BMW XM Engine Stalling and Warning Light Mystery

Hey there! I have some experience working on BMWs, having owned a 2021 BMW X7 and previously an X5. Your symptoms sound similar to what I faced with my X7 last summer. Initially thought it was bad fuel too, but turned out to be a loose connection in one of the fuel injection sensor cables. The workshop diagnosed it pretty quickly, they found the cable was causing intermittent signals, leading to those stalling issues. Total repair was 95 Euro for fixing the connection properly. Car's been running smoothly since then, no more engine lights or stalling. Before I can offer more specific advice, could you share: How many miles/km on your XM? When did these symptoms first appear? Are there any other warning lights besides the engine light? Have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption?

Thanks for sharing your experience! My XM just hit 143535 KM. Had my last service about 3 weeks ago, and these symptoms started showing up a few days after filling up at a new station. No other warning lights besides the engine light, but I've noticed the fuel consumption has increased slightly. Sounds like I should get those sensor connections checked out, especially since your fix was relatively affordable. The stalling is really starting to worry me, so I'll probably take it to the workshop this week.

Hey again! Good to hear back from you. Yeah, after reading about your car's mileage and the timing of these issues starting right after filling up at a new station, I'm actually leaning more towards a fuel-related problem now, unlike what happened with my X7. The fact that it started right after using a new gas station makes me think we might be dealing with different issues here. When my sensor cable was acting up, it happened gradually, not right after refueling. In your case, the sudden onset and increased fuel consumption really point to fuel quality. What worked for me with similar symptoms in my previous X5 (before the X7) was using a fuel system cleaner and filling up with premium gas for a couple of tanks. Cost me about 20-25 for the cleaner, but it solved the issue. Much cheaper than my sensor cable fix! Still, since you're heading to the workshop anyway, have them check both the fuel system and those sensor connections. Better safe than sorry, especially with these high-end models. Let me know what they find, I'm really curious if it turns out to be fuel-related after all. Quick tip: save yourself some time and mention to the mechanic that the issues started right after using that new gas station. That'll help them narrow down the diagnosis faster.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! Your experience with both fuel issues and sensor problems is really helpful. I actually picked up a fuel system cleaner on my way home today and will definitely try your suggestion about premium gas for the next few fills. Makes a lot of sense that the timing with the new gas station could be more than just coincidence. I've already called my regular workshop and booked it in for tomorrow morning. Mentioned both the fuel station connection and possible sensor issues, and they seemed to think that's a good starting point for diagnosis. They also suggested bringing my service records since it started shortly after maintenance. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with both the X5 and X7. Will definitely update you once I get the diagnosis, hoping it's just a fuel system issue that the cleaner can sort out, but at least I know the sensor fix won't break the bank if it comes to that. Thanks again for all the helpful advice!