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      09-23-2017, 10:58 PM   #23
dsc888
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smrtphusr View Post
Well when I posted my thread no one really cared so I took the car to the dealer and its normal sound. Just fuel pump working

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1410955
Thank you! I did a search but your thread didn't show for some reason. But thank you for letting us know what your dealer told you and the fact that they checked another car on the lot and got the same results. I guess that will allow us to rest easier knowing it's nothing serious, although a bit annoying.
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      09-24-2017, 02:09 AM   #24
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I will listen for this noise the next time my racing light comes on (low fuel light).
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      09-24-2017, 08:03 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smrtphusr View Post
Well when I posted my thread no one really cared so I took the car to the dealer and its normal sound. Just fuel pump working

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1410955
If BMW considers this sound is really normal...I really don?t know what to say.
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      09-25-2017, 09:09 AM   #26
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Its only when gas tank is 1/4 full dont hear it other times
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      09-25-2017, 12:41 PM   #27
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This is intriguing, will try to get to 1/4 tank and confirm.
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      09-25-2017, 12:55 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bavarianride View Post
This is intriguing, will try to get to 1/4 tank and confirm.
I my case, you need to get to about 1/8 tank or less. Basically my noise started when the car warned me that I had less than 30 miles of fuel left.
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      09-25-2017, 12:57 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by KGB_123_99 View Post
If BMW considers this sound is really normal...I really don?t know what to say.
Yup. I hear you. This noise should never occur. I have owned many cars before and none have made such a noise when the tank was low. My 2015 335ix that I traded didn’t make this noise either.
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      09-25-2017, 10:23 PM   #30
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The B58 in the 340i has its quarks. I think the most worrying is the cold start warm up then engine shake after about 30 seconds. Regardless you'll go nuts chasing all these little noises that wind up always meaning nothing.
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      10-05-2017, 03:51 PM   #31
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So I got my car back from the dealer today, noise confirmed.

Unfortunately I was told that the noise is normal and is "within BMW spec", whatever that means. The noise is from the "fuel pump return".

I'll just have to turn up my radio I guess and keep the tank full.
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      10-06-2017, 05:05 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KGB_123_99 View Post
So I got my car back from the dealer today, noise confirmed.

Unfortunately I was told that the noise is normal and is "within BMW spec", whatever that means. The noise is from the "fuel pump return".

I'll just have to turn up my radio I guess and keep the tank full.
Thank you for the update. I can’t believe that’s normal but that seems to be what we will get told unless it causes drivability issues. I’ve been paying close attention and the noise can be ever so slightly heard at slightly below 1/8 full in my car. I’ve made it a point to just fill up before that point now to not hear it anymore.
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      10-07-2017, 06:45 PM   #33
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i haven't experienced this on my car, but i was figuring if it was either a return or Purge valve. on volkswagens with the TSI engine, the valve is mounted to the intake manifold and sounds like marbles clanging together.
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      11-13-2017, 10:54 PM   #34
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As another data point:

I have a 2017 330i and I've noticed this too. Below 1/4 tank the knocking is pretty evident, though not as pronounced as some of the previous videos. That being said, I didn't reach under the car to record, and it was only heard in the cabin. I'm taking it in in a few days to work a separate issue and I'll report back if BMW has any fixes (although I'm sure they're going to align with the notion of it being within "within spec").

Onto other rattles and fixes that I've experienced:
I had a pretty bad rattle in the shelf behind the rear seats. The dealer applied felt tape to all the points of contact and that rattle is now nonexistent.

When I'm playing songs with any sort of bass, there's a very "ghetto" rattle that's heard from outside the car. This rattling is coming from the side skirts and the aforementioned fix did the trick as well. I'm actually taking my car in in a few days to fix the right side (wish I would have just done both when I was in last time).
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      11-14-2017, 10:06 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda215 View Post
As another data point:

I have a 2017 330i and I've noticed this too. Below 1/4 tank the knocking is pretty evident, though not as pronounced as some of the previous videos. That being said, I didn't reach under the car to record, and it was only heard in the cabin. I'm taking it in in a few days to work a separate issue and I'll report back if BMW has any fixes (although I'm sure they're going to align with the notion of it being within "within spec").
Thanks for chiming in. I still have the noise but it seems less "loud" since putting 2,000 miles on the car. But it's still there below 1/8 tank BUT I've noticed that I can get it to make the noise at or below 1/2 tank for a few seconds if I come to a quick stop. I'm guessing the gas sloshed forward and thereby creating an low fuel load in the tank momentarily.

I'm still curious what the actual root cause is. Is it the fuel pump? Or is it related to the tank contacting something above it with less gasoline in the tank weighing the tank down, as mentioned by roundel335? BMW might say it's "normal" but no other car I had ever had this noise. Not even the 2015 335ix I traded for this!

I wonder if other members have had BMW address their issue since I started the thread but who may not have updated us here.
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      12-03-2017, 01:15 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda215 View Post
As another data point:

I have a 2017 330i and I've noticed this too. Below 1/4 tank the knocking is pretty evident, though not as pronounced as some of the previous videos. That being said, I didn't reach under the car to record, and it was only heard in the cabin. I'm taking it in in a few days to work a separate issue and I'll report back if BMW has any fixes (although I'm sure they're going to align with the notion of it being within "within spec").
Any luck with the dealer, Kaneda215?

As a side note, I have noticed that the knocking has somewhat lessened in intensity now that I've driven the car about 2,500 miles. It will still knock as the tank gets below 1/8 of a tank but it's not very loud and will sometimes not happened at all. I'm not sure it is because of the colder weather her in the Northeast.
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      12-18-2017, 05:24 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsc888 View Post
Any luck with the dealer, Kaneda215?

As a side note, I have noticed that the knocking has somewhat lessened in intensity now that I've driven the car about 2,500 miles. It will still knock as the tank gets below 1/8 of a tank but it's not very loud and will sometimes not happened at all. I'm not sure it is because of the colder weather her in the Northeast.
My dealer said it was normal as well.
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      12-18-2017, 05:47 PM   #38
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Just got my 2018 340i , the knocking noise after 50 miles left . so ignore.
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      12-18-2017, 09:58 PM   #39
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It's the exhaust. The sound that I hear in the cabin is consistent to whatever sound is coming from the exhaust, heard from the outside. My guess is the sound resonates through an empty fuel tank and transmits that into the cabin. With gas in the tank, I'm assuming it's enough to dampen the sound so that you can't hear it. It's definitely not the fuel tank or anything mechanical.
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      12-24-2017, 02:32 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda215 View Post
My dealer said it was normal as well.
Thanks for the update. Looks like we are all stuck with the noise unless BMW get enough complaints to figure out a solution.
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      12-24-2017, 02:33 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by htisno1 View Post
Just got my 2018 340i , the knocking noise after 50 miles left . so ignore.
Thanks for the feedback. Let us know if it gets better with time. Mine seemed to have lessened.
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      12-24-2017, 02:35 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls View Post
It's the exhaust. The sound that I hear in the cabin is consistent to whatever sound is coming from the exhaust, heard from the outside. My guess is the sound resonates through an empty fuel tank and transmits that into the cabin. With gas in the tank, I'm assuming it's enough to dampen the sound so that you can't hear it. It's definitely not the fuel tank or anything mechanical.
I agree. Now that I’ve heard it for 3 months, I’ve come to the same conclusion. It’s just annoying. I’m just curious if they had a running change to the design of the fuel tank or the fasteners that hold it to the underside that’s resulting in the noise.
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      04-07-2018, 12:55 AM   #43
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I have the same issue with 2017 230i. Nice small but powerful car, however when the fuel tank gets below 1/2 this embarrassing noise start coming. The lower the gas level is the more persistent the noise. I wouldn't probably make too much fuss about it if it was a ... 'Yugo, for instance', but hey, it is "Ultimate Driving Machine" for God sake.
So, I went to the dealership three times with this issue. Do not want to go into the gory details, they replace everything but fixed the problem. When I pushed on them on the third time, they finally admitted that they unable to fix the problem at this time. It is an engineering mistake, and 'Engineers' are working on the solution.
Full pants of shit! It sounds like this issue is common to BMW!
The dealership told that it is not 'life threatening', but hey, defect is in the fuel tank! What is it so extra different in BMW from the other cars!
Shall we talk to lawyers?
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      04-10-2018, 08:53 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vtkachen View Post
When I pushed on them on the third time, they finally admitted that they unable to fix the problem at this time. It is an engineering mistake, and 'Engineers' are working on the solution.
Full pants of shit! It sounds like this issue is common to BMW!
Thanks for chiming in! They definitely changed something with the LCI cars because my 2015 did NOT have this issue. It was probably a change in the fuel tank or pump or how everything is mounted.

I'm glad to that BMW is aware and is working on a fix. It is annoying as hell and has no place in a car like ours. I'm surprised others have not posted more about this noise. I will sometimes get the noise if I come to a stop hard with half a tank. but it's rare and intermittent. And sometimes if I'm on an incline where the nose of the car is lower than the rear. So it's definitely related to gas shifting around the tank.

Please let us know if you have any luck in the future as many of us want this noise fixed.
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