[Solved] 2006 BMW 330XI noise diagnosis

bmwsucks2 · 10-05-2015, 06:57 PM

[Solved] It's nervous driving a BMW - always worry about issues and expensive repairs! Recently, the car sounds like drum at highway at 60-70 MPH, from the front bottom, cannot tell left or right, consistent. No shaking, no lights. Feels like one rear window is open... Bought BMW OEM brake pads and replaced them last week, new rotors, still same. After replacing brake pads, do I have to go to BMW dealer to reset sth.?

how to locate the noise? please advise! thx!

bmwsucks2 · 10-05-2015, 06:58 PM

when idle, car is very quiet.

bmwsucks2 · 10-05-2015, 07:50 PM

when accelerating, feels like I need to re-grease some parts...

lookalikehuuh · 10-05-2015, 11:48 PM

Probably the front wheel bearings.

GoRomeo · 10-06-2015, 12:13 AM

Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises. Also if bearing is bad u can feel loose. Also coould be overtorqued nuts.

TheBigYahi · 10-06-2015, 10:37 AM

I have a bad right rear wheel bearing that doesn't present itself until around 60mph. The shop that diagnosed it had to get it spinning up to speed on the lift to find it. Spinning by hand and pulling on the wheel didn't show any looseness.

If it's a hammering sound, have you checked that all the underbody pans are secured? They could be flapping in the wind.

bmwsucks2 · 10-06-2015, 08:35 PM

Thank you All! I will check the following and report here:

1. Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises.
2. Over-torqued nuts.
3. Front wheel bearings // will look into how to check...
4. The under-body pans are secured // missed one or two screws...

David0ff · 10-06-2015, 10:36 PM

Y over-torque nuts?

GoRomeo · 10-06-2015, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David0ff

Y over-torque nuts?

I meant overtorqued wheel lug nuts.

David0ff · 10-07-2015, 09:29 AM

Maybe you are saying it wrong, but do you mean you tightened the lugs much "harder" than spec ? or you checked if they were tight?

over torquing is bad if you mean you tightened them more than they should be ~88 lbs/ft

GoRomeo · 10-08-2015, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David0ff

Maybe you are saying it wrong, but do you mean you tightened the lugs much "harder" than spec ? or you checked if they were tight?

over torquing is bad if you mean you tightened them more than they should be ~88 lbs/ft

not wrong. Thats how we say it when the lugs over the torque specs. Overthinghted. Lets see what the real issue is.

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 06:04 PM

1. Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises.
// no funky noise.

2. Over-torqued nuts.
// bought torque wrench, 88 ft.

3. Front wheel bearings // will look into how to check...
// possibly. while, making turns does not change the noise too much.

4. The under-body pans are secured // missed one or two screws...
// all is gone now, noise is still same.

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 06:12 PM

More info:

start the car, <20 mph, sounds like a new car. 40-50 mph, the grinding noise is loud, very annoying: feels like sit behind a plane engine. 80-100 mph, grinding noise is not obvious.

Pressing brakes does not change the sound of the grinding noise. Guess it's not brake pads. Highway gas Mileage hasn't changed much - 25 mpg.

suggestions? thx!

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 06:14 PM

could it be differential?

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 06:16 PM

BTW, the engine oil pan gasket needs to be replaced, I can see a few oil leaks, but don't think that's related to the noise.

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 06:22 PM

How to diagnose? I am in East Connecticut (New London, Hartford, CT). Anyone nearby?

bmwsucks2 · 10-28-2015, 08:06 PM

its driving me nuts, 2 hours per day.

bmwsucks2 · 10-29-2015, 02:27 PM

Thanks to those who replied. tomorrow, gonna to go dealer and trade-in for a Japanese car. nothing but easy maintenance.

bmwsucks2 · 10-31-2015, 02:30 PM

BMW had a test drive, found a stored failure code and suggested to replace Transfer case &. Mount. Sounds like it's a DIY job...

comments? thx!

bmwsucks2 · 11-09-2015, 08:13 AM

Last weekend, I did two things:
1) Flush the Diff oil.
2) Rotate tires from Rear to Front, Front to Rear.
3) Inflate the tire pressure to specs (32 psi (F), 36 psi (R))

Noise was gone.

10-05-2015, 06:57 PM	#1
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	[Solved] 2006 BMW 330XI noise diagnosis [Solved] It's nervous driving a BMW - always worry about issues and expensive repairs! Recently, the car sounds like drum at highway at 60-70 MPH, from the front bottom, cannot tell left or right, consistent. No shaking, no lights. Feels like one rear window is open... Bought BMW OEM brake pads and replaced them last week, new rotors, still same. After replacing brake pads, do I have to go to BMW dealer to reset sth.? how to locate the noise? please advise! thx! Last edited by bmwsucks2; 11-09-2015 at 08:20 AM..
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10-05-2015, 06:58 PM	#2
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	when idle, car is very quiet.
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10-05-2015, 07:50 PM	#3
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	when accelerating, feels like I need to re-grease some parts...
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10-05-2015, 11:48 PM	#4
lookalikehuuh Major 700 Rep 1,227 Posts Drives: 2006 330i, 2007 335i Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0)	Probably the front wheel bearings.
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10-06-2015, 12:13 AM	#5
GoRomeo Brigadier General 973 Rep 3,865 Posts Drives: 330i, 135i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 135i [9.50] 2006 330i [6.75]	Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises. Also if bearing is bad u can feel loose. Also coould be overtorqued nuts.
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10-06-2015, 10:37 AM	#6
TheBigYahi Private First Class 40 Rep 164 Posts Drives: 2006 330xi 6MT Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Syracuse, NY iTrader: (0)	I have a bad right rear wheel bearing that doesn't present itself until around 60mph. The shop that diagnosed it had to get it spinning up to speed on the lift to find it. Spinning by hand and pulling on the wheel didn't show any looseness. If it's a hammering sound, have you checked that all the underbody pans are secured? They could be flapping in the wind.
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10-06-2015, 08:35 PM	#7
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	Thank you All! I will check the following and report here: 1. Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises. 2. Over-torqued nuts. 3. Front wheel bearings // will look into how to check... 4. The under-body pans are secured // missed one or two screws...
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10-06-2015, 10:36 PM	#8
David0ff Combined Applications Group 1059 Rep 680 Posts Drives: Lada Scrapus Trofeo R Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Classified iTrader: (1)	Y over-torque nuts?
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10-07-2015, 09:29 AM	#10
David0ff Combined Applications Group 1059 Rep 680 Posts Drives: Lada Scrapus Trofeo R Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Classified iTrader: (1)	Maybe you are saying it wrong, but do you mean you tightened the lugs much "harder" than spec ? or you checked if they were tight? over torquing is bad if you mean you tightened them more than they should be ~88 lbs/ft
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10-28-2015, 06:04 PM	#12
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	1. Lift on jack and rotate wheel couple of times and listen for funky noises. // no funky noise. 2. Over-torqued nuts. // bought torque wrench, 88 ft. 3. Front wheel bearings // will look into how to check... // possibly. while, making turns does not change the noise too much. 4. The under-body pans are secured // missed one or two screws... // all is gone now, noise is still same.
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10-28-2015, 06:12 PM	#13
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	More info: start the car, <20 mph, sounds like a new car. 40-50 mph, the grinding noise is loud, very annoying: feels like sit behind a plane engine. 80-100 mph, grinding noise is not obvious. Pressing brakes does not change the sound of the grinding noise. Guess it's not brake pads. Highway gas Mileage hasn't changed much - 25 mpg. suggestions? thx!
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10-28-2015, 06:14 PM	#14
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	could it be differential?
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10-28-2015, 06:16 PM	#15
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	BTW, the engine oil pan gasket needs to be replaced, I can see a few oil leaks, but don't think that's related to the noise.
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10-28-2015, 06:22 PM	#16
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	How to diagnose? I am in East Connecticut (New London, Hartford, CT). Anyone nearby?
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10-28-2015, 08:06 PM	#17
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	its driving me nuts, 2 hours per day.
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10-29-2015, 02:27 PM	#18
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	Thanks to those who replied. tomorrow, gonna to go dealer and trade-in for a Japanese car. nothing but easy maintenance.
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10-31-2015, 02:30 PM	#19
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	BMW had a test drive, found a stored failure code and suggested to replace Transfer case &. Mount. Sounds like it's a DIY job... comments? thx!
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11-09-2015, 08:13 AM	#20
bmwsucks2 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330XI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Hartford iTrader: (0)	Last weekend, I did two things: 1) Flush the Diff oil. 2) Rotate tires from Rear to Front, Front to Rear. 3) Inflate the tire pressure to specs (32 psi (F), 36 psi (R)) Noise was gone.
	Appreciate 0 Quote