BMW X5 Air Valve Failure Causing Engine to Stall & Jerk

I had a similar issue with my 2006 BMW X3 last month. The symptoms were exactly like yours, engine light, jerking, and stalling. After inspection, it turned out the hose connecting the secondary air pump to the valve was cracked and leaking. The connection had deteriorated over time, causing inconsistent air flow. This is actually a common issue in these engines, and while it's not catastrophic if caught early, it can lead to more serious engine problems if left unfixed. At the garage, they had to replace both the hose and the valve assembly. The job took about 3 hours. Since the fix, my car has been running smooth with no check engine light or performance issues. Based on your symptoms, I'd bet you're dealing with the same problem. Consider getting a second opinion from another mechanic if you're not confident with your current one. Make sure they specifically check the connections between the pump and valve, that's often overlooked during routine inspections.

Thanks for sharing your experience! This sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. If I had to bet, it's probably the same issue. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other quirks pop up? I'm trying to figure out if I should prepare for any follow-up repairs.

Hey there! Happy to give you an update about the repair costs and how things have been running. I paid 175 € for the entire fix, mainly for replacing that faulty hose connection between the pump and valve. And I've got to say, it was totally worth every penny! Since getting it sorted out, my X3 has been running like a dream. No more check engine lights, no more jerking or stalling, it's like having a completely different car! I haven't noticed any other issues pop up either, which is a relief. The mechanic did a thorough job checking everything while they had it apart, so I'm pretty confident they caught any potential problems. Honestly, if you're experiencing the same symptoms I had, getting it fixed sooner rather than later is probably your best bet. These BMWs are solid cars when they're properly maintained, and this particular repair seems to sort out the issue completely. I wouldn't expect any follow-up repairs if it's the same problem, once that connection is properly fixed, you should be good to go!

Thanks for all that detail! I finally bit the bullet and took it to a different mechanic today. You were spot on, it was the cracked hose causing all the trouble. Got it fixed for about 200 € including labor, which wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The mechanic was actually great, showed me the old damaged parts and explained everything. They also did a quick check of the surrounding components while they were at it, which I really appreciated. The whole job took about 4 hours, but what a difference! Just drove it home and it's running super smooth now, no more jerking or stalling, and that annoying check engine light is finally off. Feel so relieved it wasn't anything more serious. Really glad I asked here first and got your input, helped me know what to expect and gave me confidence to try a different mechanic. Sometimes these BMW issues seem scary at first, but turns out this was a pretty straightforward fix!