BMW X5 Noise at freeway speeds

[bellevuegreenx5]

Hello

Wondering if you can help me..
Love my BMW X5..4.8i 123K miles usually runs great. burns alittle oil.
Want to keep it going till 200K.

Been hearing a new noise at freeway speeds sounds like a high level humming almost like it's not shifting up into the highest gear. Tried it in Manual M6 mode and the noise is still there.

Car is running great and no warning lights coming on.

Could it be the auto transmission?
How about tires?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[alphaod]

Could be tires or many things. I think I had replace some bushings when I hit about 110k on my E70.

[bellevuegreenx5]

So you are saying it could be the bushings on my tires?
I though bushings were clicking sounds and not a higher pitched humming sound.

The noise seems to be coming from the engine area but could also be the wheels.

Any other suggestions on how to troubleshoot? I'd like to do basic trouble shooting before I bring it to the mechanic.

There is no noise a low speeds, only freeway speeds..

Thanks for any replies.

[Zamorskii]

Does the noise gradually increase when you gain speed? This may not be apparent right away. In most cars the main reason I would say is tires and then wheel bearings. If tires do not wear evenly, they could become noisy.

[bellevuegreenx5]

The noise may be very minor when I'm driving 30 MPH. I can't hear it and it's my normally smooth ride from the X5.

However when I get up to 60MPH it's a much louder almost humming noise that I can hear inside the cab. I've owned the car for almost 6 years and this is distinctly different from any previous noise.

The tires have 40K+ on them and one is wearing a bit unevenly. It still passed the tire tread quarter test but they are wearing more on my front left tired than the other tires.

[Zamorskii]

Poor alignment causes uneven tire ware and probably is one of the top reasons for road noise. Check the alignment, have it done, then possibly look into replacing tires, and then if the noise is still there, go for the wheel bearings.

[MattBianco]

It could be so many things.

- check your tires in case you have something that has punctured it and is sticking out

- a faulty shock /strut could cause wobble and noise

- as said above, wheel bushings and bearings can cause this

- check for leaks around belt connections (power steering, pump, etc)

- timing belt???? Wild guess

- look for a loose front wheel well cover (under fenders) that could be rubbing

:

[42pilot]

With 123k miles on the clock, there are a lot of things it could be. Other items could be:

> rear end or transfer case whining due to lack of maintenance
> transmission whining due to lack of maintenance - even though BMW does not recommend changing the fluid, it should be done every 30,000 miles (I know people at ZF who know better)
> water pump starting to go or serpentine belt idler (tensioner) starting to go
> power steering pump starting to go or at least needing service
> You motor has a timing chain(s) that should last a very long time - much longer than a belt (like a Honda)
> There are only bearings used in this car for the hubs, and entire driveline. An easy check for worn bearings is to grab the top of the tire, and try to push then pull the top of the tire trying to feel ANY looseness. Any free play at all is a sign of bearings wearing and should be fixed.

The best advice I can provide is to find a shop who will send a mechanic with you to listen for the noise. They will be able to diagnose it quickly. I doubt a dealer will let a mechanic go for a ride with you and SA is not a mechanic - they are customer service.

[bellevuegreenx5]

I stopped by my mechanic and did my best to describe the noise and car reaction.

He said he needed it to take it for a drive and do the diagnosis. He will drive it on the freeway and also put it on the hoist.

He didn't have any other idea besides he had to listen. He's got alot of experience with BMW's so he should figure it out.

The noise is coming from the front. I'd call it a humming noise maybe with some vibration. Nothing shaking just a high humming noise that begins at 40MPH and then increases at freeway speeds.

I did ask him if I should change the transmission oil at 100K and he said not to.

I'll be happy to do any other tests for troubleshooting if you have ideas.
Thanks for all your help.

[Barbera335]

Originally Posted by bellevuegreenx5

I stopped by my mechanic and did my best to describe the noise and car reaction.

He said he needed it to take it for a drive and do the diagnosis. He will drive it on the freeway and also put it on the hoist.

He didn't have any other idea besides he had to listen. He's got alot of experience with BMW's so he should figure it out.

The noise is coming from the front. I'd call it a humming noise maybe with some vibration. Nothing shaking just a high humming noise that begins at 40MPH and then increases at freeway speeds.

I did ask him if I should change the transmission oil at 100K and he said not to.

I'll be happy to do any other tests for troubleshooting if you have ideas.
Thanks for all your help.

Sounds like either tires or a worn wheel bearing

[Kzang]

Not that it really matters much since your issue is more generic and not model based (F15/E70/E53) but if you are driving a E70 X5 as your profile suggests, then you might have better help in the future here http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=159

[oliverco]

I have a similar issue as listed in this post:

I have a 2008 BMW X5 4.8L, 122k miles, and I too, hear the whirling noise at higher speeds (above 50mph). It appears to be in the front, no vibration, just whirling, not related to RPMs (I tired various gears), but only to MPH.

Does not appear to be engine-related as I have shifted the car into neutral while driving 80mph, and, while the RPMs immediately drop from 2500 to 700, the whirling continues at the same frequency, slowly decreasing in frequency as the speed gradually goes down. This implies the whirling is wheel-related, not engine-related. Also, I recently got new tires and alignment, so it's not from the tires.

All this leads me to believe it is bearings, but I'd like any other ideas to consider before taking it to a mechanic.

[F15 X5 Silversurfer]

Just a thought, could it be the cooling engine fan being force driven by air as the vehicle is travelling at speed? Maybe it has a shot bearing or has been damaged causing it to be running badly out of balance.
These fans normally have a thermostatic clutch to prevent them being driven while the engine warms up and can also be disengaged if sufficient air is being forced through the front of the car at speed, this also helps with fuel consumption.

[CeeTeeX5]

I would probably check wheel bearings and tires first. Those will be the easiest to cross off the list.

Wheel bearings - jack up the car at each corner and shake the wheel, do you feel any play? If so, bad wheel bearing(s)

Tires - Go get them balanced. It's possible they have lost some balance over time or have just gotten noisier with age (not abnormal). Notice a difference in humming depending on the type of road you are driving on? Do you hear the humming in neutral?

If those two aren't it, start looking at some of the other stuff the guys have mentioned.

[F15 X5 Silversurfer]

One way to check wheel bearings, depending on how worn they are, is to drive the car and take the weight off each side of the car by steering quickly, slightly left then right, (on a quiet road!!!) for a second or so each direction. If the bearings are worn then the noise will noticeably change as the weight is reduced on that side.

[oliverco]

Originally Posted by F15 X5 Silversurfer

One way to check wheel bearings, depending on how worn they are, is to drive the car and take the weight off each side of the car by steering quickly, slightly left then right, (on a quiet road!!!) for a second or so each direction. If the bearings are worn then the noise will noticeably change as the weight is reduced on that side.

Good idea! I tried this at 75mph and the whirring noise increases particularly when turning right and seems to diminish/stop when turning left. So, I am thinking that it may be a wheel bearing on the driver (left) side since this side gets more load when turning right, correct?

[F15 X5 Silversurfer]

Yes, you are correct in what you say. Less weight equals less load therefore less noise on that side.