BMW 1 Series EGR Issues: Symptoms and Solutions

Hey there! I have some experience working on cars, and I dealt with very similar issues on my 2019 BMW 2 series last year. Those symptoms sound exactly like what I experienced. The check engine light, rough running, and that annoying exhaust smell were driving me crazy. Took it to my regular workshop, and they diagnosed a faulty lambda sensor. Total bill came to 375 Euro including parts and labor. Since then, the car's been running like new again, no more check engine light or emissions issues. Could you share more details about your car, like the engine size and current mileage? That would help me better understand if you're dealing with the same problem I had. Let me know if you need more specific info about the repair process!

Thanks for sharing your experience! My 1 series just hit 102,149 KM and had its latest service two months ago. Given what you're describing with your car, it does sound pretty similar to what I'm experiencing. Good to know it might be the lambda sensor, that's actually a bit of relief since I was worried it could be something more serious with the catalytic converter. Did you notice any other warning lights or weird behavior before you got it fixed? Just wondering if I should look out for anything else before I take it to the shop.

Hey again! Yes, definitely happy to share more about what happened with my 2 series. Before I got the lambda sensor replaced, I did notice a few other things that might be helpful for you to know about. The main issue started with occasional stuttering during acceleration, especially when the engine was cold. Then I started getting this intermittent flashing from the engine management light, it wasn't constant at first, but eventually stayed on. The weird thing was, my car had about 98,000 KM when these issues started, pretty close to where you're at now. And yeah, I totally get that relief about it not being the catalytic converter! I was worried about the same thing. The lambda sensor is way more common and much cheaper to fix. Just make sure they check both sensors though, my mechanic explained that there's usually one before and one after the catalytic converter. In my case, it was the front one that had failed. The only other thing I noticed was slightly higher fuel consumption before getting it fixed, but it wasn't dramatic. Once they replaced the sensor, everything went back to normal pretty much immediately. The engine smoothed out, the smell disappeared, and my fuel economy improved too. Let me know how it goes when you get it checked out!

Thanks so much for all the details! It's really helpful to hear about your experience, especially since our cars had such similar mileage when the problems started. I've actually noticed that same stuttering during cold starts and the increased fuel consumption you mentioned, but I hadn't connected the dots until now. I'll definitely make sure they check both lambda sensors when I take it in. I've already booked an appointment for next week at my regular shop. Really hoping it'll be as straightforward a fix as yours was. The fact that everything went back to normal right after the repair is super encouraging. I'll update this thread once I get it sorted out, might help someone else dealing with the same issue down the line. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience. It's made me feel a lot better about the whole situation!