BMW X3 VANOS Issues? Rough Idle & Power Loss Solutions

I had similar issues with my 2014 BMW X5 last year. The symptoms matched yours exactly, rough idle, poor acceleration, and increased fuel consumption. Based on my experience, it turned out to be a faulty camshaft solenoid valve in the VANOS system. The garage diagnosed it using proper BMW diagnostic equipment. They found one of the solenoid valves wasn't getting proper power supply and needed replacement. It wasn't a super serious issue, but it needed immediate attention to prevent potential damage to the engine. The repair took about 4-5 hours including diagnostics. They also recommended checking the electrical connections and cleaning the VANOS unit while they were at it. Make sure to get a proper diagnosis from a shop that specializes in BMW repairs. These symptoms could be related to other issues, but given your mileage and my experience, the VANOS system is a likely culprit. Skip the general repair shops, you need someone who knows these engines well.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! That's really interesting that you had such a similar issue with your X5. Been meaning to ask, do you remember roughly how much the whole repair set you back? Also, curious to know if you've had any other VANOS-related problems since getting it fixed? My car's still playing up a bit and I'm trying to get a sense of what I might be in for cost-wise. Cheers!

Hey there! Yes, I got the inlet VANOS fixed at a BMW specialist and it cost me 250 € in total, that covered fixing the faulty camshaft solenoid valve and power supply issue. Pretty reasonable considering how much better the car runs now! Happy to report I haven't had any VANOS-related problems since the repair, which was about 8 months ago. The rough idle completely disappeared, fuel consumption went back to normal, and the sluggish acceleration is gone too. The mechanic did a thorough job checking all the connections while they were in there. Just a heads up though, if your car is still acting up after fixing the VANOS, might be worth getting them to check the electrical connections in general. Sometimes these issues can be related to other parts of the system. But in my case, it was definitely the solenoid valve causing all the trouble, and once that was sorted, my X5 has been running like a dream. Let me know how you get on with yours! Always happy to share more details about my experience if you need them.

Thanks for all that detailed info! Just wanted to update you on what happened with my X3. Finally got it checked out by a specialist mechanic yesterday. You were spot on, it was indeed a VANOS issue, but in my case, it also needed some electrical rewiring work done. The whole thing cost me about double what you paid because of the extra work, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The car's running incredibly smooth now, no more rough idle or sluggish acceleration. Fuel consumption's back to normal too. The mechanic I found was actually great. Really took the time to explain everything and even showed me the worn-out parts. Made me feel much better about the whole repair process, especially after my previous bad experience. They also did a quick check of the other systems while they were at it, which was reassuring. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it helped me know what to expect and gave me the confidence to get it sorted properly. Guess I'll be keeping an eye on the VANOS system from now on, but hopefully, that's the last of the issues for a while!