BMW X3 Rough Idle and Stalling: Fuel Sensor Problems?

Hey there! I've got some experience with BMWs, I'd say low to medium expertise level. Had a pretty similar issue with my 2012 BMW X1 2.0L last year. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I went through, rough engine, stalling, jerking, the whole deal. Took it to my trusted workshop and turned out it was just a loose connector on one of the wiring harnesses. The mechanic found a damaged cable connection that was causing intermittent signal issues. Quick fix, cost me 95 Euro for diagnostics and repair. I was actually relieved since I initially thought it might be something much worse! Before I share more specific details about my experience, could you share: Have you scanned for error codes? Did these symptoms start suddenly or gradually? Does it happen more when the engine is cold or warm? By the way, how's your X3 been otherwise? The F25s are generally solid cars, but electrical gremlins can pop up sometimes.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My X3 has been great until now, just had its service at 21071 KM and this issue started about a week after. I did get it scanned and got P0089 code. The symptoms came on pretty suddenly, was fine one day, then started acting up the next. Seems to happen regardless of engine temp, but maybe slightly worse when cold. Really interesting about your X1's wiring issue, gives me hope it might be something simple like that rather than a major repair. I'll definitely have the mechanic check the connections first. Just hoping it won't turn into something crazy expensive since these cars can be pricey to fix!

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your X3. Yeah, that P0089 code definitely points to the fuel system, but I'm not totally convinced it's the pressure sensor. When I had my X1 issue, I initially got a similar code and jumped to conclusions about sensors too. You know what's interesting, the timing of your problem starting right after the service makes me think. Could be a connection that wasn't properly secured during maintenance. That's actually pretty similar to what happened with my X1, except mine started acting up after I had the intake manifold cleaned. Given our shared experiences with these BMW 2.0L engines, I'd suggest having them check all the connections and wiring around the fuel rail first. My repair turned out to be super simple, and yours might be too. The symptoms are so similar it's almost scary, especially that jerking during acceleration, that was the worst part for me! Just keep in mind though, even if it's not the same loose connector issue I had, most fuel system problems on these engines aren't catastrophic. Have you noticed any change in fuel consumption since this started? That was another symptom I forgot to mention earlier, my X1 was drinking fuel like crazy when this was happening.

Thanks for such a detailed response! You've got me feeling more optimistic now. Actually, I haven't checked the fuel consumption, been too focused on the rough running, but now that you mention it, I feel like I've been filling up more frequently. I'll start tracking that. I called my workshop and mentioned what you said about checking the connections first, especially since this started after the service. They agreed it's worth looking at before jumping to replacing parts. Got an appointment for tomorrow morning. Really appreciate you sharing your X1 experience, it's super helpful to know these symptoms might have a simple fix. I'll update once I know what's actually causing it. Here's hoping it's just a loose connection like yours was! The fact that it started right after service does make me think you might be onto something there.