BMW 1 Series Diesel Cold Start and Power Issues Fixed

Hey there! I had similar issues with my 2008 BMW 3 Series diesel last winter. Initially thought it was just cold weather being tough on the car, but turned out more serious. My symptoms matched yours, hard starts, increased fuel consumption, and reduced power. In my case, the cylinder pressure problems were actually secondary to a failed fuel injector. The faulty injector was causing uneven fuel distribution, which then led to carbon build-up and cylinder pressure issues. The warning light came on because the engine computer detected the irregular combustion pattern. Got it fixed after getting a second opinion from another garage. They had to replace two injectors and clean the manifold to sort everything. It was quite a job, took them three days to complete everything. The engine's running like new now though, definitely worth getting it checked properly. With those symptoms on a diesel engine, particularly at that mileage, I wouldn't wait too long to get it looked at. The longer you run it with injection problems, the more likely you'll face additional issues. Hope this helps.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Glad to hear you got it sorted out. Would you mind telling me roughly what you ended up paying for the whole repair? Just trying to get an idea of potential costs. Also, has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other issues pop up?

Hey again! Happy to give you an update! My issue actually got resolved pretty smoothly after I took it to the mechanic. The cylinder pressure fluctuation was just a consequential error from those faulty injectors I mentioned before. Since they were still under warranty from a previous repair, fixing it didn't cost me anything, pretty lucky there, I know! The car's been running like a dream since the fix, no more cold start issues, fuel consumption is back to normal, and the power's fully restored. It's been about 8 months now, and I haven't had a single problem pop up. Actually, my last fuel economy check showed it's performing better than before all this started. The engine's so quiet now, sometimes I have to double-check if it's running when I'm stopped! Really makes you realize how much those little issues can impact performance when they're not dealt with. If you're experiencing similar symptoms, I'd definitely recommend getting it checked out sooner rather than later, these things rarely fix themselves, and waiting usually just leads to bigger problems. Let me know if you need any other info!

Thanks for all that info, really helpful! You know what, I actually bit the bullet and took mine to a different mechanic last week. Similar to your case, turned out to be injector-related, but I also needed a new glow plug. Cost me quite a bit, around 800 for parts and labor. Not cheap, but I figured it was better than letting it get worse. The mechanic I found was great actually, really took the time to explain everything and even showed me the old parts. Such a difference from my last experience! Car's running so much better now, starts right up even in the cold, and I'm not burning through fuel like before. Funny thing is, I was so worried about going to another mechanic after my last bad experience, but this turned out to be exactly what the car needed. Should've done it sooner honestly. Thanks again for sharing your story, it really gave me the push I needed to get it sorted!