post by AT118 »

Just yesterday, I replaced the old KLE in my 2014 REX BMW i3 with new that supports 3 phases. DC charging and phase 1 charging via the EME started working right away. The phase 2 charger detects voltage, but it hasn't started yet. I'll figure out what's wrong.

The wires, tubes, and the KLE unit itself need to be replaced.
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