[JBF30]

Greetings,

Let me preface this post by stating what has already been replaced/inspected prior to my arrival here.

2018 330i M-Sport purchased with 12k miles and this noise.

new tires, wheels, brake rotors, pads, alignment (four times), all four shocks/struts replaced, wheel bearings checked good.

Here I am at 24k miles and this noise is still there. It hasn't gotten worse or better. Just constant.


Now. Here's the problem...

Under hard-ish acceleration I get a low rumble/vibration that can be more heard than felt. At highway speeds, it comes back at 65mph at a higher resonance and it can be felt. It starts to get extremely noticeable at 65mph and just gets "faster" the faster I go.

I'm at a loss at this point since the dealer keeps telling me it's normal even though a higher mileage version of the exact same car was on the lot and did not produce that noise.

Is there something else I can personally look at since the dealer techs are incompetent?

Thanks in advance!

[Eddamoo]

Im struggling to think of the noise. By 'faster' do you mean it increases in pitch? Could really do with a video. Does the noise come from the rear or front? Try putting a volunteer in a rear seat with the other seats down to listen for direction.

If it happens on rear-axle load i'd have said rear wheel bearings. Bad bearings make a low pitched groan which increases in pitch with more speed and in amplitude with more weight. If theyre just starting to go, they may still pass a 'wobble' test on a ramp.

Can you hear it going fast around bends? If so left/right/both?

[JBF30]

Originally Posted by Eddamoo

Im struggling to think of the noise. By 'faster' do you mean it increases in pitch? Could really do with a video. Does the noise come from the rear or front? Try putting a volunteer in a rear seat with the other seats down to listen for direction.

If it happens on rear-axle load i'd have said rear wheel bearings. Bad bearings make a low pitched groan which increases in pitch with more speed and in amplitude with more weight. If theyre just starting to go, they may still pass a 'wobble' test on a ramp.

Can you hear it going fast around bends? If so left/right/both?

Thanks for the reply!

The pitch certainly changes with speed. I tried taking video and my iphone mic does not pick it up.

Since it's most pronounced under hard acceleration, I'm with you that it might actually be the rear wheel bearings even though they passed the wobble check. Hence why I eliminated the thought of them being bad.

I'll try to do some loading in turns this evening and report back.

[JBF30]

After watching some videos of people with bad wheel bearings, my car is not making that same noise. The videos show a hum, and mine is more of a rumble. I really wish I could replicate it in my own video!

[JBH6612]

You didn’t mention brand of tires, type of tires and how old they are. Are you square or staggered set up? Summer or all seasons? Tire sizes?

[JBF30]

Originally Posted by JBH6612

You didn’t mention brand of tires, type of tires and how old they are. Are you square or staggered set up? Summer or all seasons? Tire sizes?

Continental DWS 255/40 18 square.

The noise was there with the factory installed runflats, too.

[JBH6612]

Any luck? I’m having the same problem.

[andyreynolds]

Have the wheels and tires been balanced properly? What shop did the wheels and tires last?

[NoobCola]

How are the spark plugs?

[GeorgeF31]

Have the drive shaft components been checked for premature wear or other damage?

[JBH6612]

Originally Posted by andyreynolds

Have the wheels and tires been balanced properly? What shop did the wheels and tires last?

I watched discount tires to road force balancing. I assume they did it right since they took the tires off and repositioned them.

[JBH6612]

Originally Posted by NoobCola

How are the spark plugs?

Spark plugs changed recently to iridium laser power platinum. Pretty good in my opinion

[andyreynolds]

Originally Posted by JBH6612

I watched discount tires to road force balancing. I assume they did it right since they took the tires off and repositioned them.

So far we’ve ruled out what, axle bearings, wheels and tires? Going back to tires for a sec, you’ve never had an emergency stop or spun them with a launch or slid them with the handbrake? Anyone of those could cause a flat spot but I doubt it. ATP I would strongly consider a deep dive into your drive train from the trans back, specifically the rear diff, could be an issue there. If not rear diff check transfer case. R&R would be pricey on these components but if it’s jsut something stupid it’s worth the check. Also look for a solid independent shop in your area unless the dealer warranty is still in place. Always good to get a second opinion don’t be afraid to call around.

[JBF30]

Originally Posted by JBH6612

Any luck? I’m having the same problem.

I'm doing the rear wheel bearings this weekend. I'll report back.

[JBF30]

Originally Posted by andyreynolds

Have the wheels and tires been balanced properly? What shop did the wheels and tires last?

They've been road force balanced a few times. They're perfect.

And it was making the noise with the stock wheels and run-flats, too.

[JBF30]

Originally Posted by NoobCola

How are the spark plugs?

I deleted them.

[andyreynolds]

Originally Posted by JBF30

They've been road force balanced a few times. They're perfect.

And it was making the noise with the stock wheels and run-flats, too.

Then I’ll tell you to do the same as I did in my reply to the other JBF account, do a deep dive into your drive train from the trans back, have someone inspect the diff and transfer case if possible. Make sure all the suspension busings and links are all good. Check for loose stuff just hanging out back there.

[JBH6612]

It’s costly to request mechanics to look over your transmission mounts, center support bearing, and Guibo flex discs since they need to drop the exhaust and it’s time consuming. But it’s worth a look.

In my case, very similar issue as yours where I’ve rebalanced wheels and tires 7 times now and getting highway vibration at 80+ mph. My car is in the shop for clutch job right now and shop told me tranny mounts are shredded and recommended JXB center support bearing upgrades. They think the shredded tranny mounts may have been causing the highway vibrations. Getting them all replaced this week along with JXB upgraded center support bearing.

[JBH6612]

Originally Posted by JBH6612

It’s costly to request mechanics to look over your transmission mounts, center support bearing, and Guibo flex discs since they need to drop the exhaust and it’s time consuming. But it’s worth a look.

In my case, very similar issue as yours where I’ve rebalanced wheels and tires 7 times now and getting highway vibration at 80+ mph. My car is in the shop for clutch job right now and shop told me tranny mounts are shredded and recommended JXB center support bearing upgrades. They think the shredded tranny mounts may have been causing the highway vibrations. Getting them all replaced this week along with JXB upgraded center support bearing.

Reporting back to help someone. Test drove the car today with the shop owner and now I’m getting a new vibration at 50mph. Goes away after 50mph and comes back at 80+mph. Vibration is coming from the front and it’s speed dependent.

It’s truly maddening and both of us were stumped.

Using process of elimination of some sort, we talked about many variables that have been updated over 10 days at the shop.

1. New OEM clutch kit with OEM dual mass flywheel - probably the least of concern as far as the source of vibrations.

2. Upgraded JXB center support bearing - maybe, it keeps the drive shaft way more in line than OEM bearing.

3. New OEM transmission mounts - maybe idk? Shop showed me old mounts and they were shredded to the point where it looked like the transmission case was not supported by anything.

4. Misaligned driveshaft while re-installing it? Possible but not likely. The shop seems to know what they’re doing and talking about.

5. BMW dealer installed front wheel bearing going bad in 1000 miles? Possible but unlikely. This was done for free in February under dealership’s limited warranty program. Third party Assurant.

I bought the car used in February and have dealt with vibration issue shortly afterwards. I did not go over the speed limit during the test drive and did not drive past 80mph until few days later and that’s when I noticed it.

After looking at the condition of the tranny mounts or lack thereof, we came to the conclusion that previous owners launched the car one too many times. This could possibly mean that engine mounts are bad as well. With new OEM tranny mounts and upgraded center support bearing, vibration could’ve moved to the least supported area, possibly to the engine mounts.

That’s our theory and I’m getting engine mounts done this week.

[JBH6612]

Commenting to keep this thread alive until the vibration is fixed.

Shop said they spun the driveshaft with the JXB center support bearing carrier and they saw the center support bearing is making noise. Not the JXB center support bearing carrier, but the bearing. I thought JXB center support bearing carrier came with the bearing but I was mistaken. And I was confused on how this part works. Apparently it’s just the carrier which holds the bearing in place, which is separate.

So now the shop ordered this $50 bearing but will take 3 hours to install. Car pick up delayed another few days.

They have the engine mounts just in case but will replace the center support bearing first and mate it with JXB cwrrier and see if the vibration is gone.

More to come.

[JBH6612]

Latest update:

Shop installed new center support bearing and claimed it eliminated vibration at 80+ mph, and slightly softened the vibration at 50mph. They informed me driveshaft was tinkered by someone based on wrench marks on the nuts. And by process of elimination, they’re running out of parts to replace under the car.

My car is at another shop nearby getting second opinion. My mechanic said this shop specializes in BMW and they frequently collaborate. Found all this out when I surprise visited the shop last night and car wasn’t at the original location.

Mechanic put me on a three way call with that shops owner. He recommended the driveshaft to be rebalanced at a third party shop to rule out driveshaft as the issue. If it cannot be rebalanced, then we may have found the true cause and need to get new driveshaft. Working on it this week.

More to come.

[JBH6612]

Latest update:

Mechanic said he brought my driveshaft to local driveshaft specialists and they refused to work on it. He didn’t give me exact reasons other than they didn’t think it can be balanced.

So I scramble and contacted Driveshaft Pro in California. I was referred to this shop earlier this week after calling multiple local shops to get an estimate on a driveshaft in case it wasn’t able to be balanced. My suspicion was correct, as of now.

With overnight shipping to Texas is about $600, driveshaft being about $470. Hope this is the last part I’ll buy and that it actually works. It’ll be installed by Monday.

More to come.