BMW 6 Diesel Stalling: Fuel System Failure Warning Signs

Hey! I've got some experience working on cars, and this sounds similar to what I had with my 2011 BMW 5 Series diesel. Love those BMWs, currently also have a 3 Series! I had almost identical symptoms, engine light, stalling at idle, the works. Turned out to be a faulty wiring connection to the fuel pressure sensor. My mechanic found that the plug connection was corroded and causing intermittent signals. Got it sorted for about 95 Euro, they cleaned the connection and replaced a damaged cable. Before you go further, could you share: Have you noticed any loss in power? Does it happen more when the engine is cold or warm? What's the exact error code you're getting? This info would help nail down if it's the same issue I had.

Had the same issue with mine at 72380 KM! I actually took it to a specialist after trying to diagnose it myself. In my case, it turned out to be the fuel pressure regulator, not just the sensor or wiring. They replaced the regulator and it's been running smoothly since the last service. To answer your questions, yeah, I definitely noticed power loss, especially when accelerating, and it was way worse when the engine was cold. My diagnostic showed P0087 code. At first, I thought it was just the sensor like yours, but the problem was a bit deeper. Cost me more than your fix, around 350 total with parts and labor, but worth every penny. No more stalling or check engine lights since then.

Hey again! Thanks for sharing your experience. Yeah, these BMWs can be tricky sometimes, I remember being hopeful it was just a sensor issue like mine when you first posted, but I'm not surprised it turned out to be the regulator. Actually had to replace mine too about a year after the sensor incident I mentioned earlier. The symptoms do line up perfectly, that cold start issue is such a telltale sign. When mine started acting up again with the regulator, it was exactly like you described, power loss during acceleration and really rough cold starts. The P0087 code is pretty much the smoking gun for fuel pressure problems. 350 isn't too bad for a regulator replacement, to be honest. My regulator job ended up costing about 380 with everything included. These diesel fuel systems are pretty complex, and getting it done right is worth the investment. Glad to hear it's running smooth now! Nothing worse than dealing with unusual stalling, especially in a BMW that should be performing like a dream. How's it been holding up since the repair? Any other quirks you've noticed? These 6 series are fantastic when everything's working right.

Thanks for the detailed response! You're absolutely right about these BMWs, they're amazing when everything's working properly. The car's been running like a dream since the regulator replacement, which has been about 3 months now. No stalling, no power loss, and those cold starts are smooth as butter. Interesting that you had to replace yours too after the sensor issue. Makes me wonder if I should keep an eye on the sensor now, given how these things seem to be connected. But honestly, I'm just happy to have my car back to its old self. The 350 definitely stung at first, but like you said, it's worth paying for quality work on these engines. The only quirk I've noticed lately is a slight hesitation when shifting into second gear, but I think that's just me being paranoid after all this fuel system drama! Might get it checked during the next service just to be safe. Thanks again for all your help and sharing your experience, really helped me understand what I was dealing with!