[demogorgon]

Hi guys tomorrow I am taking my car to the dealer so I need a quick answer about steering rack noise and repair kit. I have a knocking problem coming from under frame while driving on a low speed and over humps also feeling that knocking noise on the steering wheel which is very close to steering rack noise but that noise is not just coming while turning the wheel but during driving.
I think it is coming from tie rods.I dont wanna use the steering rack repair kit in vain. When you had steering rack noise problem , did you hear the noise just while turning the wheel or also had the same knocking noise while driving?
This is the noise I am having.

[Billfitz]

Have you had the steering rack electric motor bolts checked out?

[exE36M3]

Definitely some noise there.
How many miles are on your car? What model?
And has there been ANY work done on your car related to suspension (wheels, tires, shocks)?

[demogorgon]

It is 2015 model f30 3.20 on 60k km. No work on suspensions etc. Heard and that noise last summer then it is gone by winter and became clearer this summer. I had some mechanic check it but they don't even know the steering rack repair kit one of them told it is inner tie rods other said silentblock. I just wanna know whether this noise looked familiar for the ones having steerin rack noise problem or not? As far as I know you dont hear any noise if the problem is steering rack, you hear it just when the engine is off and turning the steering wheel? Is there any possibility for that noise in the video being related by steering rack?

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by demogorgon

It is 2015 model f30 3.20 on 60k km. No work on suspensions etc. Heard and that noise last summer then it is gone by winter and became clearer this summer. I had some mechanic check it but they don't even know the steering rack repair kit one of them told it is inner tie rods other said silentblock. I just wanna know whether this noise looked familiar for the ones having steerin rack noise problem or not? As far as I know you dont hear any noise if the problem is steering rack, you hear it just when the engine is off and turning the steering wheel? Is there any possibility for that noise in the video being related by steering rack?

There was a thread recently where someone showed how to fix something that looked like this and it was a simple DIY IIRC. They had a video of before and after i believe. I think it was in this section but i read and post in so many threads, and it wasn't relevant to me, so i can't recall exactly.

Apologies if i tag the wrong person, but was it you harkes or hardparker ?

For some reason i thought their name started with an "h".

[demogorgon]

I would be greatful if you found this video you mentioned.

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by demogorgon

I would be greatful if you found this video you mentioned.

I dont think this is the same one as its older, but does this help?

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1603926

[harkes]

This was my issue. Fixed with the repair kit in the title.

[demogorgon]

Originally Posted by harkes

This was my issue. Fixed with the repair kit in the title.

This seems different from mine, did you get any noise while driving in low speed?

[harkes]

Originally Posted by demogorgon

This seems different from mine, did you get any noise while driving in low speed?

No. I am positive this is not your issue. Just posted what my issue was as thejeremyman9 mentioned me.

[demogorgon]

Mechanic said the steering rack need to be changed but I am not sure if it is necessary or not. Do you think should I take my chance by first using steering rack repair kit?

[Eschmacher]

Honestly, no. I don't think this is the thrust piece in the steering rack. It sounds much worse. However, I don't know if replacing the whole rack is the way to go for a first step...

Since the problem is a bit ambiguous, I would get a second opinion before dropping that kind of money.

[exE36M3]

Do the BMW rack repair kit. Totally sounds like that noise. ANY input into the steering with a bad rack "shim" makes that kind of noise.

Early threads on this issue had dealers replacing the entire steering rack (figure 5 hours of labor AND parts). Then it appeared BMW offered a steering rack repair kit for around US$60 which can be done in about an hour. So why is BMW offering this? Math. Warranty price on a new rack and dealer labor versus part and 1 hour.

So my opinion, if your mechanic thinks rack... and this is a COMMON issue... and you have a choice of paying a few thousand dollars in a new rack and labor versus BMW kit for $60 + 1 hour of labor...

I'd try the rack repair kit from BMW.

Same noise in first few seconds of video... fixed in 8:57.
This guy did it in the driveway his house.

[demogorgon]

I solved the problem. The noise was coming from the steering rack but not from thrust piece in the repair kit. The steering rack was overhauled and i don't know what the mechanic did exactly but he said someting about adjustment of the ball bearings and bushing in the rack.I don't actually know whether he changed the thrust piece or not.

[TK335iMSPT]

I've got a similar problem. BMW obviously could not replicate it and go figure I'm now a week out of warranty and it's definitely getting worse. My symptoms are a "knock" when going over small bumps at low speed or going up driveways at an angle at low speed. It doesn't do it all the time though.

[demogorgon]

Mine started same then got worse doing it all the time. I didnt take my car to bmw authorized service. I am sure if I took my car to bmw they would recommend to replace steering rack with new one which is very costly. The guy took care of it is specialized in steering wheels. Take your car to a mechanic like that and ask to overhaul it. They adjust the emptiness of the bearings which cause the noise inside the rack