Help me diagnose a noise

jdruid · 06-12-2008, 08:20 AM

I just picked up an 06 330xi a few weeks back and noticed a metallic scraping sound coming from the back of the car. Looked under and around and saw nothing. It sounded like something in the wheel or brake area. So I brought it in and they replaced rear pads and wear sensors saying the sensors were hitting prematurely.

Great. Drove it home and all was well. A few days later it is back again. Now I am trying to really figure out what it is. Here are the symptons:

1. Gets louder when I am on the gas.
2. Happens when I am coasting also.
3. Happens on and off the brakes.
4. Does not happen when parked giving it gas (thought maybe it was exhaust)
5. Does not happen when I am coasting in neutral, actually it seems it disengages when I put it in neutral.

I am bringing it back next weds to get looked at. I think what ever it is it is tied to the tranny.

slupie · 06-12-2008, 09:36 AM

Check for a pebble stuck between the rotor and backing plate. Common issue on E39 chasis 5 series.

andyffer · 06-12-2008, 09:45 AM

Send the people of car talk an email

jdruid · 06-12-2008, 04:14 PM

I have seen a few other posts (not too many) that have this issue, 1 was fixed with the brakes another guy still has it.

I guess I will wait till Weds.

Joonsup · 06-12-2008, 04:28 PM

i used to have a squeaking noise coming from my rear passenger side brake area. After the brakes are warmed up i would hear a speaking noise while coasting at slow speeds and also whenever i pumped the gas. If you pull up your ebrake and try hopping up and down on your car from the passenger side you may hear it. They replaced the entire caliper and guiding bolt, which solved the problem of the squeaking noise during coasting, but i can still hear it sometimes when i get in my car while the ebrake is up.

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 06-12-2008, 08:02 PM

I would say that its the rear brakes not letting go completely.
I had a similar problem. It only got worse.

blue-e92 · 06-13-2008, 12:23 AM

Could it be the infamous SUB-FRAME damage that plagued many, many e46s?

TambourineMan · 06-13-2008, 11:45 AM

Why not get a sound recorder and record the noise and let the dealer listen to it?

kmoy2002 · 06-13-2008, 12:39 PM

I was thinking rubbing if you had aftermarket wheels.

jdruid · 06-19-2008, 09:47 PM

I brought the car back on Weds and took the tech for a ride. Right away we heard it. He said it might be a dust sheild. That was Weds. It is now Thursday night and still no car. They ordered a new exhaust for it now that should be in Friday.

I cant really complain..i have a 335xi loaner

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 06-19-2008, 10:40 PM

WTF???
They ordered a new exhuast???
That's odd.

But amazing loaner?
How does it compare to our 330i?

jdruid · 06-23-2008, 03:26 PM

Ok. I got the car back on Friday. No sound. They said it was an issue with a baffle inside the muffler. From the parts list it looks like it was a full catback exhuast they put on. Drove it all weekend and the sound is not present. Very happy to have my car back.

- As far as the loaner goes. 335 is definitely a nice car. Love the turbo's putting my stomach in the back seat. Not sure if it is faster then my 05 mustang that I sold to get my 330 but definitely fast. The one thing I did not like about it was the gas mileage. My commute on the 330 gets about 21-22mpg. The 335 was getting 17-18. Could be the heavy foot

ElRedOne · 06-23-2008, 03:37 PM

Took mine in last week for the same thing. Expectedly, it would not make a sound while at the dealer. SA said they checked brakes, found nothing, but indicated their willingness to revisit if it happens again.

nicknaz · 06-23-2008, 03:48 PM

that's an awesome outcome. new exhaust plus nice loaner!

TambourineMan · 06-23-2008, 04:27 PM

I had recommended that people record problem noises to play back for the dealer. I am wondering if it would be a good idea to somehow attach a recording or a link to it here for people to listen to determine if their sounds the same. There are website to upload pictures to share on forums. What's a good one to use for files of sounds?

06-12-2008, 08:20 AM	#1
jdruid New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 06 330xi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Newtown CT iTrader: (0)	Help me diagnose a noise I just picked up an 06 330xi a few weeks back and noticed a metallic scraping sound coming from the back of the car. Looked under and around and saw nothing. It sounded like something in the wheel or brake area. So I brought it in and they replaced rear pads and wear sensors saying the sensors were hitting prematurely. Great. Drove it home and all was well. A few days later it is back again. Now I am trying to really figure out what it is. Here are the symptons: 1. Gets louder when I am on the gas. 2. Happens when I am coasting also. 3. Happens on and off the brakes. 4. Does not happen when parked giving it gas (thought maybe it was exhaust) 5. Does not happen when I am coasting in neutral, actually it seems it disengages when I put it in neutral. I am bringing it back next weds to get looked at. I think what ever it is it is tied to the tranny. __________________ 2006 330xi \| Electric Red \| Dark Charcoal Int \| STEP \| Premium Package \| Cold Weather Package \| Fun To Drive Package
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06-12-2008, 09:36 AM	#2
slupie Lieutenant 101 Rep 474 Posts Drives: 07 328iT, Montego Blau Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bartlett, IL iTrader: (2)	Check for a pebble stuck between the rotor and backing plate. Common issue on E39 chasis 5 series.
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06-12-2008, 09:45 AM	#3
andyffer Banned 140 Rep 563 Posts Drives: 700hp M3 - Interlagos E92 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 Bugatti Veyron [0.00]	Send the people of car talk an email
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06-12-2008, 04:14 PM	#4
jdruid New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 06 330xi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Newtown CT iTrader: (0)	I have seen a few other posts (not too many) that have this issue, 1 was fixed with the brakes another guy still has it. I guess I will wait till Weds. __________________ 2006 330xi \| Electric Red \| Dark Charcoal Int \| STEP \| Premium Package \| Cold Weather Package \| Fun To Drive Package
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06-12-2008, 04:28 PM	#5
Joonsup Lieutenant General 322 Rep 17,316 Posts Drives: E92 M3, E30 325i Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (8) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [9.50]	i used to have a squeaking noise coming from my rear passenger side brake area. After the brakes are warmed up i would hear a speaking noise while coasting at slow speeds and also whenever i pumped the gas. If you pull up your ebrake and try hopping up and down on your car from the passenger side you may hear it. They replaced the entire caliper and guiding bolt, which solved the problem of the squeaking noise during coasting, but i can still hear it sometimes when i get in my car while the ebrake is up.
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06-12-2008, 08:02 PM	#6
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 663 Rep 26,878 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]	I would say that its the rear brakes not letting go completely. I had a similar problem. It only got worse.
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06-13-2008, 12:23 AM	#7
blue-e92 Private 20 Rep 98 Posts Drives: MB E92 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vietnam iTrader: (0)	Could it be the infamous SUB-FRAME damage that plagued many, many e46s?
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06-13-2008, 11:45 AM	#8
TambourineMan Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 221 Posts Drives: 335xi coupe Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Born in ME, In exile in MA iTrader: (0)	Why not get a sound recorder and record the noise and let the dealer listen to it?
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06-13-2008, 12:39 PM	#9
kmoy2002 Lieutenant 12 Rep 472 Posts Drives: 2002tii, 540i, 330i Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	I was thinking rubbing if you had aftermarket wheels. __________________
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06-19-2008, 09:47 PM	#10
jdruid New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 06 330xi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Newtown CT iTrader: (0)	I brought the car back on Weds and took the tech for a ride. Right away we heard it. He said it might be a dust sheild. That was Weds. It is now Thursday night and still no car. They ordered a new exhaust for it now that should be in Friday. I cant really complain..i have a 335xi loaner __________________ 2006 330xi \| Electric Red \| Dark Charcoal Int \| STEP \| Premium Package \| Cold Weather Package \| Fun To Drive Package
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06-19-2008, 10:40 PM	#11
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 663 Rep 26,878 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]	WTF??? They ordered a new exhuast??? That's odd. But amazing loaner? How does it compare to our 330i?
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06-23-2008, 03:26 PM	#12
jdruid New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 06 330xi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Newtown CT iTrader: (0)	Ok. I got the car back on Friday. No sound. They said it was an issue with a baffle inside the muffler. From the parts list it looks like it was a full catback exhuast they put on. Drove it all weekend and the sound is not present. Very happy to have my car back. - As far as the loaner goes. 335 is definitely a nice car. Love the turbo's putting my stomach in the back seat. Not sure if it is faster then my 05 mustang that I sold to get my 330 but definitely fast. The one thing I did not like about it was the gas mileage. My commute on the 330 gets about 21-22mpg. The 335 was getting 17-18. Could be the heavy foot __________________ 2006 330xi \| Electric Red \| Dark Charcoal Int \| STEP \| Premium Package \| Cold Weather Package \| Fun To Drive Package
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06-23-2008, 03:37 PM	#13
ElRedOne First Lieutenant 3 Rep 303 Posts Drives: '06 330xi, '06 Z4M Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PA iTrader: (0)	Took mine in last week for the same thing. Expectedly, it would not make a sound while at the dealer. SA said they checked brakes, found nothing, but indicated their willingness to revisit if it happens again. __________________ ElRedOne 330 xi Electric Red/Beige Step-Premium-Sport-CW-CA-PDC-Shade Z4MR Interlagos/Black
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06-23-2008, 03:48 PM	#14
nicknaz Lieutenant General 3187 Rep 10,509 Posts Drives: C6Z Join Date: May 2008 Location: NorCal iTrader: (0)	that's an awesome outcome. new exhaust plus nice loaner!
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06-23-2008, 04:27 PM	#15
TambourineMan Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 221 Posts Drives: 335xi coupe Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Born in ME, In exile in MA iTrader: (0)	I had recommended that people record problem noises to play back for the dealer. I am wondering if it would be a good idea to somehow attach a recording or a link to it here for people to listen to determine if their sounds the same. There are website to upload pictures to share on forums. What's a good one to use for files of sounds?
	Appreciate 0 Quote