Vibrations

palitsyn · 11-18-2014, 04:39 PM

I've had the issue for almost a year now, but since I didn't do much motorway driving, it didn't really bother me. But now that my daily commute includes 20 miles on motorway it is becoming really annoying.

So here is a list of what I have made a note of, but first, the car is a '06 330i Auto

1. The vibration kicks is in at around 48mph and eases off after 70mph, but never really goes away.

2. On the way back home from work, I get onto a motorway after about 5 minutes of driving and the vibrations feel a lot more pronounced compared to the commute to work, where I don't go above 40mph for the first 30 minutes. So it seems that the car being cold is a factor.

3. I think, but cannot really tell, that when there is a right bend, the vibration comes down a little.

3. The vibration is felt in the steering wheel (slight/tiny shimmer). I can see the passenger seat headrest vibrating (it is a right hand drive). I can hear and feel the vibration through the whole car to be honest. And, as mentioned early, when cold it is a lot more pronounced. No vibration through the gear stick ot pedals. Everything else seems to be shaking slightly

4. When braking from high speeds, there is a strong vibration in the steering wheel. That's not even hard breaking.

5. In slow traffic (5-10 mph), under very light braking, it feels as if for a quarter of a wheel spin cycle, the brakes grab on harder. A gentle pulsating feeling. As if it brakes harder and then lets go and then starts braking again. That's with hardly touching brakes.

6. The vibration is not related to rpm from what I can tell. Tbh, I am not sure how to test this properly with an auto though.

In the last year, I have had tyres changed from rfts to non-rfts (eagle f1). No change. The alloys have been replaced. No change. Bearing have been checked. Seem to be fine. Tried touching rotors after driving but didn't feel much difference between left and right. The front however seem much hotter that the rear. Wheels have been balanced multiple times. Same for alignment.

What could it be? I want to come to a specialist with instructions rather than leave the car with them and later get 1000s in bills as they will want to replace everything

Thanks in advance!

atinybug · 11-18-2014, 05:17 PM

The pulsating feel from braking leads me to believe your rotor surfaces are uneven for whatever reason. You might be able to get them resurfaced, or you could just need new brakes in general.

thomas88162 · 11-18-2014, 05:31 PM

Check out your wheel bearings, alignment/balance, and braking components. If it only does it under braking, just braking components. The fact that it changes under cornering can often be a symptom of a bad wheel bearing. Alignment and tire balance may actually be your cheapest and least labor intensive place to start, though.

hockeyplayer · 11-19-2014, 08:21 AM

Yes as others have said check the brake rotors for uneven wear. Also, check the control arm bushings.

blackturbo · 11-19-2014, 10:41 AM

Rotors

palitsyn · 11-26-2014, 06:13 PM

So, I was driving to work today at about 35 mph, when a car pulls out in front of me. I had to floor the brakes. A bit of a shaky situation. This was a few minutes from the 50mph zone sign. I take it up to 54 mph. The vibrations are significantly reduced. 80 mpg on motorway, vibration are much weaker. Hardly anything in the steering wheel. Not completely gone, but much weaker vibrations through the passenger seat. On the way back home, when the car is still cold, didn't feel anywhere near as bad. The droning sound I got at around 50 mph before (only when cold) is gone.

So I am still getting some vibrations, but there is a significant improvement. Did a few hard brakes on the way home when the road behind me was clear, but that was just before the 30mph zone, so cannot tell if it made more improvement. Will check tomorrow.

mike3000fl · 11-26-2014, 06:20 PM

if you have the same wheel/tire size on all 4 corners.... jack the car up and then put the fronts on the rear, and the rears on the front. see if it still vibrates.

if you cant feel it in the steering wheel and the vibration moved to the rear, then your wheels or tires are the issue, get them road force balanced at a shop with road force balancer.

if the vibration remains up front, then it is likely your rotors.

should take an hour tops to rotate the front tires to the rear, report back and let us know if the vibration moved with the wheels/tires.

11-18-2014, 04:39 PM	#1
palitsyn Second Lieutenant 49 Rep 230 Posts Drives: E90 330i SE (2006) Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: London, UK iTrader: (0)	Vibrations I've had the issue for almost a year now, but since I didn't do much motorway driving, it didn't really bother me. But now that my daily commute includes 20 miles on motorway it is becoming really annoying. So here is a list of what I have made a note of, but first, the car is a '06 330i Auto 1. The vibration kicks is in at around 48mph and eases off after 70mph, but never really goes away. 2. On the way back home from work, I get onto a motorway after about 5 minutes of driving and the vibrations feel a lot more pronounced compared to the commute to work, where I don't go above 40mph for the first 30 minutes. So it seems that the car being cold is a factor. 3. I think, but cannot really tell, that when there is a right bend, the vibration comes down a little. 3. The vibration is felt in the steering wheel (slight/tiny shimmer). I can see the passenger seat headrest vibrating (it is a right hand drive). I can hear and feel the vibration through the whole car to be honest. And, as mentioned early, when cold it is a lot more pronounced. No vibration through the gear stick ot pedals. Everything else seems to be shaking slightly 4. When braking from high speeds, there is a strong vibration in the steering wheel. That's not even hard breaking. 5. In slow traffic (5-10 mph), under very light braking, it feels as if for a quarter of a wheel spin cycle, the brakes grab on harder. A gentle pulsating feeling. As if it brakes harder and then lets go and then starts braking again. That's with hardly touching brakes. 6. The vibration is not related to rpm from what I can tell. Tbh, I am not sure how to test this properly with an auto though. In the last year, I have had tyres changed from rfts to non-rfts (eagle f1). No change. The alloys have been replaced. No change. Bearing have been checked. Seem to be fine. Tried touching rotors after driving but didn't feel much difference between left and right. The front however seem much hotter that the rear. Wheels have been balanced multiple times. Same for alignment. What could it be? I want to come to a specialist with instructions rather than leave the car with them and later get 1000s in bills as they will want to replace everything Thanks in advance! __________________ '06 330i (n52) SE AT
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11-18-2014, 05:17 PM	#2
atinybug First Lieutenant 78 Rep 375 Posts Drives: 07 e92 335i 6mt Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0)	The pulsating feel from braking leads me to believe your rotor surfaces are uneven for whatever reason. You might be able to get them resurfaced, or you could just need new brakes in general.
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11-18-2014, 05:31 PM	#3
thomas88162 Lieutenant 19 Rep 595 Posts Drives: E92 328i Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Clinton, IN iTrader: (0)	Check out your wheel bearings, alignment/balance, and braking components. If it only does it under braking, just braking components. The fact that it changes under cornering can often be a symptom of a bad wheel bearing. Alignment and tire balance may actually be your cheapest and least labor intensive place to start, though.
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11-19-2014, 08:21 AM	#4
hockeyplayer Captain 74 Rep 776 Posts Drives: 2006 325i, 2006 325xi Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	Yes as others have said check the brake rotors for uneven wear. Also, check the control arm bushings.
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11-19-2014, 10:41 AM	#5
blackturbo Captain 59 Rep 645 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: vancouver iTrader: (1)	Rotors
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11-26-2014, 06:13 PM	#6
palitsyn Second Lieutenant 49 Rep 230 Posts Drives: E90 330i SE (2006) Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: London, UK iTrader: (0)	So, I was driving to work today at about 35 mph, when a car pulls out in front of me. I had to floor the brakes. A bit of a shaky situation. This was a few minutes from the 50mph zone sign. I take it up to 54 mph. The vibrations are significantly reduced. 80 mpg on motorway, vibration are much weaker. Hardly anything in the steering wheel. Not completely gone, but much weaker vibrations through the passenger seat. On the way back home, when the car is still cold, didn't feel anywhere near as bad. The droning sound I got at around 50 mph before (only when cold) is gone. So I am still getting some vibrations, but there is a significant improvement. Did a few hard brakes on the way home when the road behind me was clear, but that was just before the 30mph zone, so cannot tell if it made more improvement. Will check tomorrow. __________________ '06 330i (n52) SE AT
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11-26-2014, 06:20 PM	#7
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	if you have the same wheel/tire size on all 4 corners.... jack the car up and then put the fronts on the rear, and the rears on the front. see if it still vibrates. if you cant feel it in the steering wheel and the vibration moved to the rear, then your wheels or tires are the issue, get them road force balanced at a shop with road force balancer. if the vibration remains up front, then it is likely your rotors. should take an hour tops to rotate the front tires to the rear, report back and let us know if the vibration moved with the wheels/tires.
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