BMW M2 Idle Struggles: Help with Engine Stalling Issues

Hey there! Your symptoms sound very familiar. I had similar issues with my 2016 BMW M4 last year, rough idle, stalling, and CEL. Turned out my intake was heavily contaminated, causing inconsistent air-fuel mixture. The carbon buildup was pretty serious, especially around the intake valves. Had to get a thorough intake cleaning done and replace the idle control valve. It was a serious job that took about 6-7 hours at the shop. These direct injection engines are prone to carbon buildup, and when it gets bad enough, you get exactly those symptoms you're describing. Definitely get it checked soon, if it is carbon buildup, it'll only get worse and could lead to more expensive repairs down the line. The cleaning made a massive difference in my car's performance, smooth idle, better throttle response, no more stalling. Hope this helps with your decision.

Yeah I definitely agree with that diagnosis. Had almost exactly the same thing happen with my M2, the carbon buildup was crazy! Got it sorted out eventually and it's been running like a dream since. Quick question though, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole job? Also, has everything stayed running smooth since the repair, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? Just trying to get an idea of what I might be in for with mine.

Hey again! Just to follow up, yeah, the whole job ended up costing me 425 € for the intake cleaning and fixing the bad idle air control valve. I'd say it was money well spent because the car's been running absolutely perfect since then. It's been about 8 months now, and honestly, no other issues have popped up at all. The difference in how the car runs is like night and day, no more unusual stalling, idle's super smooth, and the engine feels much more responsive. My mechanic showed me pictures of the carbon buildup they cleaned out, and it was pretty shocking how gunked up everything was! Just keep in mind these direct injection engines tend to get this buildup over time, so it's kind of a maintenance thing we've got to deal with. But since the cleaning, I've been really strict about using top-tier fuel and changing oil on schedule, which seems to help keep things running clean. Trust me, once you get it sorted, you'll be amazed at how much better your M2 runs. Worth every penny in my opinion!

Thanks a lot for sharing that info! Actually, I bit the bullet and took it to a new mechanic yesterday. You won't believe it, the carbon buildup was even worse than what I expected! The mechanic was great though, really knew his stuff about BMWs. Showed me everything step by step. Ended up paying about the same as you did, and honestly, the difference is incredible. The idle's super smooth now, no more unusual dying, and that annoying check engine light is finally off. The mechanic also gave me some solid tips about preventing future buildup, premium fuel and regular maintenance, just like you mentioned. Funny thing is, I was so worried about finding a good mechanic after my last bad experience, but this guy turned out to be fantastic. Way better than that last shop I went to. The car's running like new again, and I couldn't be happier with the result. Thanks again for pushing me in the right direction with this!