BMW X7 Power Drop: Intake Sensor May Be the Culprit

Hey there! I have a 2016 BMW X5 (gasoline) and faced similar problems last month. The intake air temperature sensor acted up on my car too, same symptoms with the check engine light and power loss. When my mechanic ran diagnostics, it turned out the sensor was defective and had faulty wiring. The fix wasn't too complex, mainly involved replacing the sensor and fixing some corroded wiring connectors. It wasn't a major repair job, took about 2 hours in total. The sensor plays a key role in engine performance by helping the ECU determine the right fuel mixture, so it's worth getting it fixed properly. Since your X7 is still relatively new with low mileage, I'd actually recommend going to the dealer. This could be covered under warranty, and they'll have better diagnostic tools specific to BMW. The intake temp sensor issue isn't typically a sign of bigger problems, but proper diagnosis is important.

Thanks for sharing your X5 experience! I actually went ahead and got it fixed at a BMW certified shop last week. The symptoms and diagnosis were exactly as you described, faulty sensor and some wiring issues. Would you mind sharing how much you ended up paying for yours? Also curious if you've had any other sensor-related problems since getting it fixed? My car's running great now, but I want to know what to look out for just in case.

Hey again! Good to hear you got it sorted! Yeah, I paid 155 € for the whole job, that covered both the sensor replacement and fixing those annoying wiring issues. Pretty reasonable considering how much these repairs can sometimes cost. Since getting it fixed, my X5's been running like a dream, no more power loss or warning lights whatsoever. The faulty intake air temp sensor was definitely the culprit, and once the mechanic replaced it, everything went back to normal. That was about six weeks ago now, and I haven't had any other sensor problems pop up. To be honest, these sensors can be a bit finicky sometimes, but once they're properly replaced, they usually stay problem-free for a long time. Just keep an eye on your engine performance, if you notice any unusual changes in power or fuel consumption, that's usually the first sign something might be up. But I wouldn't worry too much, sounds like you got it sorted properly at a good shop. Let me know if you notice anything else acting up, but I bet you'll be smooth sailing from here on out!

Thanks for the detailed follow-up! That repair cost sounds pretty reasonable. I ended up paying a bit more at 210 € at the certified shop, but I guess that's expected. They were actually really thorough and professional, completely different from my last mechanic experience. You'll be glad to know I took your advice about monitoring the engine performance. It's been running perfectly for the past week, no power issues, no warning lights, and fuel consumption is back to normal. The mechanic also gave me a heads up about checking the connections periodically, especially during weather changes. Funny story actually, when I first pulled into the shop, my car decided to make this weird whistling noise that it hadn't made before. The mechanic just laughed and said, "Yeah, these luxury cars love to show off all their problems at once when they visit us!" Turned out to be nothing serious, just some debris near the sensor area. Really appreciate your help with this. It's definitely put my mind at ease knowing someone else went through the same thing and got it sorted without any lasting issues!