[kirklander]

Originally Posted by claykin

So, how do you answer this...

I spoke with CA's at 4 local dealers and mentioned to all about the F30 steering vibration. All four said they knew about it, but that it wasn't really a problem. Salesmanship. Then I called Shop Foreman I know at 2 dealers and asked them. Both said they have had cars in for the issue. They have yet to find a fix, bmw has sent engineers to look at the cars (ones that exhibited the problems worse than average) and BMW says they are working on a fix.

To date, the steering rack on the F30 has been revisioned at least twice:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...71&hg=32&fg=12

The front axle support has been revisioned at least once:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...42&hg=31&fg=05

The lower joint steering assembly has been modified at least once:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...76&hg=32&fg=30

Are we dreaming here?

Oh, several cars have been bought back by BMW. I must be dreaming now...

Tx 4 sharing this info. How do you find/follow these updates ?

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by DarkTrigger

Driven 200 miles now at all speeds. No vibration at all, even when I take my hands off the steering wheel. I have DHP with VSS.

I do have some break squealing sometimes at low speeds but that's for another thread.

I have the M-Sport, passive suspension and I too have driven mostly surface streets, but I take the freeway daily as well and haven't noticed anything. Am around 300 miles on the odometer.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by claykin

So, how do you answer this...

I spoke with CA's at 4 local dealers and mentioned to all about the F30 steering vibration. All four said they knew about it, but that it wasn't really a problem. Salesmanship. Then I called Shop Foreman I know at 2 dealers and asked them. Both said they have had cars in for the issue. They have yet to find a fix, bmw has sent engineers to look at the cars (ones that exhibited the problems worse than average) and BMW says they are working on a fix.

To date, the steering rack on the F30 has been revisioned at least twice:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...71&hg=32&fg=12

The front axle support has been revisioned at least once:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...42&hg=31&fg=05

The lower joint steering assembly has been modified at least once:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...76&hg=32&fg=30

Are we dreaming here?

Oh, several cars have been bought back by BMW. I must be dreaming now...

but 2013 models are still reporting this vibration, so those revisions are useless??

[claykin]

Originally Posted by kirklander

Tx 4 sharing this info. How do you find/follow these updates ?

Old fashion detective work.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

but 2013 models are still reporting this vibration, so those revisions are useless??

I wouldn't go as far as to say useless. For one, its possible one or more of the part revisions has nothing to do with the oscillation/vibrations reported. Could also be that revisions helped to reduce the issue. We would need to hear from a BMW engineer to know for sure. One thing is for sure, revising parts is not something manufacturers take lightly. I've been involved in smaller scale manufacturing and have an idea of what's behind the scenes.

There have been examples of owners of 2012 buyback cars getting into 2013 cars with less vibration.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by claykin

I wouldn't go as far as to say useless. For one, its possible one or more of the part revisions has nothing to do with the oscillation/vibrations reported. Could also be that revisions helped to reduce the issue. We would need to hear from a BMW engineer to know for sure. One thing is for sure, revising parts is not something manufacturers take lightly. I've been involved in smaller scale manufacturing and have an idea of what's behind the scenes.

There have been examples of owners of 2012 buyback cars getting into 2013 cars with less vibration.

so there's hope for when i get my aug/sept build 2013 next week! thanks for that. ill test drive it extensively before signing any papers for sure.

[RWD4Life]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

so there's hope for when i get my aug/sept build 2013 next week! thanks for that. ill test drive it extensively before signing any papers for sure.

I didn't know that one could test drive a car that is intended for a new car delivery only

[claykin]

Originally Posted by RWD4Life

I didn't know that one could test drive a car that is intended for a new car delivery only

Surely you can test drive the car you are buying. I have thoroughly test driven every bmw i owned/leased before doing paperwork. I check everything, sometimes to my CA's disgust. But he knows me and wouldn't expect anything less.

[RWD4Life]

Originally Posted by claykin

Surely you can test drive the car you are buying. I have thoroughly test driven every bmw i owned/leased before doing paperwork. I check everything, sometimes to my CA's disgust. But he knows me and wouldn't expect anything less.

Good to know. I'll make sure to do the same

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by RWD4Life

I didn't know that one could test drive a car that is intended for a new car delivery only

wow so people just walk right in and buy it without driving? i didnt know buyers did that... i always test drive the car that im buying..u just never know even though they are all supposed to be the same.

I will be test driving my f30 for at least 25 miles before i do any paperwork. ill cite this thread if they think im ridiculous, but usually the sales people dont really care. its my right as a customer and paying so much.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

wow so people just walk right in and buy it without driving? i didnt know buyers did that... i always test drive the car that im buying..u just never know even though they are all supposed to be the same.

I will be test driving my f30 for at least 25 miles before i do any paperwork. ill cite this thread if they think im ridiculous, but usually the sales people dont really care. its my right as a customer and paying so much.

25 miles may be a bit much, but more power to you. Best to let your CA know in advance so he doesn't schedule another delivery too close to yours.

Also avoid nighttime deliveries and on rainy/wet days.

[Nedmundo]

Originally Posted by claykin

Its clear that BMW is working on something to address this issue. We can either place our tails between our legs and take their word for it, or keep pushing for a fix. The F30 has been in production for less than 12 months. Why in the world would they have already revisioned the steering rack 2x?

Steering rack revisions are probably related to the vibration issue, but BMW also may have been attempting to increase steering feedback. Many, including Car and Driver, have complained about the numb steering in the F30, and I would bet BMW does not take those criticisms lightly. IMO, however, this might explain one revision so early in the new generation. Multiple revisions probably point to something else.

Good sleuthing, BTW.

[Sphinx-3]

Well, ladies and gentlemen:
I haven't been on this post for sometime but I started it few months back when I was having issues with my 328i.
I just noticed that this post has more replies than any other non-sticky post, which tells me this issue is serious and I hope BMW understand that. I was one of the first few to report this issue and everyone thought I was over reacting to something that does not exist!! But now I could see a lot of other folks having the same issue.

I wish you all the best and hope things work well for all of you !

[Maz335i]

Originally Posted by Sphinx-3

Well, ladies and gentlemen:
I haven't been on this post for sometime but I started it few months back when I was having issues with my 328i.
I just noticed that this post has more replies than any other non-sticky post, which tells me this issue is serious and I hope BMW understand that. I was one of the first few to report this issue and everyone thought I was over reacting to something that does not exist!! But now I could see a lot of other folks having the same issue.

I wish you all the best and hope things work well for all of you !

So what happened to ur car?

Did u replace it? Did they find a temp fix?

[Radari216]

These kind of issues are why I am waiting to purchase a 2014 model 335iX. I figured by the 3d year of a models run they would have worked out the big kinks.

[kirklander]

http://www.bmwcoop.com/2012/11/05/f3...eel-vibration/

[RWD4Life]

Originally Posted by kirklander

http://www.bmwcoop.com/2012/11/05/f3...eel-vibration/

Interesting bit. Now if an official source could confirm it that would be great!

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by RWD4Life

Interesting bit. Now if an official source could confirm it that would be great!

This would be ridiculously simple to vet out. Someone who has the vibration simply needs to pull a wheel (or even just loosen the lugs) to see if there's too much slop between the wheel bore and the hub. Then refit the wheel being carefully to position the wheel such that it's centered before torquing the lugs. The vibration should be gone.

The vibrations described thus far definitely echo the sort of vibrations you'll experience with a wheel that's not centered perfectly on the hub. I would think this would have been an obvious first thing to check when troubleshooting the issue. But perhaps dealers simply take for granted that it can't be the new OEM wheels that are the issue.

[kirklander]

BavarianFanatic, don't forget; according to you, there is no vibration whatsoever at all. We are still hyping for fun right.

[cardnation]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

This would be ridiculously simple to vet out. Someone who has the vibration simply needs to pull a wheel (or even just loosen the lugs) to see if there's too much slop between the wheel bore and the hub. Then refit the wheel being carefully to position the wheel such that it's centered before torquing the lugs. The vibration should be gone.

The vibrations described thus far definitely echo the sort of vibrations you'll experience with a wheel that's not centered perfectly on the hub. I would think this would have been an obvious first thing to check when troubleshooting the issue. But perhaps dealers simply take for granted that it can't be the new OEM wheels that are the issue.

Haha, so "lug centric" a "hub centric" wheel?

Not sure about you, but my eyeballing tolerances aren't up to spec.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

This would be ridiculously simple to vet out. Someone who has the vibration simply needs to pull a wheel (or even just loosen the lugs) to see if there's too much slop between the wheel bore and the hub. Then refit the wheel being carefully to position the wheel such that it's centered before torquing the lugs. The vibration should be gone.

The vibrations described thus far definitely echo the sort of vibrations you'll experience with a wheel that's not centered perfectly on the hub. I would think this would have been an obvious first thing to check when troubleshooting the issue. But perhaps dealers simply take for granted that it can't be the new OEM wheels that are the issue.

Exactly... my thoughts as well.

I'm surprised if this is the cause, that it hadn't been identified months ago. But does explain, if it is a hub to wheel tolerance, why some wheel balancing and changing wheel sets has altered the vibration, or completely sorted it for some.

The speed range definitely fits wheel frequency harmonics, and why I've commented several times on wheels being involved. If I had the issue it would be one of the first things I'd have checked and measured, even if the dealer was involved. It is such a simple test and can be static tested with shims and feelers, even shimmed and road tested. I suppose no one expects it to such an error, from a manufacturer like BMW.

Any competent owners out there with the problem... willing to prove if it is too much clearance between wheel centre bore and hub spigot? Just pull the centre badge out (with a bit of duck tape or similar) and try to define any clearance with a set of feeler gauges, at points around the spigot. See if there is clearance, if so, is the wheel mounting concentric or eccentric to the hub? If there is no clearance at any point around the hub spigot to wheel centre bore, then it isn't such a simple issue.

Obviously when jacked up, a wheel can be loosened off and physically checked for radial movement, or removed and mating faces measured for diameter with precision calipers.

HighlandPete

[dc_bmw]

The info from bmwcoop is the same as the earlier posted service bulletin, right?
Would like to hear succes stories!