BMW 7 Series Timing Issue? Power Loss & Sensor Problems

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2002 BMW 5 series (also had a 3 series before). I've got some experience working on cars, mostly basic maintenance and troubleshooting. Those symptoms sound exactly like what I dealt with, engine light, poor performance, and high fuel consumption. Turned out my crankshaft sensor was failing. The metallic ticking noise had me worried at first, thinking it was something major. Took it to my trusted workshop, and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. The faulty sensor was causing incorrect timing readings, which messed with the engine's performance. Total repair cost me around 340 Euro, including parts and labor. Car's been running smoothly since then. What engine size does your 7 series have? Also, have you scanned for specific error codes? This could help confirm if we're dealing with the same issue.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My 7 has been giving me similar trouble. Currently at 134457 KM, and it was running fine until my last service. Mine's the 4.4L gas engine, but your sensor issue sounds pretty close to what I'm experiencing. Just got a reader to check the codes, getting P0335 and P0340, which seem to point toward those sensors you mentioned. Did you notice if your engine ran rougher in cold weather before you got it fixed? Also, how long did the repair take at your shop? Trying to figure out if I should plan for a rental while mine's being worked on. Thanks again for the feedback, it's really helpful to hear from someone who's been through this!

Hey again! Yeah, I remember the issues with my 5 series very well. Mine definitely ran rougher in cold weather before the fix, that morning start-up was always a bit nerve-wracking. The ticking noise was worse too until the engine warmed up properly. The actual repair only took about 4-5 hours at my shop. I dropped it off in the morning and picked it up late afternoon. Those P0335 and P0340 codes are exactly what I had, classic crankshaft and camshaft position sensor issues. Your mileage is pretty close to where mine started acting up too, around 130K. Just a heads up, while my mechanic was in there, they recommended changing both sensors at the same time, even though only one was failing. Said it saved on labor costs since they're already accessing everything. Made sense to me, and I haven't had any issues since. By the way, has your fuel consumption gotten really bad lately? Mine was drinking fuel like crazy, probably went up by about 20% before I got it fixed. The repair pretty much paid for itself in fuel savings within a few months. Let me know how it goes if you get it fixed. Always interested in hearing if others have the same experience with these BMWs.

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! Yes, my fuel consumption has gone through the roof, I'm filling up almost twice as often now. That's actually really encouraging to hear that fixing the sensors helped with your fuel economy. I've already called my mechanic and scheduled it for next week. I'll definitely take your advice about replacing both sensors at once. Makes total sense to do it all while they're in there, and I'd rather not have to deal with this again in a few months if the other sensor fails. My mechanic quoted me about 5 hours of work too, so that lines up with what you experienced. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It's given me peace of mind knowing this is probably just a sensor issue and not something more serious with the engine. I'll update the thread once I get it fixed in case anyone else runs into similar problems with their BMW. Thanks again for all your help!