[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

update.
dealer changed the control arms it made F ...all difference. so the hydrobearing and control arm and bulkhead trim all changed but knocking sound remains.
took it to an indy who put it up on a ramp and showed me the noise. he is certain it is the steering rack or steering rack arm.
wtf 4 trips to dealer and indi diagnoses it in 5 minutes.
so have to now book it in again for 5th time!

Surely if it was the steering rack it would be easy to detect. If the indie could replicate the noise. Then that most likely is the problem.
Dealers are pretty useless. Always good to take it to an indie for a second opinion.
Had a vibration problem on my old car. Dealer said it was the diff and wanted me to pay £2.5k for a new diff but couldn't guarantee it would solve the issue.
Swapped out the diff with a used one in good condition.
Guess what. It wasn't the diff. Good job I didn't listen to the dealer. But they will happily charge you the £160 diagnostics fee.
The only reason I took it to the dealer was I was hoping they have some central database where BMW record common issues. I asked them about this but they don't submit anything to BMW.
When the warranty runs out the dealers don't want to know and you really are on your own.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by hwntime

So I have an F22 and dealt with a similar issue but don't know if they're related. I had my car in service on 3 occasions and finally got it figured out. First visit, couldn't replicate. Second visit, lubed some suspension components and blah blah blah it's fixed. Nope, sound still persists. The third visit they had the car for 8 days and basically stripped everything down trying to find the cause. It ended up being a hood hinge of all things. The sound seemed to come from a suspension component but it was a hood hinge of all things.

The more I read on the forum the more ridiculous I find some of the sources of noise, vibration on these cars. Seems like nothing is robust.

[bobiam]

Originally Posted by bobiam

I've owned my 2015 335xi for around 3 months and I've continuously noticed something that sounds like a low rumble at low speeds even on smooth appearing roads but worse on cracked roads. I had a BMW service tech drive it with me aboard and he says i't normal.

Personally, I feel it's the original run-flats. My tires are about due for replacement and I'm buying Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires within a week or two. These are NOT run-flat so we'll see if the change helps the rumble problem. I'm carrying a 12V inflator and Slime now.

I'll report back to this thread with results.

Well......The tires were not the cause. But I think they contributed to it. The new NON - run-flat tires are smoother and perhaps contribute less to the rumble sound at low speeds, but the sound is still there and pronounced on the smallest of bumps/cracks in the road. The car is going to be inspected by BMW in a few weeks with SPECIFIC instructions to remove the plastic pan and examine control rod bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and anything else down there. Wish me luck...

[khj24]

I tightened the rack adjustment screw just a tiny bit and it seemed to get rid of 90% of the knocking noise with the car off, it unfortunately didn't seem to do much about the low speed rumbling noise(noticed that this noise is not very audible around 60 degrees, that seems to be the magic number). The annoyance of taking off the paneling coupled with my hesitance of turning that adjustment screw more is why I have not tightened it further. I maybe tightened 1/6th a turn.

[bobiam]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Well......The tires were not the cause. But I think they contributed to it. The new NON - run-flat tires are smoother and perhaps contribute less to the rumble sound at low speeds, but the sound is still there and pronounced on the smallest of bumps/cracks in the road. The car is going to be inspected by BMW in a few weeks with SPECIFIC instructions to remove the plastic pan and examine control rod bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and anything else down there. Wish me luck...

Today, the BMW techs finally agree that there is a front end rumble and took it in and examined and tightened all that they could see. They are blaming the top bushings of the strut towers and I have an appt to have them fixed on 1/10/19. Again, I'll report here as to the outcome.

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Today, the BMW techs finally agree that there is a front end rumble and took it in and examined and tightened all that they could see. They are blaming the top bushings of the strut towers and I have an appt to have them fixed on 1/10/19. Again, I'll report here as to the outcome.

Thanks for the update!

[khj24]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Today, the BMW techs finally agree that there is a front end rumble and took it in and examined and tightened all that they could see. They are blaming the top bushings of the strut towers and I have an appt to have them fixed on 1/10/19. Again, I'll report here as to the outcome.

From everything I have seen around here those bushings are utter garbage

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Today, the BMW techs finally agree that there is a front end rumble and took it in and examined and tightened all that they could see. They are blaming the top bushings of the strut towers and I have an appt to have them fixed on 1/10/19. Again, I'll report here as to the outcome.

Don't see how the top mounts could cause a rumbling. If there were bad I can see them causing a clunk over bumps.
I get a rumble from the run flats depending on the road surface.

[truth649]

Similar noise here too, this is the description I gave to the service dept. I am not great at describing sounds but we will see what they say when it goes in:

Sounds like something loose in front end at slow speeds (below 20mph) on slightly rough road surfaces. Similar noise a bad strut makes. Most noticeable in colder temperatures and very dependent on road surface, and more noticeable when slowing to stop. Does not seem to be affected by braking vs coasting. On certain roads it will happen every time, and others not at all. Parking lots with asphalt patches or even speed bumps seem to cause it most.

[Korvo]

Does anyone know what a loose compressor sounds like when you try to physically move a mini fridge?? It's the same noise, just much deeper in tone.

[truth649]

Originally Posted by pdegene

Does anyone know what a loose compressor sounds like when you try to physically move a mini fridge?? It's the same noise, just much deeper in tone.

That’s a great description!

[Korvo]

My dealer just told me that they would not install the repair kit without diagnosing the issue. It's a liability issue, apparently. They want me to pay for a diagnostic fee that I probably won't get back when they claim it's fine.

They told me to go to an indie and ask them to do it, even though they've never heard of the issue or seen the repair kit.

Bad dealership? Should I ask indie?

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by pdegene

My dealer just told me that they would not install the repair kit without diagnosing the issue. It's a liability issue, apparently. They want me to pay for a diagnostic fee that I probably won't get back when they claim it's fine.

They told me to go to an indie and ask them to do it, even though they've never heard of the issue or seen the repair kit.

Bad dealership? Should I ask indie?

Is this for the steering thrust piece?
The dealer won't just install the kit if they don't know what the cause is. Some indie's won't either.
I had a vibration problem no one could pinpoint. As a last resort I took it to the dealer to get the diagnostic's done. They said it was the diff. So I asked them what if I changed the diff and the problem still persists. As they couldn't 100% verify the cause. They refrained from charging me the diagnostic's. But in any case turned out the diagnostic's they gave me was wrong.
Unless you can find a good indie willing to help. I would go indie.

I think the dealer is playing dumb, if the kit is listed on their system they can get all the information.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by pdegene

Does anyone know what a loose compressor sounds like when you try to physically move a mini fridge?? It's the same noise, just much deeper in tone.

That's when the compressor is floating about and knocking against the fridge.

Sounds like a component has movement and is knocking against the car when you go over a bump. If it's a more tinny sound then I would say it's a suspension component. But if its a deeper sound then it could be knocking against body work or a larger component.
Then again it could be anything...

[KRS_SN]

steering thrust piece/bearing replaced by bmw. Noise is substantially down but not away completely. Not sure if I should go a 4th time or learn to live with it (so far hydrolink,control arm and steering thrust piece have been replaced).

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

steering thrust piece/bearing replaced by bmw. Noise is substantially down but not away completely. Not sure if I should go a 4th time or learn to live with it (so far hydrolink,control arm and steering thrust piece have been replaced).

Was this the repair kit linked earlier or something else?

[KRS_SN]

it was still under warranty so likely to be an OEM thing.The paperwork says 'steering thrust bearing replaced tested OK as per protocol'.

[bobiam]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Today, the BMW techs finally agree that there is a front end rumble and took it in and examined and tightened all that they could see. They are blaming the top bushings of the strut towers and I have an appt to have them fixed on 1/10/19. Again, I'll report here as to the outcome.

Hooray! BMW replaced both front spring strut mounts. The problem is solved. If there was anything else wrong I'm sure it would have been discovered after doing this repair. The invoice notice also mentions guide supports, hex bolt with washer, self-locking nut, collar screw with spring. I'm sure those are just minor incidentals. They have to list everything.
Get it done!!!

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Hooray! BMW replaced both front spring strut mounts. The problem is solved. If there was anything else wrong I'm sure it would have been discovered after doing this repair. The invoice notice also mentions guide supports, hex bolt with washer, self-locking nut, collar screw with spring. I'm sure those are just minor incidentals. They have to list everything.
Get it done!!!

Thanks so much for the update. I really appreciate it. I need this fixed.

[khj24]

Originally Posted by bobiam

Hooray! BMW replaced both front spring strut mounts. The problem is solved. If there was anything else wrong I'm sure it would have been discovered after doing this repair. The invoice notice also mentions guide supports, hex bolt with washer, self-locking nut, collar screw with spring. I'm sure those are just minor incidentals. They have to list everything.
Get it done!!!

Thanks for this, I'm glad they fixed this for you! Do you mind posting a pic of the invoice or just the part numbers? Curious to see what they have it booked as.

[Livetodrive]

I had a clunking at low speed coming from the engine compartment. The dealer found the blower was loose. They tightened it and the noise went away.

[Korvo]

Originally Posted by Livetodrive

I had a clunking at low speed coming from the engine compartment. The dealer found the blower was loose. They tightened it and the noise went away.

What blower? Where? I'd like to check mine.