[gooselee]

New M550i with around 1100 miles on it. Not sure when it started but I began noticing a couple hundred miles ago - there is a chirp coming from the engine. Can especially hear it when my window is down and I'm next to a wall or in a garage where the engine noise can bounce back at me.

The chirping speeds up/slows down accordingly with RPMs. Occurs both on cold and warm engine (I heard it after driving ~10 miles to work, mix of city traffic and highway up to 80 mph).

It sounds *sort of* like a slipping belt, but a little differenty based on having replaced my fair share of belts on other cars.

I was planning on an oil change at 1500 miles and will have the dealer look at it then. But any ideas/tips on things to look for if I just pop the hood and poke around? I've never had an engine with turbos before so I also admit I'm still getting used to those noises as well.

[Bymep]

Haven't heard anything like this, my car is around 1200 miles. Would certainly have the dealer look at it.

Dont know what you can see under the hood, most everything is hidden by the engine covers...

[gooselee]

Yeah, I looked under the hood when I got home but it was also raining so hard to hear over the rain. Definitely something deep under the engine covers and different from the valve clicks and turbo whirrs. I'll have the dealer check it out.

[Crysis21]

I have the same issue on my car, but it's a 540i. My dealer acknowledged the sound, but it says I couldn't find anything based on their service tools. I'm curios if you found out the issue with your car.

[AddyDaddy]

My new M550 does it and I texted sales rep so it was noted that a pulley needs some grease when I had 40 miles on the car.
Same as OP's. It's a moving part of engine that goes up and down with engine speed.
My younger brothers M750 has same noise?

[SteveinArizona]

vacuum leak?

[gooselee]

I haven't gotten it to the dealer yet. Out of town for a bit but will try to get it over there soon. I'll update this thread when I know more!

My car did sit outside in the cold for like 3 weeks before I could take delivery (the PC was closed for Christmas/New Years). Not sure if being idle and outside like that while brand new may have done something weird to a grease spot or something. But the sound didn't start until recently...or at least I didn't start noticing it.

If my dealer says they can't hear the sound I'm going to ask them to pull up some other car with an N63 (I think X5 50i and maybe 750i?) to compare. I don't think they'll have another M550 or M5 on the lot.

[Crysis21]

Any updates on this issue?

[gooselee]

Just got back from the dealer....who said they couldn't reproduce the sound even after warming the engine back up (which it does seem like they did - extra 2 miles on the odometer).

Tech claimed he checked all the usual components and didn't see/hear anything he didn't consider normal. SA said based on the timing of when it started, may have been something about parts settling in with change in weather - when I got the car it was in the 30s/40s and now regularly in the 90s.

Weirdly, the sound was not as noticeable when I got it home just now. So I guess I'll keep an ear on it and take it back again if needed.

Did anyone else having similar issues find out anything more on your cars?

[Crysis21]

I just went to the dealer for the 3rd time. They told me again they couldn't identify the issue, but they do acknowledge the sound. Drove another 5000KM between checks and I think the noise is becoming louder, but only happens when I forge the car on short distances, in the city usually.

[Moedee]

I have the same issue
m550i less than 1500 miles
have an apt to go check it out

how can they just tell you we hear the problem, but nothing to do to fix it??
Its very unpleasant noise

[AddyDaddy]

It's all I hear now, like I said brothers new 750M does same. It's like timing chain sound type. No one else notices or doesn't say anything. I obsess over it

[gooselee]

Mine hasn't resolved itself and is still annoying, though I only really notice it in my garage and when pulled up next to a wall or another car for the sound to bounce off of.

Solution at the moment is just to put it in sport mode and let the exhaust note drown it out.

[bojler]

Same problem here, but in my case, it's louder with a cold engine. Wasn't able to reproduce it at a dealer, they asked me to try to record the sound so they will know what to look for. I will try to do that and I will post again with any news.

[bojler]

So I recorded it, is this the same sound you guys have? Car is going to a dealership in two weeks, I will post any news after.

[CLABRO]

Is that the old Taco Bell dog in your video? In all seriousness, I couldn't really hear an engine chirp or noise, but I'm at work and trying to be sneaky. Are you talking about around the 14-17 second mark?

[bojler]

We don’t have Taco Bell, so not sure, sorry

The sound is there all the time I hit the gas pedal. It’s kind of rattles from below the car, below the engine. Like if you take the iron chain and let it bump on some other iron thing. I don’t have proper english word for it, but I’m sure you will be able hear that strange sound.

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by bojler

We don’t have Taco Bell, so not sure, sorry

The sound is there all the time I hit the gas pedal. It’s kind of rattles from below the car, below the engine. Like if you take the iron chain and let it bump on some other iron thing. I don’t have proper english word for it, but I’m sure you will be able hear that strange sound.

I think I hear what you're talking about (also around the 0:14-0:17 mark). That is very different than what I hear on my car.

The sound I have is constant/repetitive and a much more faint chirp or almost squeak. Once the engine is warm it is always there but frequency speeds up or slows down in correlation with RPMs.

[bojler]

Just got back from the dealer with bad news. They located where the sound is coming from - it's Wastegate Flappers or something like that, I can't properly translate it. Here are two videos they recorded for BMW tech support in Munich.

Unfortunately, BMW said that this is common and is not affecting the car in any way. Well, it's maybe not affecting the car itself, but it's affecting how it the sounds when the engine is cold, which is really bad.

Any suggestions for the next step? Lawsuit would be my last choice, but I don't want to keep it this way. Thanks.

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by bojler

Just got back from the dealer with bad news. They located where the sound is coming from - it's Wastegate Flappers or something like that, I can't properly translate it. Here are two videos they recorded for BMW tech support in Munich.

Unfortunately, BMW said that this is common and is not affecting the car in any way. Well, it's maybe not affecting the car itself, but it's affecting how it the sounds when the engine is cold, which is really bad.

Any suggestions for the next step? Lawsuit would be my last choice, but I don't want to keep it this way. Thanks.

Wait, seriously? They found/acknowledged an issue but are refusing to do anything to fix it? Is the refusal coming from your dealer or from BMW?

Not sure where you are located, but it would be worth familiarizing yourself with any consumer protection laws that apply to your area. I think at this point if the dealer is acknowledging the issue, it's worth continuing to work with their service manager or general management to see if they can put pressure on BMW to come up with a fix.

[bojler]

Refusal came from BMW Tech Support in Munich. I’m from the Czech Republic, country next to Germany.

Dealer is acknowledging the issue, but they can’t do anything about it because BMW told them this is common and it’s not affecting the car in any way. It’s crazy. I will contact BMW importer here in the Czech Republic to see if they are ok with this approach. Car is under factory waranty, that is the most sad part about this...

[gooselee]

Originally Posted by bojler

Refusal came from BMW Tech Support in Munich. I’m from the Czech Republic, country next to Germany.

Dealer is acknowledging the issue, but they can’t do anything about it because BMW told them this is common and it’s not affecting the car in any way. It’s crazy. I will contact BMW importer here in the Czech Republic to see if they are ok with this approach. Car is under factory waranty, that is the most sad part about this...

Ah, I will admit the only thing I know about CR is that Prague is a very beautiful city (at least, I remember it as such from many years ago!).

This is indeed crazy and sad. Hopefully others may have more specific suggestions to get some resolution. I can't imagine this is something that would be excluded from the warranty!