Anyone have high speed driveline vibration?

DTP1980 · 10-26-2014, 02:08 PM

My suggestions are:

RFT's are prone to something called 'sawtooth' (also known by other names). The tyre appears fine, but jacked up, slow rotation shows a flat spot across the join of the tyre.

Go to another tyre specialist to get wheels balanced. In the UK we have specialists who can also do 'extra fine' balancing for particularly accurate setups (most benefit on high speed roads)

Don't rule out buckled wheels either.....

Altima · 07-03-2017, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

No, my issue was speed related so was only there at high speed after about 75 mph. The vibration was still there if you lifted the throttle or without drive engaged, no difference between cold or with throttle applied.
The vibration was subtle so you didn't really feel it, but there was a constant booming which sounded like it was coming from the rear of the car. Dip below 75 and the issue disappears.

Hi King, the issue you used to have sounds very similar to mine and I made a new post here about my specific case. So they replaced your driveshaft a few years ago... Is the car still smooth? I'm going to mention it to my dealer before I get the new tires (Non-RFT) put on... Mine has brand new Summer RFT's on it now, which is why I doubt it's related to wheel balance or tires, but I need All Season tires for the climate in my area anyway. If you have any documentation or related TSB's or anything I could use them as a suggestion to my dealer and that would be very much appreciated!

(Here is my Post: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...1#post21892353)

Thanks,
Dan

roma3 · 08-16-2017, 01:10 PM

'13 328xdrive 56k, stock RFTs - same issue around 70-75mph
I feel the vibration in the pedal and I definitely see the pass side seat shaking

Setright · 11-16-2017, 10:14 AM

Dang.

My F20 120d has developed this issue. I was lucky in terms of mileage, it appeared about 2 months ago when I passed 62,000 miles.

Dealer has taken me through the same tyre balancing blah-blah, and even replaced the rear brakes...

I have suggested right from the onset that this is caused by the propshaft.

I am used to doing all maintainence myself, over hundreds of thousands of miles in my own cars, but this one is a company car, so I am not allowed to do anything but drive it.

My dealer said "We have never heard of a defect in the propshaft or it's assembly".

BMW has been building RWD cars for over 100 years now, and never had a defective propshaft????

rak299 · 11-16-2017, 10:32 AM

Propeller shafts themselves don't become bad unless there is an accident, but U-joints can fail. My experience has been that those problems usually show up during acceleration and slow-downs, not at steady speed.

Rear motor mount??? Flex disk?

Setright · 11-17-2017, 12:55 AM

When I say propshaft, I am referring to the entire assembly.

Most likely is a failing carrier bearing. It's hung in a rubber bush that starts by going soft and allowing too much play.

Sure, it could also be the vibration damper/Guibo/flex disc connecting the prop to the diff, but I reckon the vibrations would be larger in amplitude, and more prone to following throttle inputs.

akgambino · 11-19-2017, 11:23 AM

Could the vibration be mistaken for road wallow/bounciness? The rear shocks have little to no rebound especially if u are non dhp and they are getting up there in mileage.

This is my assumption for a similar issue I am having with my f30, sometimes feels like vibration but I have chased down and inspected everything and have landed on it being super soft rear shocks that can't control spring oscillation due to lack of proper rebound control.

Setright · 11-22-2017, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akgambino

Could the vibration be mistaken for road wallow/bounciness? The rear shocks have little to no rebound especially if u are non dhp and they are getting up there in mileage.

This is my assumption for a similar issue I am having with my f30, sometimes feels like vibration but I have chased down and inspected everything and have landed on it being super soft rear shocks that can't control spring oscillation due to lack of proper rebound control.

Sounds like a very likely reason.

The biggest problem I have encountered is dealer "technicians" who cannot discern the causes and give up, by claiming they cannot reproduce the symptoms.

VVlasy · 01-15-2018, 12:35 PM

Add me to the list of people who are getting a new driveshaft. My dealer has opened a PUMA case with BMW. Symptoms were vibration at highway speeds which got worse with time (15-20 minutes).

I had aligment done, 4 times rebalanced wheels, 3x different rims and non ruflat tires.

2016 440i GC xDrive, 22 500 miles

EDIT:
It took two more months and engineers from BMW Germany coming over to my dealer to take a look at my car and they finally gave the go ahead on the driveshaft replacement.

tomob63 · 04-14-2018, 11:18 AM

2015 335xi F30 8AT and starting st 80mph I get vibration. As you increase speed it gets worse

Dealer charged me 360 to straighten two front rims. I have had the car 3 mos and it only had 1000 miles from the 39k I bought it on.

Taking it back to ask them to check out again.

Was going to rotate tires and road test but raining today. Disappointing as my prior E90s were smooth to 133mph. Never an issue.

Traded out of a new Macan as I missed the BMW too much.

kingmonkey8 · 04-24-2018, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVlasy

Add me to the list of people who are getting a new driveshaft. My dealer has opened a PUMA case with BMW. Symptoms were vibration at highway speeds which got worse with time (15-20 minutes).

I had aligment done, 4 times rebalanced wheels, 3x different rims and non ruflat tires.

2016 440i GC xDrive, 22 500 miles

EDIT:
It took two more months and engineers from BMW Germany coming over to my dealer to take a look at my car and they finally gave the go ahead on the driveshaft replacement.

When you say driveshaft are you referring to the axles or the propshaft?
Did they give a reason for the part failure?

kingmonkey8 · 06-24-2018, 05:16 AM

Just wanted to get an update. Anyone else still having high speed vibration issues or managed to resolve this issue?

My car did have this issue back in 2014 when the car was on 6k. The dealer seemed to have fixed it at the time (balanced wheels, swapped diff, prop shaft). But unfortunately the same issue is now back and the car is out of warranty.

The fix probably lasted less than 20k and is now back. Took it to two BMW independant garages and they checked the car over, couldn't see anything obvious.

428i MT

VVlasy · 06-24-2018, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

When you say driveshaft are you referring to the axles or the propshaft?
Did they give a reason for the part failure?

Propshaft.

Shop foreman said manufacturing defect. I doubt it but what else can I do. I requested some form of a repair invoice, but I was denied, saying that for warranty repairs (I am in EU), they do not provide it, but it will be in the electronic BMW database.

VVlasy · 06-24-2018, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

Just wanted to get an update. Anyone else still having high speed vibration issues or managed to resolve this issue?

My car did have this issue back in 2014 when the car was on 6k. The dealer seemed to have fixed it at the time (balanced wheels, swapped diff, prop shaft). But unfortunately the same issue is now back and the car is out of warranty.

The fix probably lasted less than 20k and is now back. Took it to two BMW independant garages and they checked the car over, couldn't see anything obvious.

428i MT

Wheels and tires have a big effect. When I got my propshaft replaced, there was still some vibration, so they swapped wheels with some off of a brand new demo and it was all gone.

kingmonkey8 · 06-24-2018, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVlasy

Wheels and tires have a big effect. When I got my propshaft replaced, there was still some vibration, so they swapped wheels with some off of a brand new demo and it was all gone.

It's not the wheels or tyres. I swapped for a brand new set of BMW wheels and tyres but it had no effect.
I noticed that one of the rear wheels old and when replaced with new wheels looked like it wasn't running true, tiny bit of run out. replaced the hub but still no change.
Was your vibration dependant on speed? i.e 70 and above?

kingmonkey8 · 06-25-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVlasy

Propshaft.

Shop foreman said manufacturing defect. I doubt it but what else can I do. I requested some form of a repair invoice, but I was denied, saying that for warranty repairs (I am in EU), they do not provide it, but it will be in the electronic BMW database.

Looking back at the thread at my previous post, when BMW last repaired the car. They changed the prop shaft and this seemed to solve the problem at the time. But for some reason the issue has come back.
I dropped in a used Prop shaft with a later manufacture date (2015). If anything the problem seems slightly worse than before. But as this has had an effect. It does seems to confirm the issue is related to the prop shaft.

VVlasy · 06-25-2018, 08:55 AM

Yes, mine started at about 75Mph and was completely gone at 90Mph.

I have my personal view on this matter, but I have nothing to prove it. I have a feeling that my transmission jerks more than normal. And this contributed to the death of the propshaft (probably the joints, but they replace as a whole piece). Heavy stress on the joints when transmissions jerks would make sense. But I am not saying this is your case. Just my view on this vibration issue...

kingmonkey8 · 06-25-2018, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVlasy

Yes, mine started at about 75Mph and was completely gone at 90Mph.

I have my personal view on this matter, but I have nothing to prove it. I have a feeling that my transmission jerks more than normal. And this contributed to the death of the propshaft (probably the joints, but they replace as a whole piece). Heavy stress on the joints when transmissions jerks would make sense. But I am not saying this is your case. Just my view on this vibration issue...

Mine starts at around 85 but doesn't go away with increased speed.
I don't find the MT necessarily jerky. Especially at crusing speed on the motorway.
When I took off the old shaft I was expecting damage to the center bearing bushing rubber or the guibo flexdisc. However the these parts still looked good.
Even the CV joints were still good with no play. Unless the shaft itself was out of balance. But surely these are checked to tolerance when they are manufactured.

mbanks21 · 07-02-2018, 08:10 AM

Any update on this? I find it very disturbing this has been going on for 6 years with no definitive answer. My manual 2015 335 vibrates from around 60-70mph. I've swapped tires, rebalanced, aligned, etc with no resolution.

kingmonkey8 · 07-02-2018, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbanks21

Any update on this? I find it very disturbing this has been going on for 6 years with no definitive answer. My manual 2015 335 vibrates from around 60-70mph. I've swapped tires, rebalanced, aligned, etc with no resolution.

Have you tried contacting BMW? They must have enough data by now as it seems to be a common problem.

Where does the source of your vibration seem to come from?

evdok · 07-02-2018, 08:49 AM

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.

Niart906 · 07-02-2018, 09:39 AM

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?

10-26-2014, 02:08 PM	#45
DTP1980 Lieutenant 83 Rep 418 Posts Drives: M5 F10 LCI Monte Carlo Blue Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Worcestershire, UK iTrader: (0)	My suggestions are: RFT's are prone to something called 'sawtooth' (also known by other names). The tyre appears fine, but jacked up, slow rotation shows a flat spot across the join of the tyre. Go to another tyre specialist to get wheels balanced. In the UK we have specialists who can also do 'extra fine' balancing for particularly accurate setups (most benefit on high speed roads) Don't rule out buckled wheels either.....
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-16-2017, 01:10 PM	#47
roma3 Private 25 Rep 51 Posts Drives: F30 328i xdrive Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Fairfax, VA iTrader: (0)	'13 328xdrive 56k, stock RFTs - same issue around 70-75mph I feel the vibration in the pedal and I definitely see the pass side seat shaking
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2017, 10:14 AM	#48
Setright Car Enthusiast 20 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 120i M-Sport 2022 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Denmark iTrader: (0)	Dang. My F20 120d has developed this issue. I was lucky in terms of mileage, it appeared about 2 months ago when I passed 62,000 miles. Dealer has taken me through the same tyre balancing blah-blah, and even replaced the rear brakes... I have suggested right from the onset that this is caused by the propshaft. I am used to doing all maintainence myself, over hundreds of thousands of miles in my own cars, but this one is a company car, so I am not allowed to do anything but drive it. My dealer said "We have never heard of a defect in the propshaft or it's assembly". BMW has been building RWD cars for over 100 years now, and never had a defective propshaft????
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2017, 10:32 AM	#49
rak299 Major 601 Rep 1,046 Posts Drives: 2021 M3 6MT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: san francisco iTrader: (0)	Propeller shafts themselves don't become bad unless there is an accident, but U-joints can fail. My experience has been that those problems usually show up during acceleration and slow-downs, not at steady speed. Rear motor mount??? Flex disk? Last edited by rak299; 11-16-2017 at 10:40 AM..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-17-2017, 12:55 AM	#50
Setright Car Enthusiast 20 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 120i M-Sport 2022 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Denmark iTrader: (0)	When I say propshaft, I am referring to the entire assembly. Most likely is a failing carrier bearing. It's hung in a rubber bush that starts by going soft and allowing too much play. Sure, it could also be the vibration damper/Guibo/flex disc connecting the prop to the diff, but I reckon the vibrations would be larger in amplitude, and more prone to following throttle inputs.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-19-2017, 11:23 AM	#51
akgambino Lieutenant 272 Rep 529 Posts Drives: 2013 F30 335xi M-Sport (PWG) Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Saskatchewan iTrader: (0)	Could the vibration be mistaken for road wallow/bounciness? The rear shocks have little to no rebound especially if u are non dhp and they are getting up there in mileage. This is my assumption for a similar issue I am having with my f30, sometimes feels like vibration but I have chased down and inspected everything and have landed on it being super soft rear shocks that can't control spring oscillation due to lack of proper rebound control. __________________ 2013 F30 335i xDrive M-Sport 6MT (FBO/BM3 custom tune by HCP, 91 oct, 550i clutch, xDelete)
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01-15-2018, 12:35 PM	#53
VVlasy Private First Class 48 Rep 130 Posts Drives: 2016 440i xDrive GC with MPPSK Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Prague iTrader: (0)	Add me to the list of people who are getting a new driveshaft. My dealer has opened a PUMA case with BMW. Symptoms were vibration at highway speeds which got worse with time (15-20 minutes). I had aligment done, 4 times rebalanced wheels, 3x different rims and non ruflat tires. 2016 440i GC xDrive, 22 500 miles EDIT: It took two more months and engineers from BMW Germany coming over to my dealer to take a look at my car and they finally gave the go ahead on the driveshaft replacement. Last edited by VVlasy; 03-02-2018 at 02:24 AM..
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04-14-2018, 11:18 AM	#54
tomob63 Captain 31 Rep 708 Posts Drives: 2015 335i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Illinois iTrader: (14)	2015 335xi F30 8AT and starting st 80mph I get vibration. As you increase speed it gets worse Dealer charged me 360 to straighten two front rims. I have had the car 3 mos and it only had 1000 miles from the 39k I bought it on. Taking it back to ask them to check out again. Was going to rotate tires and road test but raining today. Disappointing as my prior E90s were smooth to 133mph. Never an issue. Traded out of a new Macan as I missed the BMW too much.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-24-2018, 05:16 AM	#56
kingmonkey8 Lieutenant 81 Rep 552 Posts Drives: BMW 428i Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Just wanted to get an update. Anyone else still having high speed vibration issues or managed to resolve this issue? My car did have this issue back in 2014 when the car was on 6k. The dealer seemed to have fixed it at the time (balanced wheels, swapped diff, prop shaft). But unfortunately the same issue is now back and the car is out of warranty. The fix probably lasted less than 20k and is now back. Took it to two BMW independant garages and they checked the car over, couldn't see anything obvious. 428i MT
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06-25-2018, 08:55 AM	#61
VVlasy Private First Class 48 Rep 130 Posts Drives: 2016 440i xDrive GC with MPPSK Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Prague iTrader: (0)	Yes, mine started at about 75Mph and was completely gone at 90Mph. I have my personal view on this matter, but I have nothing to prove it. I have a feeling that my transmission jerks more than normal. And this contributed to the death of the propshaft (probably the joints, but they replace as a whole piece). Heavy stress on the joints when transmissions jerks would make sense. But I am not saying this is your case. Just my view on this vibration issue...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-02-2018, 08:10 AM	#63
mbanks21 Colonel 1268 Rep 2,953 Posts Drives: 2015 335i MSport Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: High Bridge, NJ iTrader: (8)	Any update on this? I find it very disturbing this has been going on for 6 years with no definitive answer. My manual 2015 335 vibrates from around 60-70mph. I've swapped tires, rebalanced, aligned, etc with no resolution. __________________ 2015 335i Msport/6 JB4/EWG/E30/VRSF DP/ER CP/ VRSF Race Exhaust/ Injen Intake/Verde Axis 19x8.5/9.5 245/35/275/30 Conti Extreme CS/ H&R Sports / Motorsport Hardware Stud Conversion
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07-02-2018, 08:49 AM	#65
evdok Lieutenant Colonel 818 Rep 1,907 Posts Drives: 330D M/SPORT xDRIVE INDIVIDUAL Join Date: May 2015 Location: WORCESTERSHIRE iTrader: (0)	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. __________________ Happy Motoring Evdok
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07-02-2018, 09:39 AM	#66
Niart906 First Lieutenant 179 Rep 331 Posts Drives: 2017 M3, 2003 M3 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Dalton, PA iTrader: (0)	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?
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