BMW 3 Hybrid Stalling: Air Pump System Issues?

Hey there! I have some experience with car repairs, and I actually faced a similar issue with my 2014 BMW 5 Series Hybrid (coming from a BMW 7 Series before). Your symptoms sound very familiar to what I experienced. My car was showing the exact same signs, jerking, stalling, and that annoying check engine light. After taking it to my trusted workshop, they found that the hose connection from the pump to the valve was defective. The fix wasn't too complicated, but it set me back about 175 Euro. Since then, everything's been running smoothly. Before I share more specific details about my repair experience, could you share: Have you noticed any unusual sounds from the engine bay? When exactly does the jerking occur (cold start, during acceleration)? Does it happen more frequently during specific weather conditions? This info would help me give you more relevant advice based on my experience.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's got 145,162 KM on the clock and was last serviced about 2 months ago. Actually, I've been noticing a slight whistling sound from the engine bay, especially during cold starts. The jerking mostly happens when I'm accelerating from a stop, and it seems worse on colder mornings. Your experience with the hose connection issue is really helpful, I'll definitely have my mechanic check that first. The price doesn't sound too bad either, considering how much BMW repairs usually cost. Was the repair pretty quick, or did they need to keep your car for a while?

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your BMW. Interesting that you're hearing that whistling sound, that's exactly what I heard with mine before getting it fixed! When I had the hose connection issue, my mechanic kept the car for about half a day. The repair itself wasn't too time-consuming, maybe 2-3 hours, but they wanted to run additional tests to make sure everything was working properly. The symptoms you're describing, especially the whistling during cold starts and the jerking during acceleration, are almost identical to what I experienced. Speaking from my experience, I'd strongly recommend getting it checked soon. In my case, waiting too long made the jerking worse, and I started noticing decreased fuel efficiency too. However, since you mentioned your car was serviced recently, you might want to contact that same service center, they might have noticed something during the last service that could be related. Just a heads up, when they fixed mine, they also found some minor wear on the air pump itself, but it didn't need replacement yet. They suggested keeping an eye on it though. Might be worth asking your mechanic to check that too while they're at it. Let me know how it goes after you get it checked out, I'm curious to see if it's the same issue I had!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! This is exactly the kind of first-hand experience I was hoping to get. The similarities between our issues are pretty striking, especially that whistling sound. I'll definitely get it checked out this week, no point in waiting and risking more problems like the fuel efficiency issues you mentioned. I still have the contact details from my recent service, so I'll give them a call tomorrow. Good tip about having them check the air pump wear too. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and follow-up advice. It's always nerve-wracking dealing with car issues, but knowing someone else successfully resolved the same problem makes me feel much better about it. I'll update you once I get it sorted. Thanks again for your help!