BMW Stalling & Rough Idle: Fix Your IAC Valve Issue

Had the same issue with my 2019 BMW 3 Series last month. The symptoms were identical, rough idle, stalling, and check engine light. Turned out the intake manifold was heavily contaminated with carbon deposits. The buildup was restricting proper airflow and messing with the air-fuel mixture. The technician had to do a complete intake cleaning and also replaced a faulty MAP sensor that was affected by the contamination. It was a serious issue that needed immediate attention to prevent further engine damage. If you're experiencing these symptoms, I'd suggest getting it checked soon. Carbon buildup is pretty common in direct injection engines, especially at higher mileage. Make sure you find a shop that specializes in German cars. My repair took about a day and a half to complete.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! Glad to hear you got it sorted. The carbon buildup and MAP sensor issue definitely sounds similar to what I'm dealing with. Just wondering, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? Really appreciate the help!

Hey there! Just wanted to follow up about the costs. Yeah, I had to shell out 425 € for the intake cleaning job, but it was totally worth it. My mechanic discovered it was indeed the idle air control valve causing trouble, just like yours. They fixed that along with clearing out all the gunk from the intake. Since getting it sorted last month, my BMW's been running like a dream, no more stalling or rough idling. The engine feels much smoother now, and that annoying check engine light hasn't come back on. Honestly, I'm kicking myself for not getting it checked sooner! The whole repair process was pretty straightforward, dropped it off in the morning and had it back the next day. If you're still on the fence about getting yours fixed, I'd say go for it. These issues usually don't fix themselves, and waiting too long might just lead to bigger problems down the road. Let me know if you need any other info!

Hey! I really appreciate all the detailed info! Actually, I bit the bullet and took my car to a new mechanic yesterday. You were right about the carbon buildup, that was exactly what was causing my issues! The mechanic found some extra problems with the sensors too, but nothing too major. The whole thing cost me about 500 €, a bit more than yours but they did some extra work. I'm just relieved it's fixed now! The car's running super smooth, no more stalling or weird noises. The check engine light is finally off too, which is such a relief. The funny thing is, the mechanic I found turned out to be amazing. They explained everything clearly and even showed me the dirty parts they cleaned out. Way better than my last experience! Guess sometimes you need a bad experience to appreciate a good one. Thanks again for pushing me to get it checked out, you probably saved me from bigger problems down the road!