[JR_Ewing_78]

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About 4-5 months ago (August/Sept) my car started making a loud noise from the front end when letting off the gas and coasting at low speeds. Kind of like very low frequency flywheel or jet engine but without any high frequency component, just a low whooshing roar. More noticeable when it is cold in the morning. Does not seem to change in sound or pitch regardless of the revs. High RPM or low RPM, as soon as I let off the gas it roars for a few seconds and then quiets down.

As near as I can tell it makes the same noise at higher speeds but it is harder to hear due to road noise.

Goes away as soon as I hit the gas.

It was "grindy" enough that at first I thought it was the brakes and I told my tech I needed a brake job at my last oil change in November. He came back and said, "Brakes are fine" when I picked it up, but the noise was still there and I went back and raised enough of a stink that they replaced the pads and the rotors, but that didn't do it. Still there, so it makes me think it is engine related in some way.

This noise is starting to drive me crazy. No one else can hear it unless I point it out, then they say they do hear it faintly. Dealer said he couldn't hear it but I don't think he knew what to listen for. I am deaf in one ear and I little hard of hearing, so maybe I am more attuned to different sounds from the driver's seat and it's perfectly normal, I just happen to hear it well.

Car runs fine and the performance is totally unaffected, it's just very loud when letting off of the gas pedal.

It is a 2021 with about 40,000 miles on it. I've take several road trips. Haven't had a lick of trouble except for having to replace tires frequently. Best car I have ever owned, but the noise is really getting to me.

Somebody tell me what it is or that I shouldn't worry about it, I just happen to hear it better than most people.

[Tr4ckD4ys]

I mean it’s hard to tell you anything without audio clip or video clip. At the end of the day, these engines can make all kinds of noises and don’t always all sound 100% the same. I would rather focus on not worrying about something that to a large extend only you can hear, doesn’t seem to affect the driving experience and doesn’t throw any codes. From what you stated, as it stands, it’s probably nothing and just engine noise.

If I had to make a completely random guess at all I would say it’s the oil or intercooler surging a bit. But that’s normal too to a certain extend.

[Specularius]

That sounds similar to an issue I had with my 2020 M50i. Taking off it made a sound like an electrical motor bushing growling and at approximately 40 mph it would just go silent. It wound up being the front differential pinion bearing. Took over 6 months to find and the dealer changed the transfer case first, then thought it was a turbo, then the pinion started leaking and the noise got very loud. May suggest that the dealer inspect the pinion bearing.

[JR_Ewing_78]

Update on my car:

I took it into the dealer about 10 days ago and took a 10 minute test drive with a technician. He immediately noticed the noise before we even left the parking lot and agreed that he could very subtlety feel the grinding through the steering wheel.

He agreed that it "sounds like the brakes" but that it could not be the brakes since the pads and rotors had already been replaced. Then he said "wheel bearing" but we eliminated that because it only happened when coasting, not whenever the wheels are turning. So that means somehow engine or transmission related, as I had already concluded.

The next Monday (Jan 31, a week ago today), the service advisor called and said they thought it was the transfer case, but before they replaced it they wanted to replace the fluids and drive it 100 miles. They did that and the noise was still there. He said they were waiting on the new part to arrive and my car would be ready today (Monday, Feb 7).

He just texted me that now they are concerned the problem is with the front differential and that part is currently in very short supply. If they can't get one, it will be backordered from Germany and could take "several weeks". If that turns out to be the case, it would be unsafe to drive until the new part is installed and they'll give me a loaner until the new part is ready.

Starting to get a little frustrated but at least it's under warranty and they are obviously trying to fix it.

[Hot-Vee]

Thank you for continuing to post updates. I have the exact same noise in my 2020 M50i.

[Al Pinã]

You should also get payment credits from BMWNA since the car you're paying for isn't available to drive.

[Tr4ckD4ys]

Originally Posted by Al Pin　

You should also get payment credits from BMWNA since the car you're paying for isn't available to drive.

Pretty sure that would require more than just a few phone calls to the incredibly upright and helpful people at BMWNA - being sarcastic here.

I've been in a similar situation once and to even get an answer out of BMWNA I had to use lawyers who weren't successful at first either.

BMW FS doesn't care by the way!

[ZFX7]

Can’t remember where I saw it but I think someone had a similar sound that turned out to be a differential bearing.

[Specularius]

Originally Posted by ZFX7

Can’t remember where I saw it but I think someone had a similar sound that turned out to be a differential bearing.

That was me, and I was the second person to reply to this post.

[ZFX7]

Originally Posted by Specularius

That was me, and I was the second person to reply to this post.

LOL, I guess that’s where it was. Time to get my memory checked.

[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by Tr4ckD4ys

Pretty sure that would require more than just a few phone calls to the incredibly upright and helpful people at BMWNA - being sarcastic here.

I've been in a similar situation once and to even get an answer out of BMWNA I had to use lawyers who weren't successful at first either.

BMW FS doesn't care by the way!

The dealerships service manager should advocate for the customer here. I've seen it happen to where people get several months of payment credits, and in some cases BMW will buy the car back.

[Tr4ckD4ys]

Originally Posted by Al Pin　

The dealerships service manager should advocate for the customer here. I've seen it happen to where people get several months of payment credits, and in some cases BMW will buy the car back.

Yes - if you got that dealer fighting for you. Not every dealer will - ie my preferred dealer, while I absolutely love them from a sales perspective, does have a rather cautious not to upset BMWNA type mindset. Very unfortunate!

[MiaX7]

Recently purchased 2021 CPO. Each time i break at slow speeds or take off from stop sign, light makes a kind of grunting sound. Its not the brake squeel . Just sounds like if everythg like grunt . 2 different bmw dealers said it was fine and just the way it is. It is beyond annoying

[rdsii]

I get that same sound.. It has gotten so bad my passenger noticed it as well. Thanks so much for posting this. Now I can take it to the dealer to get it fix. I get sick of hearing could not reproduce. Makes cense it it the pinion. Someone messed up on the tolerances of the mating of the ring and pinion gear. Shims are used to get the correct tolerances. Thanks again

[rdsii]

Specularius and others.

Thanks so much for posting this. I just got my car back from getting a new front differental. the pinion bearing was shot. They had the car for a while and i sent them this thread. I am so happy the X7 is back to normal again.

[sbkim]

Originally Posted by rdsii

Specularius and others.

Thanks so much for posting this. I just got my car back from getting a new front differental. the pinion bearing was shot. They had the car for a while and i sent them this thread. I am so happy the X7 is back to normal again.

Thank you all for the insight. I just started hearing this noise in the front while coasting - like a whirring noise that's really faint. I will ask dealer to check the front differential and pinion bearing. I did see some oil spots in the garage but probably from sloppy oil change.

Also, is this an urgent repair item or just more annoying noise issue?

[rdsii]

They replace the whole differential. Don't assume the oil spots are from engine oil. the diff oil is thicker and has a different smell than oil. I would get it looked at. you don't want the bearing to seize or run out of oil. best of luck and keep us posted.

[sbkim]

Originally Posted by rdsii

They replace the whole differential. Don't assume the oil spots are from engine oil. the diff oil is thicker and has a different smell than oil. I would get it looked at. you don't want the bearing to seize or run out of oil. best of luck and keep us posted.

Thanks again and will keep you guys posted.

[DarkstarZero]

Hey all. I have a 2020 X7 M50 with 60k miles so outside of warranty and had the exact same issue. Front differential was eating itself. The dealership knew exactly what it was immediately, I guess they've seen this before.

Dealership replaced it. $2700 part and 22 hours of labor because they have to drop the subframe and I think lift the engine. Big service. It cost me $7k out of pocket.

But, they did give me an iX M60 as a loaner, that was nice...

[sbkim]

Originally Posted by DarkstarZero

Hey all. I have a 2020 X7 M50 with 60k miles so outside of warranty and had the exact same issue. Front differential was eating itself. The dealership knew exactly what it was immediately, I guess they've seen this before.

Dealership replaced it. $2700 part and 22 hours of labor because they have to drop the subframe and I think lift the engine. Big service. It cost me $7k out of pocket.

But, they did give me an iX M60 as a loaner, that was nice...

Ouch - sorry to hear that. Mine is currently in the shop waiting for the front differential to arrive. Luckily it's still under warranty for me. I also got an iX but xdrive50 as a loaner.

[MPower10s]

I have this exact issue. Exactly as you described. Dealer wouldn’t do anything because they didn’t know what to tell bmw. It’s louder now so will bring it back up during next service

[MPower10s]

Originally Posted by MPower10s

I have this exact issue. Exactly as you described. Dealer wouldn’t do anything because they didn’t know what to tell bmw. It’s louder now so will bring it back up during next service

Front differential being replaced by BMW now.