[bimr_fan]

Hi folks,

New owner of a 328xi sedan with 6MT here,
about 1500 on the odo. I've been babying
the car so far, nothing above 3500 rpm, trying
to avoid as many potholes/rough roads
I can (some are unavoidable living in NJ though ).

Just wanted to find out if the following is what
others are experiencing as well:

- If I depress the clutch while going from
1->2 at anything under 3000 rpm, I get
a loud thud or shudder from the clutch area. Is
this what others have been calling the death rattle?
Don't feel it much in the other gears, but
it's a pain in stop-and-go traffic. I've been driving
sticks all my life, it makes me feel as if I'm new

- The brakes have started developing this odd
clanking noise. If I've driven in stop and go
traffic for a while, after I brake at slow speed,
there is this secondary clank that happens when
I brake. It was so bad one day, I took it
to a parking lot to test. Basically, if I coast
slowly forward, the car stops, then another clank
comes from the front (as if some DTC/ESP system
has turned on or something). Same thing
going backward, but that's more of a thud than
a clank. This was under dry conditions with no rust on the pads.

- Also, this braking clank seems to happen
after the clutch shudder has come a few times
and is noticable mainly with slow, stop and go braking.

Are these normal? Is it time to take her in for service?
It's really scary to have to take it in after only
1500 babied miles. This is my firs BMW and
am hoping for worry-free driving for at least
the first few years

Still trying to get accustomed to the car. Had an Audi
before, whenever I would make a 90 degree turn and stop,
I would hear a click-click-click from the back. After
many service visits, it was concluded that it was the ESP system
and that this was normal. Just wondering if there
is some well-known thing here and not worry about it...

Thanks all!

[exo-ak-dk]

you should also now that the clutch also needs attention like the engine!

It's not good to use the clutch very hard the first miles like the engine.


you should read the instruction book for further information about the clutch!

but i never experienced that with my bmw even though I reached 6000 rpm and used the clutch very hard when it was brand new(of course i didn't knew anything about the rules because my dealer didn't tell me)

I drove it pretty fast and violent in the start but never experienced the same thing as you.. and i have done approximately 24-25.000 km and i haven't had any problems yet with my bimmer(pretty good)!!

but go and ask your dealer!

you should go to your dealer!

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by bimr_fan

- If I depress the clutch while going from
1->2 at anything under 3000 rpm, I get
a loud thud or shudder from the clutch area. Is
this what others have been calling the death rattle?

Yes, apparently from the dual mass flywheel. It's sort of on springs which smoothens the engine vibrations but when it slows to a stop it rattles.

[bimr_fan]

Originally Posted by exo-ak-dk

you should also now that the clutch also needs attention like the engine!

It's not good to use the clutch very hard the first miles like the engine.


you should read the instruction book for further information about the clutch!

but i never experienced that with my bmw even though I reached 6000 rpm and used the clutch very hard when it was brand new(of course i didn't knew anything about the rules because my dealer didn't tell me)

I drove it pretty fast and violent in the start but never experienced the same thing as you.. and i have done approximately 24-25.000 km and i haven't had any problems yet with my bimmer(pretty good)!!

but go and ask your dealer!

you should go to your dealer!

Thanks for the input! I was very careful with the clutch as
well. What I was trying to say is that I get that
thud when I clutch below 3000 rpm going from 1->2.
If I do it at 3500 or so, it's fine. On the highway, this
is fine, but it creates problems in stop-and-go traffic

[bimr_fan]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Yes, apparently from the dual mass flywheel. It's sort of on springs which smoothens the engine vibrations but when it slows to a stop it rattles.

I see, thanks. Sounds very scary, as if some
part will fall off behind you on the road

How about the brake clanking? Is that also normal?

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by bimr_fan

I see, thanks. Sounds very scary, as if some
part will fall off behind you on the road

How about the brake clanking? Is that also normal?

Couldn't tell you never heard it, but if I had to guess I would say brakes making a clanking sound was bad.

[exo-ak-dk]

I recommend that you visit your dealer, because this is really weird....

I know people sometimes hearing sounds from their clutch and etc. but never heard of the brake clanking,,,,?

Visit your dealer! There is nothing to be scared of

[bimr_fan]

Originally Posted by exo-ak-dk

I recommend that you visit your dealer, because this is really weird....

I know people sometimes hearing sounds from their clutch and etc. but never heard of the brake clanking,,,,?

Visit your dealer! There is nothing to be scared of

Not that I'm scared. I just have a conceptual problem
having to visit a BMW dealer at 1500 miles. I was under
the impression these cars would be well engineered

[exo-ak-dk]

Originally Posted by bimr_fan

Not that I'm scared. I just have a conceptual problem
having to visit a BMW dealer at 1500 miles. I was under
the impression these cars would be well engineered

I can certainly tell you, that you have the right impression of the bmw cars!

It is well engineered! but sometimes people like you, are unlucky and experience small problems...

It's a very rare problem with the brakings? because i've never heard of brakes clanking.

[u5g335]

Take your car to the stealer.... especially if you can easily reproduce the problem. They will tell you if it's normal or not and it will not cost you anything except your time. What you describe does not sound normal to me. I beat on my car pretty badly compared to your treatment and have never had any problems.

[exo-ak-dk]

Originally Posted by u5g335

Take your car to the stealer.... especially if you can easily reproduce the problem. They will tell you if it's normal or not and it will not cost you anything except your time. What you describe does not sound normal to me. I beat on my car pretty badly compared to your treatment and have never had any problems.

we like to beat our cars here in this forum

But on the other site we also pay attention to them

[checuervo]

If you go to the dealer, post back with the results. I've gotten that rattle before if I let off the gas at the same time I'm putting in the clutch. If wait a moment longer to release the gas, no problem.

Unfortunately, my rattle/clank/whatever is sporadic, throttle issue aside, so I have nothing to reliably show the dealer.

So let us know if it turns out to be a real problem!

[exo-ak-dk]

yeah let us know what happens when you turn it in to the dealer!

[equ]

Originally Posted by checuervo

If you go to the dealer, post back with the results. I've gotten that rattle before if I let off the gas at the same time I'm putting in the clutch. If wait a moment longer to release the gas, no problem.

Bingo.. If you let throttle & clutch input "overlap" a bit, it goes away. Kind of a pain that you have to think to clutch...

[bimr_fan]

Originally Posted by equ

Bingo.. If you let throttle & clutch input "overlap" a bit, it goes away. Kind of a pain that you have to think to clutch...

Yes, I tried this all day today and it worked beatifully!
I usually release my foot fully from the gas before
clutching, but if I overlap for about a split
second, I don't get the "death rattle".
Odd -- is this due to just the dual mass flywheel or
the clutch delay valve as well?

Might have to take in for the brakes though.
If I get the car moving slowly, then brake,
still getting that addional clank/clatter from the front.
Any tips for this?

[equ]

If you do go to a dealer, report back... I think it's just the gears themselves rattling around the box. It has nearly nothing to do with a cdv. Flywheel maybe... But a lighter flywheel will only amplify it.

I tried to solve this on my e46 zhp (which had it worse as the gearbox made sounds in neutral - though this went away with the clutch in). 2 out of 3 dealers certified it as normal, the third gave me a new clutch.

Right now, I drive around this clatter. I assume that if there are no symptoms as I drive (all is smooth), I can't be causing any damage.

[rzm3]

yup the clutch sound is normal. i ve talked to a bmw corporate tech. you just have to adjust your shifting behavier a little bit - step on the clutch a little AFTER you let go of the gas, and the sound will be gone

GL!