[335ixm]

Hi guys,

I am driving my e91 335xi for ten months now and I am having some issues.

A rubbing-like noise can be heard coming from the front right of the car, when accelerating, and steering to the left (slightly), and sometimes without steering on a bumpy road. Traction control light comes on when noice is heard.

I think it is the best way to describe it as rubbing as it really sounds like a wheel that is rubbing a fender.

I am pretty sure it is not the wheels though, since they are oem style 230 19s with stock size non runflats, and the right pressure. (even though I use 12mm spacers) To be sure i removed all wheels on the lift and inspected for rubbing marks.

To be sure it was not the 19s or spacers causing the issue I put bach my 18 oem wheels without the spacers. Same problem.

Last month BMW replaced my front right drive shaft and wheel bearing. So those two pieces are new.

Car is lowered on eibach springs with non xdrive top hats.

The car has been to the dealer and my favourite garage, both can not find a solution,

Please help!

[ajsalida]

Why was the right front drive shaft and wheel bearing replaced? Was it to try to fix this noise or was it due to an accident or some other reason?

When you have the car on a lift, and you turn the right front wheel by hand (should turn freely) does it make the same noise?

If nothing is rubbing anywhere inside the wheel well, the repair work was done correctly with good parts, only thing it could be is front diff, maybe right side.

I guess maybe something could be binding in the brakes? Or stuck behind the dust plate. Not much else there to make noise.

The thing is nothing should trigger a TC light except maybe serious diff issues.

[335ixm]

No no accident or trying to fix this sound, it was because of a more grinding sound, which turned out to be a worn cv joint, and the bearing was done while we were in there...

Car has 60.000 miles, so I assumed this was normal.

Strange thing is, when you drive it normally, everything is fine. You really have to floor it and steer and bounce on the road to trigger the sound.

[ajsalida]

When you checked for rubbing, did you check inner side of the tire and interior wheel wheel? Or just the outer? Also the strut spring perch can come very close to being in contact with the inner side of the tire sometimes, depending on tire size and offset, lateral load, etc...

Other thing is if it is snowing where you are right now, everything fills up with snow/ice and rubs on lowered xi cars.

Again the real issue here is if the TC light comes on then it is not just simple rubbing. Something is jamming hard enough to slow the wheel rate down and engage electronics.

[335ixm]

Because we have no clue what the problem is, we checked both inside and outside.

Wheel turns freely, no strange noises.

Car has not seen snow since it's mine.

If it really is the front differential, shouldnt it make more noise under all normall conditions?

I figured it must be the cv joint just making noise because it is pushed to its limit/angle? (steering, max torque applied, lowered car, spacers, 19 instead of 18, all rubber mounts have 60K miles on them etc.)

Or doesnt that make any sense?

[ajsalida]

Not normal even for lowered etc. and what is really not normal is the TC light coming on. That indicates whatever is binding is binding enough to slow wheel rate past thresholds.

It could be as simple as they did the work incorrectly or had bad parts. Differential may only make noise when it is being a differential, ie seeing asymmetrical side to side loads or power req.

One thing to try (just guessing) find a situation where it always makes noise, then try it with DTC engaged (one short button press) and then with DSC full off (several seconds press).