BMW X2 Misfire and Starting Issues: Sensor Problems?

Hey there! I have some experience working on BMWs, and this sounds really familiar. Had a similar issue with my 2021 BMW X1 last year. The symptoms were almost identical, rough starts, misfiring, and the car felt seriously underpowered. Took it to my regular workshop and turned out it was indeed a sensor issue, but not the camshaft sensor itself. The problem was actually a loose connection in the wiring harness leading to the sensor. The mechanic found a damaged plug that was causing intermittent connection problems. Total repair was 95 Euro, mostly labor costs for diagnosing and fixing the connection. Can you share which error code you're getting? Also, does the problem happen more when the engine is cold or warm? This info would help figure out if you're dealing with the same issue I had. If you want, let me know the exact error code and I could help you narrow it down further.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's showing similar symptoms but interestingly, it happens more when the engine's warm. I just had my service at 176,767 KM, and everything was fine until last week. The error code I'm getting is P0340, which points to the camshaft position sensor circuit. The weird thing is that the problem seems to get worse during longer drives. I've checked the connector visually and it looks clean, no obvious damage or loose connections. Given your experience with the wiring harness, I'll definitely have that checked out. Did your car also have any issues with acceleration when the problem occurred?

Hey again! Thanks for following up with those details. Yeah, when I had my wiring issue, the acceleration was definitely affected, especially during highway driving when the engine was warm, just like you're experiencing. The P0340 code is exactly what I got too! Looking back, what's interesting is that I also checked my connections at first and everything looked fine on the surface. But when the mechanic did a deeper inspection, they found that the wiring was actually damaged inside the insulation, you couldn't see it just by looking at the connector. The symptoms getting worse during longer drives is super familiar. My car would start okay-ish in the morning but would begin acting up after about 15-20 minutes of driving. The engine would start missing badly and the power would drop significantly. Sometimes it felt like the car was going to stall at traffic lights. Since you've just had your service done, I'd actually suggest getting it back to the workshop ASAP. You might want them to specifically check the entire wiring path from the sensor to the ECU. In my case, the wire was chafing against a bracket, which wasn't obvious until they traced the whole route. Just a heads up, if it is the same issue I had, don't wait too long to get it fixed. I kept driving mine for a couple weeks and ended up causing some minor damage to my catalytic converter from all the misfiring. Let me know how it goes, okay? Really curious if it turns out to be the same problem!

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! You've honestly made me feel a lot better about the situation. The similarities between our issues are striking, especially the part about it getting worse during longer drives and the same error code. I'm definitely going to take your advice and get it back to the workshop right away. Really don't want to risk any damage to the catalytic converter. I just called my mechanic and managed to get an appointment for tomorrow morning. I specifically mentioned the wiring harness issue and the possibility of hidden damage to the cables. It's such a relief to know someone else has dealt with this exact problem and got it sorted without any major repairs. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, it's been super helpful. I'll make sure to update the thread once I get it fixed, in case anyone else runs into similar issues with their BMW in the future!