[Fez_7]

I know there are numerous OLD threads about this and the repair kit that BMW finally released to hopefully fix it once and for all rather than replace the whole steering rack for ££££s. I'm looking to hear from anyone with more recent experience of this issue.

Parked up with the engine off if you wiggle the steering wheel left or right slightly there is a loud clunking noise from the steering rack. My mechanic gripped it with his hand which stopped the clunking which shows it is clearly the steering rack but he could only recommend replacing the whole thing as he is no BMW specialist. It is still there when the engine is running too but obviously less noticeable due to the engine noise.

When I drive over potholes, drain covers, bumps etc I feel and hear the clunk especially from the OSF wheel. Also when braking I intermittently experience vibration from the same wheel, as well as in the brake pedal and the floor underneath it.

I can get hold of the repair kit which is basically just a new thrust piece as far as I am aware but I cannot find anyone who can fit this for me despite ringing all the so called BMW specialists in Leeds as they either don't want to touch it or they say they don't have the necessary tools, even if I buy the thrust piece myself from BMW.

My car is well out of warranty and no longer has FBMWSH. It's a 2012 F30 320D Efficient Dynamics. Was this repair kit for pre-LCI models as well? Also I have read that it is only for cars with VSS but I don't up know if this is correct or whether my car has it.

If anyone has had this done and had the same symptoms as my car, did this repair kit fix it once and for all and where would you recommend getting it done and for how much.

I have been trying to speak to my local dealers directly but typically have been left on hold for ages trying to get through to the Service team so will have to try them again tomorrow.

I've also heard that tightening the rack a 1/4 or 1/8th turn might be a medium term fix so again looking to hear from anyone's experience and who they got to do it as I am not mechanically minded!

[Watsey]

There seems to be a lot of issues out there with steering rack clunking/knocking. I've had the rack replaced in my car, under warranty around 4 years ago, and the noise has returned.

I bought the 3-pronged tool from eBay and tightened the rack thrust bolt by ~1/18th of a turn. The clunking/knocking was 90% cured BUT it introduced some unwanted friction into the steering which added weight to the steering feel and stopped it fully self-centring.

I've since slackened the thrust nut back to 1/16th of a turn and the noise has returned.

Accessing the thrust but is easy enough but you need to have the front of the car on jacks or ramps, and remove various under-body trays. In a workshop with a lift I could do the whole job in 15 minutes.

I'll probably replace the thrust piece but I'm also still on a voyage of discovery trying to definitively find the source of the knocking noise. It may not all be due to the rack.

[pongkin]

my car 14' 335i have extended warrenty for it 10yr/120k miles

[Fez_7]

@Watsey excuse my ignorance but if I buy the 3 pronged piece off eBay what other tools are needed to tighten it?

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by pongkin

my car 14' 335i have extended warrenty for it 10yr/120k miles

Did your car have the same symptoms as mine then and did it fix the issue or has it returned?

[Sasquartch]

I bought my 2012 328i at 4 years old and 29k miles and I discovered it had the clonk, exactly as you describe. The rack was replaced under AUC warranty which cured the issue however by the time I traded it in 3 years later at 73k the clonk was definitely coming back and was one of the many reasons I changed the car

Unfortunately it is a problem that seems to affect many F30's I am unsure if it's only pre-LCI models affected, I don't know if the replacement rack was a updated part number but the car's software was definitely updated as part of the fix.

I don't have any hard data but it seems cars with bigger wheels seem more affected, mine had 18s.

What would be interesting is whether the repair kit lasts a long time or whether the design of the rack is just sub-standard in some way and will always wear out. A real shame, the rack in my old E39 (OK, hydraulic not electric) was fine at 175k miles. Although everything else was falling apart around it :-)

I know none of this helps you but I'm sure a real specialist will be aware of the fix and how to do it given how common the issue is and the fact most F30s are now out of warranty and racked up (no pun intended) some high mileages. If it's a real BMW part then surely a BMW dealer can fit it ? Unfortunately most dealers seem very good at replacing entire assemblies and charging handsomely for it, they're not so good at repairing things

[Fez_7]

So I can confirm no indy BMW specialist in Leeds is willing to take it on and have referred me to the dealer. They either don't want to touch it as they haven't done it before or don't have the necessary tool to tighten it back to around 70Nm. One apparently has done it a couple times before but didn't find it fixed the issue therefore they are no longer doing it. I am still wanting to try it though as I have read stories that it was fixed.

This tool to tighten it to 70Nm - is this only held by the dealer? If so then the only alternative is to try and ask my own mechanic if he is willing to tighten the existing thrust piece ever so slightly but obviously this is very risky.

I have managed to speak to a couple dealers this morning and the cheapest quote to supply and fit is £316 but for me this is still way too steep since the actual part is only £21! I did of course ask about goodwill from BMW but they advised I would firstly have to pay £99ph for diagnostic and then if the tech agrees they can then apply for goodwill. They did warn me though that my 2012 car would fall outside the parameters for goodwill and also that they have never seen BMW approve a goodwill for this which is worrying. They used the argument that BMW's defence will be that it is a wear and tear item to which they issued the repair kit for rather than a recall!

Is there anyone who has replaced it themselves, if so how did you know how much to tighten the new piece and what tool did you use?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Fez_7

@Watsey excuse my ignorance but if I buy the 3 pronged piece off eBay what other tools are needed to tighten it?

The one I bought has a 24mm hex nut on top.

A standard socket wrench (ratchet mechanism) is then a direct fit - you shouldn't need any extension shafts.

The thrust nut should already be torqued to the required spec, so it's then a case of carefully judging the additional rotation of the nut. You really only need to tighten the nut by 1/16th of a turn and then drive the car to see whether it makes a difference to the noise.

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by Watsey

The one I bought has a 24mm hex nut on top.

A standard socket wrench (ratchet mechanism) is then a direct fit - you shouldn't need any extension shafts.

The thrust nut should already be torqued to the required spec, so it's then a case of carefully judging the additional rotation of the nut. You really only need to tighten the nut by 1/16th of a turn and then drive the car to see whether it makes a difference to the noise.

Cheers Watsey I've passed the info onto my mechanic to see if it's something he's prepared to try for me so fingers crossed.

If not the only alternatives are to either go to BMW and be over £300 out of pocket or just continue to put up with it like I have been for the last several months

[pongkin]

Originally Posted by pongkin

my car 14' 335i have extended warrenty for it 10yr/120k miles

no issues with it so far, but will see to do it when the time gets closer

check with the dealer to run your vin and see if you're eligible

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by pongkin

no issues with it so far, but will see to do it when the time gets closer

check with the dealer to run your vin and see if you're eligible

Sorry I am confused by what you mean, are you still on the original steering rack or did you buy or get an extended warranty yourself when it was replaced under warranty?

[pongkin]

sorry warrenty through bmw, believe its a bulletin for the steering rack 10yrs/120k miles

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by pongkin

sorry warrenty through bmw, believe its a bulletin for the steering rack 10yrs/120k miles

Thanks. So they issued extended warranty on the original steering rack free to everyone for 10years/120k miles? Is this in the UK or elsewhere? Mine is a 2012 on 118k.

[AudiEaterF30]

I did this repair to my car around a year ago. I used the repair kit and the noise hasn't come back as far as I noticed, but I haven't tried it to check in awhile. I made my own tool to get the nut off and just used the grease off the old parts to regrease the new peices. make sure you don't touch your steering wheel at all through this and just put the new nut to around the same position as the one that came off. it should sit a little recessed into it's home. my car hasn't had any issues with steering rack since but my car did not sound as bad as u make your noises out to be either... anywho goodluck. any mechanic that has common sense should be able to do this.

[jenshb]

I must have been fortunate in not having this problem in four and a half years of owning my car. Is this "clonking" just a nuisance, or an indication of impending failure of the steering function?

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by jenshb

I must have been fortunate in not having this problem in four and a half years of owning my car. Is this "clonking" just a nuisance, or an indication of impending failure of the steering function?

I think it's more just a nuisance and it's mainly the early F30's (as well as other F series) that are affected. I've had it at least several months without knowing what it was, the only thing what worries me is the front driver's side of the car vibrates pretty harshly when braking coming off onto a slip road.

Having read some threads and speaking to some Indy's the consensus seems to be that the vehicle is still driveable and not dangerous. To be fair the majority of the time you don't even notice it but now I know exactly what the fault is it's bugging me.

[Fez_7]

Originally Posted by pongkin

sorry warrenty through bmw, believe its a bulletin for the steering rack 10yrs/120k miles

After doing some searching I think this is for the North American market only I'm afraid although if they've done it then surely it should apply globally

[Fez_7]

For anyone interested it turns out my mechanic has tightened the piece on the rack on other F30's previously and believes they reported an improvement but not a complete fix.

As it will hopefully improve it I am happy to give it a go and he is happy to do it for me. I will book it in the week after next so will try report back in due course.

I'll need to leave the car with him for 1-1.5 hours for around £60/70 labour and he also doesn't think I'll need to supply the 3 pronged tool as he should be able to tighten the rack without it.