BMW 7 Hybrid Starting Problems, What's Behind It?

Hey there! I've got some experience working on BMWs (some experience with hybrids). I had a similar issue with my 2015 BMW 5 Series Hybrid last year. Initially thought it was the ignition switch too, but it turned out to be just a blown fuse! The symptoms were exactly like yours, unusual shutdowns and rough running. Took it to my trusted mechanic who diagnosed it pretty quick. The fix was really straightforward, just needed a fuse replacement that cost me 52 Euro. Since then, no more problems! I'd definitely suggest getting it checked out soon since these symptoms can sometimes point to more serious issues. Quick question though, how many miles/kilometers does your 7 Series have? Also, have you noticed any warning lights on the dash? This info would help me understand if you might be dealing with the same issue I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My 7 series has 109303 KM on the clock. Actually, no warning lights showing up on the dash, which makes it even more puzzling. I had it serviced last month and everything was fine until these issues started popping up about a week ago. I'll definitely check the fuses first since that's an easy fix, good tip! Did your car also struggle more during cold starts, or was it unusual throughout your drives?

Hey again! Thanks for the additional info about your 7 Series. You know, with my 5 Series, it was actually pretty unusual, not specifically during cold starts. But here's something interesting: after you mentioned the recent service, it reminded me that my issues started shortly after a routine service too! In my case, I later found out that during the service, they had to disconnect a few things to access some components, and one of the fuses wasn't properly seated when they put everything back together. That's what caused all those annoying symptoms. With 109k km, your car is pretty much in the same range as mine was when I had the problem (I was at around 98k km). Since you're not getting any warning lights, it does sound very similar to what I experienced. Quick suggestion, if you're going to check the fuses yourself, make sure to check both the main fuse box under the hood and the one in the cabin. Mine was actually in the cabin fuse box, which I initially overlooked. Keep me posted on what you find. If it turns out not to be the fuses, I might have a couple other ideas based on what I learned from my experience with these hybrids.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! Your tip about checking both fuse boxes is super helpful, I honestly wouldn't have thought to look in the cabin fuse box. And now that you mention it, my issues did start pretty soon after the service too. That can't be just a coincidence! I'm feeling much more optimistic now that this might be a simple fix rather than something major. I'll definitely start with checking all the fuses, especially looking for any that seem loose or not properly seated. If that doesn't solve it, I'd really appreciate hearing those other ideas you mentioned about hybrid-specific issues. Will let you all know what I find once I get a chance to check everything this weekend. Really appreciate everyone's help on this!