BMW X4 Fuel System Issues: Stalling and Gas Odors

Hey there! I've got some experience with BMWs (not a pro, but I've dealt with a few issues). Had a very similar problem with my 2016 BMW X3. The symptoms were almost identical, CEL, rough idle, and that nasty fuel smell. Turned out to be a defective activated charcoal filter in the evap system. My mechanic diagnosed and fixed it for about 275 Euro, not the cheapest repair but definitely worth it to get rid of those symptoms. Can you share your current mileage and whether you've had any recent fuel system work done? Also, are you getting any specific error codes? This could help narrow down if we're dealing with the same issue. BTW, if it is the charcoal filter, don't put it off too long. It'll only get worse and could lead to more problems down the line.

Thanks for sharing that experience! I'm at 56242 KM and just had my regular service last month. Haven't had any fuel system work done recently. When the CEL came on, I pulled the codes using my 's scanner and got P0456 and P0457. Your X3 situation does sound really similar to what I'm experiencing. The fuel smell is especially noticeable after parking in my garage. This definitely gives me a good starting point with the charcoal filter, I'll have my mechanic take a look at it specifically. Much appreciated for the heads up about not waiting too long!

Hey again! Yeah, those codes (P0456 and P0457) definitely confirm what I suspected, they're both related to the evap system, just like what I dealt with on my X3. The fuel smell in the garage is exactly what I experienced too. It was most noticeable after driving for a while and then parking in an enclosed space. After replacing the charcoal filter, that smell disappeared completely. Since you mentioned you're at 56242 KM, that's pretty much around the same mileage where mine started acting up. The regular service probably wouldn't have caught this since it's not typically part of routine maintenance. One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier reply, when my mechanic was fixing it, he also found that the rubber gaskets around the filter had deteriorated a bit, which was making the problem worse. Might be worth having those checked too while they're in there. It only added a small amount to the total repair cost but gave extra peace of mind. Let me know how it goes after you get it checked out. Always good to compare notes on these things!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! The bit about the rubber gaskets is super helpful, I'll definitely mention that to my mechanic when I take it in tomorrow. Made an appointment right after reading your first message since I didn't want to risk making things worse. It's such a relief to hear someone else had the exact same problem and got it sorted without any major drama. The mileage similarity is pretty striking too. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Will update you once I get it fixed, hoping it'll be the same straightforward fix you had with the charcoal filter and gaskets. Fingers crossed it doesn't turn into anything more complicated!