[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by evdok

Mine vibrates from 75-80 tyres all good & balanced, fitted new front pads Sunday yet to drive car so don't know if its the pads.

Is you car a MT?

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by Niart906

Being that these vibrations are felt throughout the cabin, all of the driveline should be suspect. Driveshaft is the most obvious, but a bad flex disc or “guibo” as its referred to by BMW could also be the culprit.

Can these vibrations be felt under acceleration or at a coast with no throttle? With the car in neutral?

The vibration doesn't shake the car. It starts as a low level rumble. Then is speed dependant and the rumble/booming becomes constant after a certain speed usually 70+. After a certain speed the vibration is there even when coasting with the car in neutral.
I checked my guibo's (the MT has two) one on each end of the driveshaft and they look fine with no splits. The centre bearing looked good as well.
I noticed the rear guibo does have a certain amount back and forth flex. Not sure if this is normal.
I also noticed that there was some slight leak/spray of the Diff fluid across the undercarriage near the insert nut.

[B-Spater]

328i / 6spd manual - 33000 mi. Since 18000 the car has this type of vibration at low to moderate speeds - starts at 42-44mph and peaks at 48-52 gradually decreasing until 68mph which is glass smooth until about 78 where it creeps up again. Starts out as a booming in the ride accompanied by a slight vibration. The dealer didn't know where to go and wouldn't start to replace parts. "if it doesn't fix it BMW won't warranty it".

Apparently, dealers only get a percentage of sales in warranty work allowance. They have an incentive not to fix things if 'iffy'.

I took the car to a reputable indy shop and they dropped the exhaust and heat shields to find the center splines and yoke have 'noticeable' play that might allow the two halves of the driveshaft to move relative to each other... might this create a balance issue? Hmmm...

I had noticed that accelerating and getting right up to 65 on the commute home is 'smooth' but going to work in the mornings I drive over some rolling hills at 45-55 mph and when I crest a hill and let off the gas this is when I notice it starts.

None the less, dealer swapped tires and said "Smooth" - nope - still there.

I've had original Conti RunCraps / Conti snows and now Michelin Pilot Sport 4s (which is a fabulous tire BTW).

So it's a year since this started and my alternatives remain trying to fight it out with the dealer(s) or elect to replace the driveshaft at my cost (~$2500 with all parts and labor) or selling this car... which would be too bad since they are not selling manuals in 2019 outside of M cars.

Driveshaft rebuilders can't even get the parts to rebuild these so we either buy a shaft or get the shaft. BMW Ownership experience leaves a lot to be desired in this case.

[Tribalpinoy911]

What mileage are you at?

I have 30k miles 328xdrive automatic

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by B-Spater

328i / 6spd manual - 33000 mi. Since 18000 the car has this type of vibration at low to moderate speeds - starts at 42-44mph and peaks at 48-52 gradually decreasing until 68mph which is glass smooth until about 78 where it creeps up again. Starts out as a booming in the ride accompanied by a slight vibration. The dealer didn't know where to go and wouldn't start to replace parts. "if it doesn't fix it BMW won't warranty it".

Apparently, dealers only get a percentage of sales in warranty work allowance. They have an incentive not to fix things if 'iffy'.

I took the car to a reputable indy shop and they dropped the exhaust and heat shields to find the center splines and yoke have 'noticeable' play that might allow the two halves of the driveshaft to move relative to each other... might this create a balance issue? Hmmm...

I had noticed that accelerating and getting right up to 65 on the commute home is 'smooth' but going to work in the mornings I drive over some rolling hills at 45-55 mph and when I crest a hill and let off the gas this is when I notice it starts.

None the less, dealer swapped tires and said "Smooth" - nope - still there.

I've had original Conti RunCraps / Conti snows and now Michelin Pilot Sport 4s (which is a fabulous tire BTW).

So it's a year since this started and my alternatives remain trying to fight it out with the dealer(s) or elect to replace the driveshaft at my cost (~$2500 with all parts and labor) or selling this car... which would be too bad since they are not selling manuals in 2019 outside of M cars.

Driveshaft rebuilders can't even get the parts to rebuild these so we either buy a shaft or get the shaft. BMW Ownership experience leaves a lot to be desired in this case.

I swapped the driveshaft on mine for a used one but it didn't make any difference. When I checked the yoke and splines there was no play, centre bearing was good. Also when I had the car jacked up and wheels spinning at around 40-50 mph, the driveshaft looked like it was spinning straight. There is a slight pinion angle from the driveshaft to the diff yoke, but I presume that this is normal. I tried to get the driveshaft balanced, but the driveshaft technician just looked at it and said it looks too new and didn't think the driveshaft would be out of spec from factory. But this maybe because they didn't have the correct coupling for BMW shafts.
Took it back to BMW and they said the diff was making a growling noise and advised me to change the diff. They quoted me £2500 for a new diff but couldn't confirm that this would fix the vibration. I managed to source a used diff that was in good condition and did the swap. It did seem to quieten the back end but didn't fix the vibration problem.
It seemed to shift the vibration/hum up front more around the centre of the car around the gearbox area. The vibration gradually got worse and starting occurring around 40/50 mph to the point the car was un-driveable.
I took it to 4 BMW specialists and back to BMW and no one could pinpoint the problem. In the end I ran out of ideas, patience and gave up. I just got rid of the car. It felt like I was chasing a lost cause and wasn't worth the headache trying to fix it.
I know how you feel, this was the worst car ownership experience I have ever had and have been let down badly by BMW who wouldn't acknowledge the car was a lemon and insinuated that I may have caused the issue. I couldn't find anyone including BMW to really help fix the problem.
The problem started after only 6k miles and was fixed under warranty then came back after the warranty expired. The car was low mileage and never abused, the car was never right for the 5 yrs I owned it. In hindsight I should have got rid of it much earlier.
I have a feeling it might be to do with something around the transfer case/gearbox area.
But I do really hope you manage to fix your car.

[ChristosD]

the issues you are all experiencing, I am having the same ones with my 2014 f20 m135i. The increasing vibrations from 40mph that gradually get worse all the way up to 100mph. I can feel this in my steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and drivers seat.

I also have a vibrations in my steering wheel in neutral when the car is idling at 1000rpm does any one have this issue?

My dealer is looking at my car tomorrow and has suggested the following three things:
rod bearings
low pressure ac pipe needs some dampening weight ( this pipe can create a vibration)
prop shafts

i have two weeks left of motorplan

[B-Spater]

Originally Posted by Tribalpinoy911

What mileage are you at?

I have 30k miles 328xdrive automatic

31,800 as of today. This started at about 18,000.

[B-Spater]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

"... I took it to 4 BMW specialists and back to BMW and no one could pinpoint the problem. In the end I ran out of ideas, patience and gave up. I just got rid of the car. It felt like I was chasing a lost cause and wasn't worth the headache trying to fix it.

"In hindsight I should have got rid of it much earlier."

Interesting you feel this way. I know I've thought about selling it but have no compelling car I wish to buy and realized I really do like the ergonomics, the 'fit' of the car, the drive when it feels 'right' - like a 270 degree, off-camber exit ramp at speed when you can feel all four tires biting. That's the car I thought I was buying. I really like so much about this car but I am getting tired of wanting it to be correct when it is not.

I recently spoke to the indy shop owner and asked him what he'd do. His reply, "I'd wait till it got worse or start thinking about the next car."

I'd been looking around at 2017/2018 340i and 340i xDrive and found two - one's a stick with 38K and the others an 8spd auto with ~19500 miles. However, as appealing as these cars are, I just don't know if I will trust BMW again but do appreciate your good wishes.

[perryo91]

2014 335i 8AT with 19"s

I'm a little late to the thread, but I had the same damn problem..

Just recently swapped to non-runflat mps4s tires and my vibrations were gone... I even went through the trouble of repairing my rims because I thought one was bent and causing it. Nope it was the damn run-flats. Good luck mang. Now it's smooth as f at any mph and I no longer feel scared to go faster than 80mph.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by B-Spater

Interesting you feel this way. I know I've thought about selling it but have no compelling car I wish to buy and realized I really do like the ergonomics, the 'fit' of the car, the drive when it feels 'right' - like a 270 degree, off-camber exit ramp at speed when you can feel all four tires biting. That's the car I thought I was buying. I really like so much about this car but I am getting tired of wanting it to be correct when it is not.

I recently spoke to the indy shop owner and asked him what he'd do. His reply, "I'd wait till it got worse or start thinking about the next car."

I'd been looking around at 2017/2018 340i and 340i xDrive and found two - one's a stick with 38K and the others an 8spd auto with ~19500 miles. However, as appealing as these cars are, I just don't know if I will trust BMW again but do appreciate your good wishes.

I was the same as you. Normal driving around town I didn't notice anything but as soon as I hit the dual carriage and got up to speed. The car felt awful. I never wanted to get rid of the car, I liked the way the car handled, size, etc and tried virutally everything to try to resolve it. Changed wheels, tyres, drive shaft, propshaft, wheel bearings, diff. The most obvious things but didn't get anywhere.
The only thing left was either the transfer case or flywheel.
One BMW specialist told me the same thing, wait till it gets worse and maybe it would be easier to diagnose. But it got to the point where it was getting bad to drive normally and felt like something was going to break.

Unless you manage to find the cause it maybe a case of swapping parts until you hit the problem.
I ended up buying another 4 series but this time with the auto box as the drivetrain will be slightly different. Hopefully this one proves be more reliable.

[B-Spater]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

I was the same as you. Normal driving around town I didn't notice anything but as soon as I hit the dual carriage and got up to speed. The car felt awful. I never wanted to get rid of the car, I liked the way the car handled, size, etc and tried virutally everything to try to resolve it. Changed wheels, tyres, drive shaft, propshaft, wheel bearings, diff. The most obvious things but didn't get anywhere.
The only thing left was either the transfer case or flywheel.
One BMW specialist told me the same thing, wait till it gets worse and maybe it would be easier to diagnose. But it got to the point where it was getting bad to drive normally and felt like something was going to break.

Unless you manage to find the cause it maybe a case of swapping parts until you hit the problem.
I ended up buying another 4 series but this time with the auto box as the drivetrain will be slightly different. Hopefully this one proves be more reliable.

So I bit the bullet and sold the car. Purchased a 2017 340i xDrive with 20,000 miles. I wanted a car with enough miles to expose likely issues.

This one rides and runs smoothly. There is one thing I do not care for though... but I may start a new thread about "Highway Drone" at 55-60 mph - horrid, loud vacuum cleaner like sound from the engine bay in top gear / ~12-1400 RPM when applying mild throttle. Really not very BMW like.

[97supratt]

I have the same issue. Starts around 80mph up. I am taking it in after thanksgiving. CPO 2015 235i 6MT.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by B-Spater

So I bit the bullet and sold the car. Purchased a 2017 340i xDrive with 20,000 miles. I wanted a car with enough miles to expose likely issues.

This one rides and runs smoothly. There is one thing I do not care for though... but I may start a new thread about "Highway Drone" at 55-60 mph - horrid, loud vacuum cleaner like sound from the engine bay in top gear / ~12-1400 RPM when applying mild throttle. Really not very BMW like.

I think you probably did the right thing. Unless you could pinpoint exactly what was causing the problem. Then it wouldn't have been easy to fix.
That doesn't sound right. The 340 is supposed to be smooth. Sounds like a air/vacuum leak of some sort. Open the bonnet and see if you can hear anything, check the oil filler cap is on properly.
I swapped for a 428i auto with 29k, seems to be running okay so far. There is a bit of roughness around 40-50mph but seems to be coming from the engine.
Just had the car back from the dealership for a recall on the steering where they changed 4 bolts.
IDK, these cars always seem to have some niggling issues with them, along with the creaks and excessive tyre noise sometimes makes me question why I bought another BMW.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by 97supratt

I have the same issue. Starts around 80mph up. I am taking it in after thanksgiving. CPO 2015 235i 6MT.

Hopefully yours is not the same drive train issue.

[97supratt]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

Hopefully yours is not the same drive train issue.

I think it is, only happens under decceleeation or neutral. Horrible shaking from the rear, very unstable and not balanced at high speeds.

My f80 was very stable, not even close to this f30. This is rediculous! Class action here we come!

[ChristosD]

my f20 m135i auto does all these exact things, thought it was rod bearings, but theres not bearing noises at all from the engine. We did all the knock tests and then removed the sump for a visual inspection and they they all perfect.

Its shocking its like a vibration surge as you accelerate but that same vibration is there in neutral especially at 3500rpm can feel it in the steering wheel the brake pedal the accelerator the drivers seat and body work. its been to bmw every week for the past 3 months nobody can find the issue, bmw replaced the following:
water pump
steering rack
engine mounts
vbelt and pulley
aircon pipe weight clamp thing
aircon pump

i am starting to hate this thing.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by 97supratt

I think it is, only happens under decceleeation or neutral. Horrible shaking from the rear, very unstable and not balanced at high speeds.

My f80 was very stable, not even close to this f30. This is rediculous! Class action here we come!

Mine was happening even when coasting in neutral. It was a constant booming/humming relative to the speed of the car.
At first it felt like it was coming from the rear and, when it first starting happening at very high speed there was some vibration felt in the chassis, even see the back windscreen shaking.
BMW swapped the diff, then the driveshaft and that seemed to make a difference but then it came back after a while. There was no shake to the steering wheel, car or seats.

[Mr. C4]

Same here at high speed but if I take my foot off the accelerator it goes away, comes back when the accelerator is again pressed.

[B-Spater]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

...IDK, these cars always seem to have some niggling issues with them, along with the creaks and excessive tyre noise sometimes makes me question why I bought another BMW.

I understand how you feel. I came very close to buying an Audi A5 Sportback w/ sport pkg / nav / virtual cockpit / etc. but couldn't go there yet. I've always felt like Audi is a luxury car with sporting intentions whereas BMW is a sporting car with luxury intentions if that makes sense and I like to drive like as in an activity to become engaged in. But I can tell you that I am hoping to work through the engine drone (started a thread on 340i 8Spd Auto ENGINE DRONE here: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1558101) and I will have a good look around underneath to sort things out. They say the third times a charm... we'll see.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by B-Spater

I understand how you feel. I came very close to buying an Audi A5 Sportback w/ sport pkg / nav / virtual cockpit / etc. but couldn't go there yet. I've always felt like Audi is a luxury car with sporting intentions whereas BMW is a sporting car with luxury intentions if that makes sense and I like to drive like as in an activity to become engaged in. But I can tell you that I am hoping to work through the engine drone (started a thread on 340i 8Spd Auto ENGINE DRONE here: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1558101) and I will have a good look around underneath to sort things out. They say the third times a charm... we'll see.

I had a E46 for a number of years and that car felt solid, no real issues, car reliability was pretty much bullet proof.
Even the the replacement 428 I've got now is not perfect, just noticed a kind of low level whistling noise from the passenger side. Sounds like either the brakes are rubbing slightly or a noisy bearing. But it's not that noticeable and doesn't seem that major so not even going to bother with it for now.
The steering felt a bit loose and although the car did track straight I was having to make tiny adjustments to the steering. Also the adaptive suspension felt a bit soft and wallowy. Put more pressure in the tyres and it's driving much better now.
I managed to track down my previous car for sale and I believe it's been sold but I hope that they fixed the vibration issue and good luck to the new owner.
If it has been fixed I would still be curious to know what was fixed what the issue was that's been giving me so much grief for the last 4 yrs.

[agentorange]

I cannot help wondering if some of you have a genuine vibration whereas others are suffering the F30 drone. I have heard/felt that in two cars at almsot identical speeds. This guy fixed his drone in a novel way, and others have had to get the undertray pieces padded. https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1512190

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by agentorange

I cannot help wondering if some of you have a genuine vibration whereas others are suffering the F30 drone. I have heard/felt that in two cars at almsot identical speeds. This guy fixed his drone in a novel way, and others have had to get the undertray pieces padded. https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1512190

Yeah, I had that thought when I saw the thread regarding the undertray. Seems odd that an undertray can cause that kind of drone.
But mine was a genuine vibration. When it first started happening it was definitely coming from the rear end. When you pushed the car faster you could see the back windscreen blurring in the mirror so definitely a vibration from the back end.
It's been into the BMW dealership and also other BMW specialists on a number of occasions, surely they would have checked the undertray if they were aware of it.
After swapping out a number of components the hum/drone did feel like it moved upfront to around the centre of the car somewhere near the transfer case/gearbox. But it gradually got worse and at lower speeds. It was more of a low frequency hum and was always there at lower speeds but not as noticeable.
But for anyone suffering from vibration issues it's definitely worth checking the undertray as well.