BMW 8 Series Stalling: Could Rail Pressure Sensor Be Faulty?

Hey there! I've got some experience working on BMWs, consider me someone with some hands-on know-how. I had a pretty similar issue with my 2020 BMW 7 series (actually made me think about trading it for an M5 at the time). What you're describing sounds exactly like what I dealt with, all those same symptoms. Turned out it was indeed a faulty fuel rail pressure sensor. Had to take it to my trusted workshop, and they diagnosed it properly with their diagnostic tools. The repair itself wasn't too complex, but the parts and labor came to around 240 Euro. The new sensor fixed everything, idle smoothed out, power came back, and that annoying check engine light finally went away. The car's been running like a charm since then. Before I can help more specifically, could you share your engine variant and current mileage? That'll help me give you more relevant advice from my experience.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My 8 series has the gasoline engine with 105314 KM on the clock, and just had its service last month. Your situation does sound really similar to what I'm experiencing. Good to hear it was sorted with just a sensor replacement, definitely more encouraging than some of the scary scenarios I was imagining! Did you notice any warning signs before the sensor completely went bad? Also, did you experience any fuel consumption changes during this issue?

Hey again! Yeah, happy to share more about my experience with that sensor issue. My 7 series had around 98000 KM when it happened, so pretty close to your mileage. Actually, now that you mention fuel consumption, yes, I definitely noticed some changes. My car was drinking more fuel than usual, probably around 15-20% more before I got it fixed. Looking back, that should've been another warning sign. As for warning signs, absolutely. Before it got really bad, I noticed some occasional hesitation during acceleration, especially when the engine was cold. The idle would sometimes get a bit rough, but it would come and go. I initially brushed it off as maybe just bad fuel, but then it got progressively worse over about two weeks until all those symptoms you described kicked in full force. You know what's interesting? Since you mentioned you just had service last month, my issues started shortly after a service too. The technician later told me that sometimes the sensor can be affected by disturbance during routine maintenance. Not saying that's what happened in your case, but might be worth mentioning to your mechanic. Since the repair, I haven't had a single issue. Just make sure you get a quality OEM sensor, I made the mistake of considering an aftermarket one first, but my mechanic talked me out of it. Money well spent in the end.

Thanks for all those details! That's super helpful, especially about the fuel consumption and those early warning signs. Now that you mention it, I've been filling up more frequently lately but didn't connect the dots. And yeah, the timing with the recent service is interesting, definitely going to bring that up when I take it in. Think I'll follow your advice and go with the OEM sensor. No point trying to save a few bucks if it means risking more problems down the line. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, it's made me feel a lot more confident about what I'm dealing with. Will get it booked in with my mechanic tomorrow and hopefully get this sorted soon!