BMW XM Oil Pressure Issues & Engine Knocking Problems

Hey there! I have some experience working on BMWs. I faced a very similar issue with my 2021 BMW X7. The symptoms were almost identical, oil pressure warning and those nerve-wracking engine knocks. After the warning light came on, I immediately took it to my trusted workshop. They diagnosed a faulty oil pump which was causing inconsistent oil pressure. The repair took about two days and set me back 755 Euro, but it was worth every penny to protect the engine from potential damage. Before I share more specific details about my experience, could you share: How many miles/kilometers are on your XM? Have you noticed any oil leaks? Does the knocking sound change with engine speed? By the way, I previously owned an X6 too, so I'm quite familiar with BMW's common issues. Let me know those details, and I can better help you out!

Thanks for the reply! I've got 104594 KM on the clock and just had my service last month. To answer your questions, no visible oil leaks that I can spot, but the knocking definitely gets louder when I rev the engine. It's especially noticeable above 3000 RPM. This really sounds similar to what you experienced. Did your car also have this revving-related knock? Pretty worried about potential engine damage here, especially since it's my daily driver. I'm hoping it's just the oil pump like in your case and not something more serious.

Hey again! Yes, absolutely, your symptoms are spot-on with what I experienced in my X7. The knock getting louder above 3000 RPM is exactly what happened to mine. It's actually a typical sign of oil pressure issues in these BMWs. Since you mentioned getting your service done last month, that's actually good timing. My problem started about two months after a service too, which helped rule out basic maintenance issues. The workshop later told me that oil pump failures can sometimes happen suddenly, even with regular maintenance. In my case, I first noticed the knocking during my morning commute. It started subtle but got worse over a couple of days. The real wake-up call was when the oil pressure warning came on during highway driving. Sounds pretty similar to what you're experiencing, right? Just a heads up, I made the mistake of driving it for a few days after the first warning (not my smartest move), and the knocking got significantly worse. Would strongly suggest getting it checked ASAP. From my experience, these symptoms rarely resolve themselves, and continuing to drive risks serious engine damage. Want me to share what the repair process looked like for mine? Might help you know what to expect if it turns out to be the same issue.

Thanks so much for the detailed response! This is super helpful, and yeah, I'd love to hear about your repair process. After what you've shared, I'm definitely not taking any chances, already called my workshop and booked it in for tomorrow morning. You've actually made me feel a bit better about the whole situation, knowing it might just be the oil pump and not something catastrophic. I'll take your advice and won't drive it anymore today. Will get it towed to the workshop instead, better safe than sorry, especially after hearing about how your knocking got worse with continued driving. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I'll update once I get the diagnosis, but it sure sounds like I'm dealing with the same oil pump issue you had. Just hoping the repair cost will be similar to what you paid. At least it's better than needing a whole new engine! Thanks again for all the info, it's been super reassuring to hear from someone who's been through the same thing.