clunking grinding noise at slow speeds in my 2011 DCT 135i

minimised_S · 04-17-2013, 07:23 AM

Hello All,
I recently have had these issues of hearing clunking / grinding noise as if dragging a piece of metal stuck in between my wheels/ under side of the car for a good 2 long blocks in NYC. This happened when the reserve fuel light clicked in, so i thought maybe this is in sync with low fuel reserve.

Today I'm backing up in reverse and hear the same grinding sound and wondering is something actually wrong?

I usually put on the hand brake while parked. is this not getting disengaged completely and grinding against the wheel or is this some kind of a serious transmission issue.

The vehicle is still under factory warranty for a good 2 years and was hoping to take it to the dealership, but thought I would appreciate any insight from the fellow 135i owners on this forum who have encountered a similar problem.

Any / All responses are greatly appreciated.

Cheers

BruceWarne · 04-17-2013, 02:16 PM

My 135i started making sporadic clicking/grinding sounds a few days before the diff exploded...but they were accompanied by pretty bad vibrations.

Feli_330i · 04-17-2013, 03:03 PM

I have had the exact same issue the OP is describing for months! I went to the dealer and had a tech take a ride with me. He instantly heard the noise.. is like a piece of metal grinding agains a rotor or something a like, very audible at slow speeds and specially if there is a wall next to the road. So I was very happy he heard it and left the car... the next day I pick it up and the car was assigned to a different tech that did NOT hear it... so they ruled it out as some debris that was making the noise but fell out when they lifted the car.

Of course when I drive the car back home the noise is there.... So I went back and they insisted that the noise is not there. Sucks... I can still hear it, I have another appointment for next week because they are so backed up with recalls that they couldn't get the car in any earlier... keep in mind this is not the main reason I am taking the car in, it has a bunch of other problems....

rking117 · 04-17-2013, 03:52 PM

could be the rotors contactign the brake pads especially if it is humid or wet in your area. My first reaction to the desciptoin was differential so i would certainly have this checked out.

e82m_van · 04-17-2013, 07:11 PM

Does it sounds like this?

Mine did.. and thought it was the bearing. So I booked an appointment with the dealer and drove on the highway to get there. When I got there, the noise disappeared..
So the tech said that sound can also happen due to a pebble which most likely fell out on my way there.

If it's a clunking sound, could be the bearing. Not sure about the grinding noise though..

minimised_S · 04-18-2013, 07:34 AM

Thank You guys, for your valuable input.
Yes, tried to schedule an appointment with the dealership and its backed up till end of May.
So drove the car at slow speeds for the past 2 days and I dont hear any sounds.
I read some other articles about the DCT making the sounds when it shifts from 1 to 2. But this should be consistent right?
@e82m van- thanks for the video, at first that was my guess about the bearings getting messed up but shouldnt that sound be consistent when the car rolls as opposed to invariably.
Thanks again

AyJay87 · 03-10-2015, 12:25 AM

This thread has been dormant for a while, but I wanted to contribute. Long story short: At 27k miles a low frequency/deep grinding noise was present for the first time when driving from a stop in D1 to D2 and even in R. Thought it was build up on the brake discs. Fast forward to about 31k mi I raised the car so that all wheels weren't touching the ground so I could turn the wheels with my hands to determine which disc was making the noise. None of them made the same noise I was experiencing. Simultaneously I discovered a leak at the bottom of the transmission- it was the gasket for the hydraulic pan.

So I made the assumption that the fluid had gotten so low, that the clutches were now making "dry" contact somewhere on the disc as they slipped in D1 and when shifting to D2. Note, I did not experience the noise in M1 to M2- my logic is that the shifts are more crisp and that means the clutches engage quicker, therefore less slippage and no noise.

Today, I got my car back from service after getting a new gasket and fluid refilled. On my 10 mi drive home, the noise did not resurface. But I'll drive it more in the coming days in different situations to see if the noise is truly gone. Thanks for reading.

UPDATE: Btw the service center I went to claimed the noise was normal as well. They even claimed "TEST DROVE OTHER SAME VEHICLE WITH SAME TRANS. SAME NOISE IS HEARD."

methodz · 03-10-2015, 03:02 AM

I'm hearing a noise as well and after a little googly I ran into a "cowbell" thread. I only hear the noise at LOW speeds like under 10 mph. But actually the first time I heard it was when I got a phone call and so I pull over to the curb to take the call with the car in P and that is when I heard it. At this point the wheels aren't moving at all, should I be concerned?

Took my car to Offset Motorwerks to have my bushings installed and their tech heard it also, then when he went to hunt the noise down he couldn't replicate it. He jacked up the car and checked the dust shield and everything was firm. It's like if you try to look for this thing you can't find it haha. $h!t!!!!

AyJay87 · 03-17-2015, 12:32 AM

Just a quick update, I was able to drive the car more this past weekend. The grinding noise I described in my earlier post is still there, but it is MUCH less frequent. In fact it only happened twice after a cold start and when backing up into my driveway which is more steep than usual.

So maybe my earlier conclusions were true. The lower trans fluid level caused "dry" slippage and maybe a little more wear than usual, thus the lingering noise when cold. Now that the gasket has been replaced and fluid is at the correct level, the dry contact in the clutch pack is almost null.

I will report back if and when the frequency of the noise returns.

AyJay87 · 04-19-2015, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AyJay87

Just a quick update, I was able to drive the car more this past weekend. The grinding noise I described in my earlier post is still there, but it is MUCH less frequent. In fact it only happened twice after a cold start and when backing up into my driveway which is more steep than usual.

So maybe my earlier conclusions were true. The lower trans fluid level caused "dry" slippage and maybe a little more wear than usual, thus the lingering noise when cold. Now that the gasket has been replaced and fluid is at the correct level, the dry contact in the clutch pack is almost null.

I will report back if and when the frequency of the noise returns.

Wanted to check in once more regarding my post from March. After a month of driving consisting of short drives in the city and extended freeway drives I can report that the grinding noise/low bass/low frequency noise is still present. The noise is accompanied by a slight vibration you can feel coming through the pedals/footwell area.

Earlier I had reported a transmission fluid leak. The leak could have been happening for a while without my knowledge and this is supported by the fact that the level was low when I took it in for the gasket service.

I am afraid the low fluid level has done something irregular to the transmission causing the noise. I say irregular because aside from the noise, the transmission seems to be operating normally and there are no signs of internal damage. Additionally, no warnings/lights have ever appeared for the trans since I've had the car brand new.

Any thoughts? I guess the best tip I could offer is to make sure your transmission isnt leaking and hopefully you wont have the same symptoms. Thanks for reading.

Jettt · 05-19-2015, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceWarne

My 135i started making sporadic clicking/grinding sounds a few days before the diff exploded...but they were accompanied by pretty bad vibrations.

Im hearing the grinding noise now and alot of clunking into gears. Also have the vibrations at certain rpm.

New diff fixed everything?

Diver · 05-21-2015, 09:12 AM

I used to get a clunk in first gear just when starting out. They replaced all sorts of stuff but could not fix it. After 17 months the car was replaced with BMW trade assist. The amount of depreciation I had to absorb on the car was minimal, but I did waste a lot of time bringing it in to the shop.

fcman · 05-21-2015, 09:24 AM

I get some light metal on metal sounds when pulling out in D on a cold start. Goes away very quickly though.

04-17-2013, 07:23 AM	#1
minimised_S Second Lieutenant 35 Rep 282 Posts Drives: E91wg, E82 135i,R53 S(Retired) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New York NY iTrader: (1)	clunking grinding noise at slow speeds in my 2011 DCT 135i Hello All, I recently have had these issues of hearing clunking / grinding noise as if dragging a piece of metal stuck in between my wheels/ under side of the car for a good 2 long blocks in NYC. This happened when the reserve fuel light clicked in, so i thought maybe this is in sync with low fuel reserve. Today I'm backing up in reverse and hear the same grinding sound and wondering is something actually wrong? I usually put on the hand brake while parked. is this not getting disengaged completely and grinding against the wheel or is this some kind of a serious transmission issue. The vehicle is still under factory warranty for a good 2 years and was hoping to take it to the dealership, but thought I would appreciate any insight from the fellow 135i owners on this forum who have encountered a similar problem. Any / All responses are greatly appreciated. Cheers
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04-17-2013, 02:16 PM	#2
BruceWarne Private 6 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2011 135i Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: AZ iTrader: (0)	My 135i started making sporadic clicking/grinding sounds a few days before the diff exploded...but they were accompanied by pretty bad vibrations.
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04-17-2013, 03:03 PM	#3
Feli_330i Private First Class 18 Rep 164 Posts Drives: 18’ M2 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	I have had the exact same issue the OP is describing for months! I went to the dealer and had a tech take a ride with me. He instantly heard the noise.. is like a piece of metal grinding agains a rotor or something a like, very audible at slow speeds and specially if there is a wall next to the road. So I was very happy he heard it and left the car... the next day I pick it up and the car was assigned to a different tech that did NOT hear it... so they ruled it out as some debris that was making the noise but fell out when they lifted the car. Of course when I drive the car back home the noise is there.... So I went back and they insisted that the noise is not there. Sucks... I can still hear it, I have another appointment for next week because they are so backed up with recalls that they couldn't get the car in any earlier... keep in mind this is not the main reason I am taking the car in, it has a bunch of other problems....
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04-17-2013, 03:52 PM	#4
rking117 Lieutenant Colonel 118 Rep 1,668 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	could be the rotors contactign the brake pads especially if it is humid or wet in your area. My first reaction to the desciptoin was differential so i would certainly have this checked out. __________________ Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth // E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
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04-17-2013, 07:11 PM	#5
e82m_van First Lieutenant 100 Rep 341 Posts Drives: AW 1m Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (3)	Does it sounds like this? Mine did.. and thought it was the bearing. So I booked an appointment with the dealer and drove on the highway to get there. When I got there, the noise disappeared.. So the tech said that sound can also happen due to a pebble which most likely fell out on my way there. If it's a clunking sound, could be the bearing. Not sure about the grinding noise though..
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04-18-2013, 07:34 AM	#6
minimised_S Second Lieutenant 35 Rep 282 Posts Drives: E91wg, E82 135i,R53 S(Retired) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New York NY iTrader: (1)	Thank You guys, for your valuable input. Yes, tried to schedule an appointment with the dealership and its backed up till end of May. So drove the car at slow speeds for the past 2 days and I dont hear any sounds. I read some other articles about the DCT making the sounds when it shifts from 1 to 2. But this should be consistent right? @e82m van- thanks for the video, at first that was my guess about the bearings getting messed up but shouldnt that sound be consistent when the car rolls as opposed to invariably. Thanks again
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03-10-2015, 12:25 AM	#7
AyJay87 Private First Class 8 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 2012 135i DCT Le Mans Blue Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	This thread has been dormant for a while, but I wanted to contribute. Long story short: At 27k miles a low frequency/deep grinding noise was present for the first time when driving from a stop in D1 to D2 and even in R. Thought it was build up on the brake discs. Fast forward to about 31k mi I raised the car so that all wheels weren't touching the ground so I could turn the wheels with my hands to determine which disc was making the noise. None of them made the same noise I was experiencing. Simultaneously I discovered a leak at the bottom of the transmission- it was the gasket for the hydraulic pan. So I made the assumption that the fluid had gotten so low, that the clutches were now making "dry" contact somewhere on the disc as they slipped in D1 and when shifting to D2. Note, I did not experience the noise in M1 to M2- my logic is that the shifts are more crisp and that means the clutches engage quicker, therefore less slippage and no noise. Today, I got my car back from service after getting a new gasket and fluid refilled. On my 10 mi drive home, the noise did not resurface. But I'll drive it more in the coming days in different situations to see if the noise is truly gone. Thanks for reading. UPDATE: Btw the service center I went to claimed the noise was normal as well. They even claimed "TEST DROVE OTHER SAME VEHICLE WITH SAME TRANS. SAME NOISE IS HEARD." __________________ https://www.instagram.com/the_driving_gallery/ '12 135i DCT Le Mans Blue * M Sport Package * BMW Performance Exhaust * PPK 1 * ST Coilovers * Cobb Sway Bars * Dinan Camber Plates * VMR V705 Wheels * Michelin PSS Last edited by AyJay87; 03-10-2015 at 12:55 AM..
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03-10-2015, 03:02 AM	#8
methodz First Lieutenant 40 Rep 393 Posts Drives: '12 Le Mans 135i Vert Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hollywood iTrader: (3)	I'm hearing a noise as well and after a little googly I ran into a "cowbell" thread. I only hear the noise at LOW speeds like under 10 mph. But actually the first time I heard it was when I got a phone call and so I pull over to the curb to take the call with the car in P and that is when I heard it. At this point the wheels aren't moving at all, should I be concerned? Took my car to Offset Motorwerks to have my bushings installed and their tech heard it also, then when he went to hunt the noise down he couldn't replicate it. He jacked up the car and checked the dust shield and everything was firm. It's like if you try to look for this thing you can't find it haha. $h!t!!!!
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03-17-2015, 12:32 AM	#9
AyJay87 Private First Class 8 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 2012 135i DCT Le Mans Blue Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Just a quick update, I was able to drive the car more this past weekend. The grinding noise I described in my earlier post is still there, but it is MUCH less frequent. In fact it only happened twice after a cold start and when backing up into my driveway which is more steep than usual. So maybe my earlier conclusions were true. The lower trans fluid level caused "dry" slippage and maybe a little more wear than usual, thus the lingering noise when cold. Now that the gasket has been replaced and fluid is at the correct level, the dry contact in the clutch pack is almost null. I will report back if and when the frequency of the noise returns. __________________ https://www.instagram.com/the_driving_gallery/ '12 135i DCT Le Mans Blue * M Sport Package * BMW Performance Exhaust * PPK 1 * ST Coilovers * Cobb Sway Bars * Dinan Camber Plates * VMR V705 Wheels * Michelin PSS
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05-21-2015, 09:12 AM	#12
Diver Brigadier General 504 Rep 3,446 Posts Drives: Black '12 135i - Sold Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	I used to get a clunk in first gear just when starting out. They replaced all sorts of stuff but could not fix it. After 17 months the car was replaced with BMW trade assist. The amount of depreciation I had to absorb on the car was minimal, but I did waste a lot of time bringing it in to the shop. __________________ See my photography at http://ronscubadiver.wordpress.com
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05-21-2015, 09:24 AM	#13
fcman Captain 670 Rep 987 Posts Drives: 2023 G87 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	I get some light metal on metal sounds when pulling out in D on a cold start. Goes away very quickly though.
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