[Jhenka]

Originally Posted by kmac1980

my 535 xdrive suspension/steering makes a creaking/clunking sound in the front left when cornering slowly over uneven surfaces.... havent gotten around to taking it in yet. Also find the steering is unusually heavy at low speed

+1 Same issue, doesn't bother me with the windows up but when they're down it's very noticeable.

[the_rangdo]

Originally Posted by mrashton

Hi,
I have an F11 that goes out of warranty later this month and I too have a knock from the front suspension that the car is booked in for next week. I know this is a year and a half after you mentioned your experience but I was wondering whether you could share any more information with me such as the dealer who addressed the issue? Also whether the knock was obvious just on uneven surfaces or while driving on smoother roads too? Mine feels and sounds like the front shock is bottoming out on full extension. It isn't terrible but if I can get BMW to fix this now it may save me cost later on. These shocks are around £470 each so definitely not cheap!

Sorry, only just seen your reply.

It was only obvious on uneven surfaces, anything from small lumps/holes in the surface tarmac upwards. Williams Rochdale sorted it out at the time.

Since then it re-developed the noise - around April this year the same dealership replaced the front offside suspension bushing which silenced things again. So far so good.

Go and have a moan before your warranty ends

[BigDeep1]

Wow, that is intesting to hear that this is an issue. I hear that thud and drop when I go over large uneven surfaces. It almost feels (and sounds) like the heavy wheel and RFT just plops down when going over these surfaces. I assumed that was a normal sound with these heavy rolling rock RFTs. Should I bring my vehicle in to the dealership to trouble shoot this? Is this noise not to be expected?

[BigDeep1]

Originally Posted by the_rangdo

Quick update.

Given it's already been confirmed there's a noise, it was at the dealer all day yesterday to re-confirm there's a noise then they said they believe it's the OSF shocker so they'll order one in for today. Then they ring today to say it's on order from Germany and will now likely be next Weds. So that'll be 4 days total to (hopefully) sort it out.

Be nice to get her back tonight though, the 116i loaner is small and nippy but it's no comparison (apart from the heated seats which I'd love on mine)

When you say "OSF Shocker", are you referring to a shock or strut?

[the_rangdo]

Originally Posted by BigDeep1

When you say "OSF Shocker", are you referring to a shock or strut?

Right-hand side shock absorber was what they told me, although it ended up being the left one they replaced

[the_rangdo]

Originally Posted by BigDeep1

Wow, that is intesting to hear that this is an issue. I hear that thud and drop when I go over large uneven surfaces. It almost feels (and sounds) like the heavy wheel and RFT just plops down when going over these surfaces. I assumed that was a normal sound with these heavy rolling rock RFTs. Should I bring my vehicle in to the dealership to trouble shoot this? Is this noise not to be expected?

That's what I used to think, but then I put smaller, non RFT winter wheels on and the noise was still there so I decided to have a moan about it.

And it was annoying me that my wife's little Fiat 500 could bounce over the same bumps in relative silence yet my premium car sounded like the wheels were wobbling about.

[mrashton]

Originally Posted by the_rangdo

That's what I used to think, but then I put smaller, non RFT winter wheels on and the noise was still there so I decided to have a moan about it.

And it was annoying me that my wife's little Fiat 500 could bounce over the same bumps in relative silence yet my premium car sounded like the wheels were wobbling about.

Thanks so much for coming back to your old thread. Forums are just great.

I drove for a week in Malta late last month in a small Skoda on very rough roads and no knocking. Come home to the BM and as soon as there is a rough patch the knocking is evident. Sounds like the same problem you had. We'll see what BMW have to say tomorrow.

[bake]

Originally Posted by mrashton

Thanks so much for coming back to your old thread. Forums are just great.

I drove for a week in Malta late last month in a small Skoda on very rough roads and no knocking. Come home to the BM and as soon as there is a rough patch the knocking is evident. Sounds like the same problem you had. We'll see what BMW have to say tomorrow.

Please keep us posted. I have the same issue. Planning on bringing my at in within the next 2-3 weeks for a myriad of issues and would like to get this addresses before I install my ACS springs.

[mrashton]

So this morning at Coopers BMW Tunbridge Wells in Kent, UK, I took a technician for a drive to demonstrate the Thud/Knock. It was actually difficult to reproduce the sound as the roads around are recently surfaced and so the car drives very smoothly even on 19" wheels with RFT tyres. So I found a housing estate with tarmac where the top layer had cracked up. 2 passes of this stretch of road and the technician said he now understood and would take a look.

I've just had a phone call (5:30pm) to say that a part had been ordered and would be fitted tomorrow. It's a suspension wishbone and so they will do a geometry check too.

Hopefully this fixes it! I can only get back on Saturday morning to collect the car so I'll update you over the weekend.

[M1rcea]

Can you tell which suspension wishbone you're talking about? Or can you get more info from the tech? Thanks!

[mrashton]

The technician couldn't see anything obviously wrong but he changed the tie rod end and the lower wishbone (the one the shock absorber attaches to). He test drove the car and said he didn't really think there had been a difference. I've been out for an extended test drive and I think it is slightly better. Now the only time there is a knock is if the surface of the road suddenly dips and it sounds like the shock extends to its fullest and knocks at that point. The technician has offered to come and pick the car up from my house to take it back to BMW if I am still not happy. Think I may take him up on the offer.

[mrashton]

BMW are collecting my car on Tuesday morning to replace the offside shock absorber. As the car is now out of warranty this is probably the last thing to have replaced at no cost to me. Hopefully it makes the clunking go away.

[valcor535]

Took my car for the same noise on front suspension... BMW replaced the bushings on both sides of the front suspension.

[GavinG]

Hi Valcor535.

There are many people with this same problem but as yet no solution.

You state that you had the bushings on both sides replaced but have not said whether this had any positive effect.

I (and I am sure many other people) would be keen to know...especially if it solved the noise problem!

Please let us know.

Regards

Gavin

[valcor535]

Hello GavinG, the noise was gone after the bushings were replaced almost a year ago and 11500 MI and has not come back to date.

[GavinG]

Hi again.

Many thanks for the prompt reply and good to hear the positive outcome you have had.

As I am not an expert on the front suspension parts, can I just ask you specifically which "bushings" were replaced? Is this on the "control arms", "sway bars", or some other part of the set-up? Do you have a part number from the job slip maybe?

I just don't want to look an idiot when going into my service department to talk about this. My car is still under warranty and I intend to ask them to replace them.

Thanks again

Gavin

[dpouncey]

Lower control arm bushings are notorious for breaking on BMWs. They are oil filled and when the break causes play and in return you hear/feel the thud noise.

[JRS]

I have the same problem on my car (3000 km),, talked to the dealer,,and ofcourse
they have never heard of it

[ARKONE]

Originally Posted by kmac1980

I made a quick video to demonstrate the sound coming from my front left corner. You can kinda hear a metallic creak at 0:05 and then the same sound but more pronounced at 0:35. It's hard to capture with the camera microphone and is way more obvious when inside the car.

My F10 started making this exact noise. It does it when I am turning at low speeds pulling into a parking spot or anything like that. Going to have to setup an appointment with the dealer and my car is out of warranty so it'll be fun seeing how much this will cost!

[BMW49]

Originally Posted by Karney5

My F10 started making this exact noise. It does it when I am turning at low speeds pulling into a parking spot or anything like that. Going to have to setup an appointment with the dealer and my car is out of warranty so it'll be fun seeing how much this will cost!

Hey Karney...did you ever find out what the issue was? I was having the exact same issue/sound and it was my hydrobearings, that went bad. The dealer replaced both sides under warranty and it appears to have solved the issue.

I know this thread was from awhile ago, but wanted to see what the dealer did to fix yours? I ask because I still feel like theres a slight creak but it rarely happens now - just wanted to know if you had any other fixes done, for reference. Thanks!

[mgattmch]

My 2012 550iX (60,000 miles) made a terrible metal on metal clanking noise at low speed going over any type of bump; no problem at highway speed. I honestly thought the muffler was falling off, it was not. Took 3 visits to an independent BMW mechanic, a BMW dealership and finally another BMW dealership (not the same as the previous one) to get it fixed. Turns out the front stabilizer links had excessive play (p/n 31-25-6-777-319). Stabilizer links replaced ($254 parts and labour) and now the car is whisper quite.

[BMW49]

Originally Posted by mgattmch

My 2012 550iX (60,000 miles) made a terrible metal on metal clanking noise at low speed going over any type of bump; no problem at highway speed. I honestly thought the muffler was falling off, it was not. Took 3 visits to an independent BMW mechanic, a BMW dealership and finally another BMW dealership (not the same as the previous one) to get it fixed. Turns out the front stabilizer links had excessive play (p/n 31-25-6-777-319). Stabilizer links replaced ($254 parts and labour) and now the car is whisper quite.

Great feedback and thanks for the update - I'm getting the same run around at my local dealers but have one that's better than the other. Did the dealer cover it under warranty or did you have to foot the whole bill? I've heard getting suspension parts replaced under warranty can be a pain.