odd noise at low speeds?

thesmokingone · 06-19-2009, 10:48 AM

Hey guys and gals, I have a road trip planned for tomorrow (6hr) and today I get in the 135 and at low speeds when turning the wheel and accelerating I am getting this weird noise like a spun bearing or an electric motor whiz and it vibrates up through the steering wheel. any ideas on what this could be and should I take a different vehicle to avoid getting hung up?
Thanks

tbird · 06-19-2009, 11:57 AM

That sound, in general, is a bad CV-Joint. When the rubber boot that houses the joint gets cut, it drains out the grease, and so the joint runs dry and starts making that noice.

See if your rubber boot got cut open. Did you hit a pothole on that side really hard?

thesmokingone · 06-19-2009, 12:09 PM

um nothing comes to mind but the roads are pretty bad around here. where do you look to see this and i suppose road trip is out of the question

thesmokingone · 06-19-2009, 12:15 PM

accordion type deal connected by a hose clamp to a control shaft connected to the front tires?

Lester · 06-19-2009, 12:31 PM

CV Joints are only for front wheel or all wheel drive cars, so your rear wheel drive 135 won't have those up front. But I would take it into the dealer. It could be the power steering pump, or something else that needs checking out.

thesmokingone · 06-19-2009, 02:03 PM

well i have been driving it all day and the noise has stopped. now I'm really confused. sometimes it would ramp up with the accelerator and sometimes with the turning of the wheel. then it just stopped and I rode around for an hour trying to get it to make the noise again.

Lester · 06-19-2009, 02:09 PM

I would take it on the trip, just make sure to have your BMW Service card with you.

thesmokingone · 06-19-2009, 02:31 PM

Thanks for all the help guys. This is definitely the best forum around

thesmokingone · 06-24-2009, 06:07 PM

just to update I took the car on the trip with no incident. still going to get this noise checked out on tuesday.

HondaGoneRogue · 06-24-2009, 06:25 PM

Have you recently switched tires?

Si-M240i · 06-25-2009, 01:47 AM

make sure you check the power steering reservoir level, if it runs dry you will damage the pump. If it is low, go to the dealer to check for a leak.

thesmokingone · 07-03-2009, 10:18 PM

Not sure if anyone is still reading this but went to the dealership and si-135 is right. the power steering fluid was low. the tech said that over time the stuff evaporates so there is no leak to be worried about. I have never heard of this phenomenon but he assured me everything was fine. had the car for a little over a year. and after break in oil change had not had it in the shop b/x it still only has 8k miles.

06-19-2009, 10:48 AM	#1
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	odd noise at low speeds? Hey guys and gals, I have a road trip planned for tomorrow (6hr) and today I get in the 135 and at low speeds when turning the wheel and accelerating I am getting this weird noise like a spun bearing or an electric motor whiz and it vibrates up through the steering wheel. any ideas on what this could be and should I take a different vehicle to avoid getting hung up? Thanks __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-19-2009, 11:57 AM	#2
tbird Captain 31 Rep 683 Posts Drives: "Bianca" 135cic AW/TC Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FLL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 135cic [0.00]	That sound, in general, is a bad CV-Joint. When the rubber boot that houses the joint gets cut, it drains out the grease, and so the joint runs dry and starts making that noice. See if your rubber boot got cut open. Did you hit a pothole on that side really hard? __________________ 2008 135cic, Alpine White/Terracotta Leather/BlackTop, Premium Package (Bluetooth, folding mirrors, etc), Sport Package with M Wheel, Navigation, Logic7 with HD and IPod and Sirius, Steptronic, M Aerodynamic Kit 2001 Focus ZX3, modified for fun commuting Previous 2006 325xi 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro 1997 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro 1984 Audi 4000S Quattro modified 1955 Ford Thunderbird 1969 Camaro modified 1993 Ford Explorer (basic hauling) 1984+1988 Ford Broncos 1993 Honda Civic (Commuter, junk) 2008 Mini (wife's car, AWESOME) A few more
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06-19-2009, 12:09 PM	#3
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	um nothing comes to mind but the roads are pretty bad around here. where do you look to see this and i suppose road trip is out of the question __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-19-2009, 12:15 PM	#4
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	accordion type deal connected by a hose clamp to a control shaft connected to the front tires? __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-19-2009, 12:31 PM	#5
Lester Brigadier General 295 Rep 3,350 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2007 iTrader: (0)	CV Joints are only for front wheel or all wheel drive cars, so your rear wheel drive 135 won't have those up front. But I would take it into the dealer. It could be the power steering pump, or something else that needs checking out.
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06-19-2009, 02:03 PM	#6
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	well i have been driving it all day and the noise has stopped. now I'm really confused. sometimes it would ramp up with the accelerator and sometimes with the turning of the wheel. then it just stopped and I rode around for an hour trying to get it to make the noise again. __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-19-2009, 02:09 PM	#7
Lester Brigadier General 295 Rep 3,350 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2007 iTrader: (0)	I would take it on the trip, just make sure to have your BMW Service card with you.
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06-19-2009, 02:31 PM	#8
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all the help guys. This is definitely the best forum around __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-24-2009, 06:07 PM	#9
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	just to update I took the car on the trip with no incident. still going to get this noise checked out on tuesday. __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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06-24-2009, 06:25 PM	#10
HondaGoneRogue They like my Swag... 433 Rep 3,762 Posts Drives: 15 GSM 435i GC Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: South Dakota iTrader: (4) Garage List 2015 435i Gran Coupe [0.00]	Have you recently switched tires? __________________ 2015 435i Gran Coupe - Current 2008 AW 135i - Sold
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06-25-2009, 01:47 AM	#11
Si-M240i Major 137 Rep 1,450 Posts Drives: M240i LCI Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: England iTrader: (0)	make sure you check the power steering reservoir level, if it runs dry you will damage the pump. If it is low, go to the dealer to check for a leak. __________________ M240i LCI (Mineral Grey):- M2 Door Mirrors, M2 Black Kidney Grills, Lower grille inserts, MP Exhaust, Dinan Carbon Fibre CAI, hot climate intake elbow
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07-03-2009, 10:18 PM	#12
thesmokingone Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 242 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	Not sure if anyone is still reading this but went to the dealership and si-135 is right. the power steering fluid was low. the tech said that over time the stuff evaporates so there is no leak to be worried about. I have never heard of this phenomenon but he assured me everything was fine. had the car for a little over a year. and after break in oil change had not had it in the shop b/x it still only has 8k miles. __________________ “Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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