[RPM90]

Originally Posted by claykin

FWIW, I have not noticed any vibration/wobble in my November build.

Did you get to test drive some 3's with the "old" rack?
If so, do you detect and steering "feel" differences such as firmer steering effort, better road feel for what the tires are doing, etc..?

I believe you also posted that there will yet another new rack coming early next year, yes?

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by OCcaraholic

I picked up a new 2012 328i on November 17th, and it has VSS. I have the dreaded thunk especially over rough roads. Sounds like something is hitting something under the dash, but it's just noise from the steering gear (my thinking it is) coming through the steering shaft.

I also had someone move the steering wheel while I looked under the hood. The noise is definitely coming from the steering rack and steering shaft. If I'm stopped and shake the steering wheel left to right quickly, I get the same thunky clunky noise inside the car. I hope there is a fix soon and will follow these posts until there is. I don't really want to take my car in until I know where to tell the dealer to look.

I have that same sound when moving the wheel while stationary, but I don't get any thunk while driving.
Maybe things haven't loosened up as much as yours, because when I first got my 3 it didn't have this thunk while turning the wheel with parking lot big movements. Mine started about 2 months ago.

The thing I did have from day one was the discovery that AT F30's don't have a locking steering wheel. One day when my steering wheel was moved left to right quickly, as my nephew was playing with the wheel, I heard soft thunks.
Car was parked not running.
I then repeated the motion and it's there all the time.
Posted on other threads and some people have this noise and others don't.
To me that indicates that it's not normal, but my dealer says there is no problem, of course they would.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by shahramghs

That is normal for all shocks.

Yeah, I have this on my left front, with M adaptive.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by RPM90

Did you get to test drive some 3's with the "old" rack?
If so, do you detect and steering "feel" differences such as firmer steering effort, better road feel for what the tires are doing, etc..?

I believe you also posted that there will yet another new rack coming early next year, yes?

I did drive a few others F30s with older racks (Sport and other lines). All exhibited some level of steering wobble. Some were very noticeable, others were not really detectable unless you let go of the wheel. None had the DHP package. Back in October I couldn't find a dealer car to drive with DHP.

Steering definitely tightens up a bit when in Sport+ (I think Sport mode as well). Haven't driven enough to report back on handling. Will do so in coming days.

www.realoem.com indicates the current November+ rack will be EOL after June 2013 production. Of course this could change. I suppose if it works, why change it? Unless BMW has something else up their sleeve (which I'm sure they do).

[Johnja]

I have the same noise front løft in my 335i with adaptive drive and h&r.
The dealer think it is the stabelizer, so theywil try this in january

[onehungevo]

Originally Posted by Johnja

I have the same noise front lft in my 335i with adaptive drive and h&r.
The dealer think it is the stabelizer, so theywil try this in january

I can't believe they are willing to fix with aftermarket springs.

[onehungevo]

Does tightening the bolts under the hood to the spring help? Mine sounds like there is a washer or something missing where the spring and body of the car meet.

[SamGh]

I took my car in, as expected, they say its normal. Drove the loaner around, and it has the same issue. We all need to stop being picky

[SamGh]

Originally Posted by onehungevo

I can't believe they are willing to fix with aftermarket springs.

yeah, this is a really cool dealer!

[rosscartlidge]

I took it to the dealer and they are investigating. When its resolved either way I will post here.

[rosscartlidge]

They did find a fault in my car and a kit is being sent from Germany to fix. They told me my car is the only one they have seen at that dealer. My build data is 1st March, 2012.
The parts are:-
buyin sleeve
buyin string column
rmfd.steer.b
and some nuts and bolts...

[elrey21]

Originally Posted by rosscartlidge

They did find a fault in my car and a kit is being sent from Germany to fix. They told me my car is the only one they have seen at that dealer. My build data is 1st March, 2012.
The parts are:-
buyin sleeve
buyin string column
rmfd.steer.b
and some nuts and bolts...

I think a brand new car shouldnt have any of these problems and its crazy how its been discussed so much on here but my dealer says im the only one complaining about it (Park Ave BMW, NJ) ... with that said dropped it off yesterday for the third time after a short drive with the Service Advisor where he heard the noise himself. I cant deal with that noise and "loose" feel over unsteady roads and bumpy turns.

[OuKEnFoLdMX]

Originally Posted by rosscartlidge

They did find a fault in my car and a kit is being sent from Germany to fix. They told me my car is the only one they have seen at that dealer. My build data is 1st March, 2012.
The parts are:-
buyin sleeve
buyin string column
rmfd.steer.b
and some nuts and bolts...

please con u post the parts you are replacing so i can tell them to change them to my car thats has the same problems , thanks

[Boosted John]

occasionally I get a thunk out of my right front suspension as i go over the gutter while pulling out of my driveway. It doesn't happen all of the time or very frequently but , i just notice that it does sometimes.

[SamGh]

Originally Posted by Boosted John

occasionally I get a thunk out of my right front suspension as i go over the gutter while pulling out of my driveway. It doesn't happen all of the time or very frequently but , i just notice that it does sometimes.

I get that on the left side. I guess it all depends on the angle you come out. I noticed its usually after the car has been sitting for a while. Perhaps this happens due to the oil in the shock is settled down. after a couple of travels it goes away

[Johnja]

Originally Posted by onehungevo

I can't believe they are willing to fix with aftermarket springs.

They are Willing to fix this, the sound was there before the aftermarket springs.
They have tested it many houres, but still havent found the right part

[tonyzale]

Originally Posted by ex º

Agreed with others that this is probably not the same "clunk" that's on this thread. I changed my shocks to aftermarket and the clunk was still there. My OEM shocks were still in tact... no fluid leak. Now I'm back to my OEM shocks. Clunk still there. So I don't believe it's a shock/strut issue although that's what I initially thought as well.

I have the same issue. Dealer though it was the steering rack. There was a new part number and they put 2 of those in and the created a whole new problem. Put the old part number in (4th rack including original). Gave it back to me and the original problem is not fixed.

Frustrating. Fortunately I am in a 24 month lease and I can order a new one in 6 months and get out of the lease 4 month early.

[tonyzale]

Originally Posted by Boosted John

occasionally I get a thunk out of my right front suspension as i go over the gutter while pulling out of my driveway. It doesn't happen all of the time or very frequently but , i just notice that it does sometimes.

same issue here

[Boosted John]

Originally Posted by tonyzale

same issue here

Actually, now that my car has 12k miles on it, the noise is gone. I can't rmember the last time I heard it.

[SamGh]

I think I heard some similar noise on my friends X6. I guess BMW engineers are noise-agnostics

[OuKEnFoLdMX]

if there's solution yet with the steering noise cluck issue?

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by shahramghs

I get that on the left side. I guess it all depends on the angle you come out. I noticed its usually after the car has been sitting for a while. Perhaps this happens due to the oil in the shock is settled down. after a couple of travels it goes away

This is very likely.

These types of noises are unfortunately very common and very hard to diagnose and fix. They come and go depending on temperature, road conditions, age/mileage, and useage. Another scenario is on very bumpy roads at high temperatures, the oil can foam, which mean you'll momentarily have no damping. No damping = clunk noise. This can happen within a single stroke if the bump is big enough.

Adaptive dampers have complex oil flow circuits, and finding/eliminating all of these types of hydraulic issues under all conditions is very difficult.