[Mr Whippy]

Picked car up today. I assume all F3x are same and xdrive too, but it's a 335d xd.

Just before leaving though I steered the car a bit rocking wheel back and forth an inch or so against natural spring in the tyres.

There was a distinct clunk noise.


I raised the issue and a tech said it'll go once the car is running, which it did.

I was still a bit uncertain, so another guy (manager of service) came to reassure. I looked at a few new cars in showroom but they didn't do it.

I noted the bulkhead end UJ on the steering rack had tiny play too, while the showroom cars didn't. But my car is only 1yr/5k miles.


They reassured that AUC check (done end of August) is equivalent at least to MOT check wrt steering/susp so that was reassuring a bit.

Then an experienced mechanic came and said TADS.


By this point I was fairly happy to drive it home. It felt fine, much like the test drive a few days earlier.


Is this really a common characteristic of the steering system?

It sounded broken to me but it felt fine, but then again a failing BJ or TRE can be noisy but not felt very easily even on a stiff car... but then again it disappeared when the car started.



Happy for any reassurances, or checks I can do. Just bought the car as a safe family runabout and the last thing I want is for it to be unsafe.

Thanks for any help/advice!

Dave

[FarmerD]

Sounds like the common steering knock issue. I've got it too but my car has more miles. Had it for ages though and no obvious ill effects. Some people talk of tightening an adjustment screw on the steering rack but I haven't tried that yet. What is TADS by the way?!

[Mr Whippy]

They All Do (that) Sir... I think haha.

Yep if it passes MOT ok I'm happy enough.

It'd be interesting to isolate the noise and figure out how that play disappears when the car is running.


I'll admit my Z4 steering makes some funny noises, that's an early EPS now at 125k miles and nearly 14 years old, and the odd noises it made were the same at 4.5yrs and 60k when I bought it.

[Rukka]

Originally Posted by FarmerD

Sounds like the common steering knock issue. I've got it too but my car has more miles. Had it for ages though and no obvious ill effects. Some people talk of tightening an adjustment screw on the steering rack but I haven't tried that yet. What is TADS by the way?!

They All Do Sir

[Watsey]

Beware dealer bullshit.

Steering racks are a common problem on the F3X - they don't fail per-se, but they do wear and go out of tolerance.

The rack on my car was replaced at ~30K mikes and it's going back to the dealer again next week for a diagnosis for exactly the same sound that you describe.

Rocking the steering with the engine running but car is stationary : no noise. Rock the steering with engine off : loud clicking/knocking noise.

I describe bed it to my friendly dealer service manager : new rack is the #1 suspect.

[Spacer]

I had that on my 320d and 330d (and on a couple of loan cars too). I was worried, but when I saw loads of others had it, I ignored it. Never became a problem, as I could only hear it when it was off.

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Spacer

I had that on my 320d and 330d (and on a couple of loan cars too). I was worried, but when I saw loads of others had it, I ignored it. Never became a problem, as I could only hear it when it was off.

If you can't hear it whist driving I wouldn't worry about it either. Although if your cars under warranty and you can get the rack replaced for free due to it then why not .. if I had a car out of warranty though I certainly wouldn't be paying 3k on a new rack over a common clunk sound while the engines off.

[liteyear]

Mine does it too, its done 8000miles from new. Noise disappears once the car is running and that is what the dealer has said it should do?

[Mr Whippy]

Mine is 1yr/4500 miles.

I'm happy that if it worsens or becomes feelable I've years of warranty left.

But the main thing is it's a common fault and not a dangerous isolated issue.

For now I'll just enjoy it and see what happens.

[leeadam]

all do it...i had it on my 12 thous mile m235 and thought was issue. but i see my 435d also does it,,,its fine.

[Mr Whippy]

The brand new showroom models didn't do it.

Tight as drums.

But after a bit they seem to slacken off into this characteristic.

[K3vmcb]

Let's all get together and get this issue with our cars sorted all work as a group and fight bmw as mine does it as well

[Dizzle]

Mine does it, engine off, doesnt seem to affect it

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1428446

[Jeff123]

Originally Posted by K3vmcb

Let's all get together and get this issue with our cars sorted all work as a group and fight bmw as mine does it as well

Why do you need to fight them - just tell them the issue and give them chance to sort it out - or is yours out of warranty and they don't want to know.

[Mr Whippy]

When they told me mine was TADS they said BMW aware etc, not an issue etc.

I think they'll ignore it until things actually fail which will likely be after 3yrs.
It's probably a pointlessly tiny thing that costs £10 that is at fault but BMW probably like telling people they need a new rack for £££ to justify selling warranties.

[Watsey]

My car had its second replacement steering rack under warranty a couple of weeks ago.

Apparently the knocking/clicking is due to wear on a component within the rack, and although it's unlikely to fail the insured warranty covers the works less the £100 XS.

[Mr Whippy]

I'm just going to have an MOT 'check' a year early and if anything comes up I'll tell BMW.

If they're not interested I'll do the same at 3yr old for a legal mot and they'll have to fix it any way, iirc, they have a rule to get just leaving warranty cars through that first mot.

If mot testers don't care and it goes away while running I'm not really concerned.

[Anton_555]

Originally Posted by FarmerD

Sounds like the common steering knock issue. I've got it too but my car has more miles. Had it for ages though and no obvious ill effects. Some people talk of tightening an adjustment screw on the steering rack but I haven't tried that yet. What is TADS by the way?!

I (carefully!) tightened the yoke on the rack the other week after getting annoyed by the clunk every time I caught a pot hole and it's stopped the noise. Still hear a slight knock if you move the steering left and right with the engine off, but the noise is now gone with the engine running and the pothole induced clunk has gone.

I've attached a photo of the yoke adjuster for reference.

[FarmerD]

Thanks for letting us know about this! How did you tighten it? Make a tool or buy one from somewhere? Keep us updated if you have any problems - do think I need to make this adjustment too as is just seems silly to leave play in the system.

[Anton_555]

I made a tool out of some mild steel and 3 cap head screws.

So far so good. Some people suggest a 1/4 turn but this was far too much on mine and I lost the self-centering effect, backed it off bit by bit until it felt correct. Will see how it goes.

[Mr Whippy]

So what is actually getting tightened?

Did the MOT peeps ever say anything about rack/steering play?

Seems worrying that it'd effect self-centering, almost like it's clamping down on the ability for the rack to move... which is mostly concerning me as clearances are there due to heat variation... don't want steering to lock up on a hot day in summer while you're steering lots!

[Anton_555]

No MOT issue with mine before adjusting, sailed through.

A rough description is that the Yoke counters the tendency for the pinion and the rack to force each other apart when under load... if you google the arrangement then it will make sense. By tightening it up you are effectively tightening up the meshing between the pinion and the rack, but at the expense of increased friction... which if too tight will stop the self-centering action and prematurely wear out the steering rack.

I'm in no way saying to anyone to adjust this!!... Just that I have using a bit engineering judgment and it has so far helped!