BMW X3 Diesel: Surging Issues & Intake Manifold Troubles

Hey there! I have some experience working on cars, and I actually dealt with almost the exact same issue on my 2019 BMW X1 diesel last year. The symptoms you're describing are spot on with what I experienced, sluggish performance, rough running, and that distinct hissing sound. Took it to my regular workshop, and it turned out to be a faulty intake manifold control switch. The repair bill came to 465 Euro, including parts and labor. Since getting it fixed, the car runs like new again, no more jerking or hissing, and fuel economy is back to normal. Before I can offer more specific advice, could you share: Current mileage on your X3? Any warning lights on the dash? When did you first notice these symptoms? I've also owned the X5 before, so I'm pretty familiar with BMW diesels in general. Let me know those details, and I'll try to help further!

Thanks for the detailed response! My X3 has only done 6674 KM since new and had its last service two months ago. No warning lights on the dash yet, which is strange given the symptoms. The issues started about a week ago, getting progressively worse. What's really puzzling me is that it's happening on such a low-mileage vehicle. I'll definitely get it checked by my workshop, but good to know about the intake manifold control switch, I'll mention it to them. Did your car also have problems with black smoke when accelerating?

Hey again! Yeah, I remember dealing with this on my X1, and I actually did experience black smoke issues during acceleration, it's a classic symptom of this problem. It's really strange that your X3 is having these issues at such low mileage though. My X1 was around 45,000 KM when it started acting up. Just to share my experience further, before I got it fixed, the black smoke got worse over time, especially during hard acceleration. The weird thing is, like your case, I didn't get any warning lights either at first. They only showed up about two weeks after the initial symptoms started. The repair shop told me that sometimes these intake manifold control switches can fail prematurely due to manufacturing defects, regardless of mileage. Since your car is still pretty new, you should definitely be covered under warranty. That's way better than my situation, I had to pay out of pocket since my warranty had just expired. Just a heads up, when they fixed mine, they also found some carbon buildup in the intake system, which they cleaned out while they were in there. Might be worth asking them to check that too, even though your car is really new. Better safe than sorry! Let me know what your workshop says when you take it in. I'm curious if it turns out to be the same issue as mine.

Thanks so much for all this information, it's really helpful! The black smoke issue and your experience with the delayed warning lights make a lot of sense now. I've actually just booked my X3 in for tomorrow morning at the workshop. I'm relieved to hear it should be covered under warranty, and I'll definitely ask them to check for any carbon buildup while they're at it. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, it's given me a much better idea of what I'm dealing with. I'll probably post an update here once I get it sorted, in case anyone else runs into similar problems with their BMW diesel. The part about manufacturing defects causing premature failure makes total sense given my low mileage. I just hope they can get it fixed quickly, I've got a busy week ahead!