Steering rack noise

gunsmoker · 04-13-2018, 04:17 PM

My 2016 M3 developed this popping noise when turning the steering wheel and I wonder if anyone knows what it is. It comes from the steering column behind the dashboard. One pop at every 20 degrees of rotation or so. I started noticing it a week ago when the car was cold and it would go away after a couple of turns. Today it's more pronounced and it doesn't want to go away. I found a clip on youtube of a similar noise with the previous gen M3. The guy tightened up a bolt holding the rack in place and the noise went away. My car has 7k miles on the odo.
Anybody have any clue?

lchdezm3 · 04-13-2018, 08:32 PM

i have the same problem

gunsmoker · 04-23-2018, 11:25 AM

I dropped the car off at the dealership. They said I need a new strut.

x.shell · 04-23-2018, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunsmoker

I dropped the car off at the dealership. They said I need a new strut.

This makes sense to me.

One of the great things about the M3 is how wheel the road feel comes through to the steering wheel. The route that "feeling" takes is through the tires and suspension. Most these pops/thunks/pings that appear is probably suspension related. It's just the nature of the McPherson strut assembly.

I had a lot of pops and pings, so I just did a full tear down if the front strut assembly and lubed everything back up. It's super quiet now. In my experience, I have to do this every two years or so. I consider it part of regular maintenance for coilovers.

That being said, OEM suspension rarely has this problem, but a few with OEM suspension have posted about this issue. And almost always, it's a suspension issue.

slavearm · 04-25-2018, 07:08 PM

Ugh... same thing happening to me. Not excited about tearing down and lubing.

papasmurf_m3 · 01-30-2022, 05:42 PM

Sounds like a pain. This just started happening to me on and off.

M 4 FUN · 01-31-2022, 08:56 AM

Did this noise appear after a spring change?

04-13-2018, 04:17 PM	#1
gunsmoker Second Lieutenant 282 Rep 275 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Mansfield, MA iTrader: (1)	Steering rack noise My 2016 M3 developed this popping noise when turning the steering wheel and I wonder if anyone knows what it is. It comes from the steering column behind the dashboard. One pop at every 20 degrees of rotation or so. I started noticing it a week ago when the car was cold and it would go away after a couple of turns. Today it's more pronounced and it doesn't want to go away. I found a clip on youtube of a similar noise with the previous gen M3. The guy tightened up a bolt holding the rack in place and the noise went away. My car has 7k miles on the odo. Anybody have any clue?
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04-13-2018, 08:32 PM	#2
lchdezm3 Second Lieutenant 38 Rep 259 Posts Drives: BMW F82 M4 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Miami FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW ///M4 [10.00]	i have the same problem
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04-23-2018, 11:25 AM	#3
gunsmoker Second Lieutenant 282 Rep 275 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Mansfield, MA iTrader: (1)	I dropped the car off at the dealership. They said I need a new strut.
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04-25-2018, 07:08 PM	#5
slavearm Lieutenant 226 Rep 482 Posts Drives: 2019 M5CE MBB/SS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Socal iTrader: (3)	Ugh... same thing happening to me. Not excited about tearing down and lubing.
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01-30-2022, 05:42 PM	#6
papasmurf_m3 Captain 455 Rep 844 Posts Drives: YMB F80 M3 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	Sounds like a pain. This just started happening to me on and off. __________________ 60-130 mph 6.72 secs 1/2 mile trap speed 158 mph ecutek - bend calibration pro tune - flex fuel - mpe - stock turbos - oem+
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01-31-2022, 08:56 AM	#7
M 4 FUN Captain 606 Rep 642 Posts Drives: 320 Si, M4 comp. M3 E46 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	Did this noise appear after a spring change?
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