I'm pulling my hair out here. My 2016 Mini Clubman diesel has developed a fault with the inlet VANOS mechanics. The check engine light is on, and the fuel consumption is awful. I suspect it's a dodgy camshaft solenoid valve. Am I on the right track?

Mini Clubman Diesel VANOS Fault

Sounds familiar. I had similar check engine light issues and higher fuel consumption with my old Vauxhall, although it wasn't a BMW VANOS system, it was variable timing. Have you checked the VANOS solenoid? Could be a power supply issue. It's like a clogged artery in your car's engine.

Yeah, by power supply I mean the electrical connection to the VANOS solenoid itself. Make sure it's getting power. Honestly, given the BMW VANOS system's complexity, and if you're not experienced, it might be worth getting it checked at a workshop before things get worse. It can get expensive to fix.

So, when you say power supply, what exactly are you referring to? Because I am not sure where to start looking for that. Could the timing chain be involved?

Cheers for the advice. Ended up biting the bullet and taking my Mini Clubman diesel to a workshop. Turns out it was a faulty VANOS solenoid as suspected. 250€ later and it's running smoothly again. Check engine light is gone too!