[StockE90]

Everytime the temperature gets warmer (>70) in my car, there is a really annoying constant squeak or chirp eveytime I go over uneven road surfaces. The noise goes away when the temperature cools down. Anybody know where this is coming from? I've pulled apart my left vent, light switch, and instrument cluster, but still can't find it.

It ONLY happens when it gets hot in the car, e.g., when I go out to lunch after being parked at work. It sounds like a mouse or little bird being tortured behind my dash...every single rut or any eneven surface will start the chirping. It's not tied to the steering wheel, and I recently had the steering column replaced, but the chirping is still there.

I've taken it to the dealership, my SA has acknowledged the sound, but says that the shop foreman couldn't replicate it. Somebody HELP ME PLEASE! The noise is driving me insane!!!!

[xG35c]

I may have the same squeek, seems like it coming from one of the instruments - if I push down on the top of the binnacle it STOPS.
Dealer spent a "day" tracking to down and failed...

[StockE90]

Hmm. Might be, but I can't stop mine by pressing down on anything. It's definitely coming from "inside" the dash.

[StockE90]

Good God somebody help me with this. When I drive on the freeway, it's insane. "chirp chipchirpchirp chirp chirp chirpchirp."

I've stripped off the left side aluminum trim, light switch, instrument cluster, and lower kick panel and drove it around like that, but I still can't identify the source. Took it to the dealership, they said it's coming from spring mount due to aftermarket springs, but I know it's inside the cabin.

I'm going crazy here...

[cstavaru]

I had a rattle coming from the glass that covers the instrument panel. It I pushed on the glass, it disappeared. Since a few months it disappeared entirely...strange.

[Noc57]

Frankly, with my experience with BMW I've just learned to live with the squeaks and rattles. It's part of the owner experience.

[fnckr]

Originally Posted by StockE90

Good God somebody help me with this. When I drive on the freeway, it's insane. "chirp chipchirpchirp chirp chirp chirpchirp."

I've stripped off the left side aluminum trim, light switch, instrument cluster, and lower kick panel and drove it around like that, but I still can't identify the source. Took it to the dealership, they said it's coming from spring mount due to aftermarket springs, but I know it's inside the cabin.

I'm going crazy here...

I totally feel your pain with this. Mine was tough to locate, but I finally isolated it. Do this and see if it stops. Jam your finger into the joint between the center console and the dash just to the right and left of ash tray. The dash and console seem to just touch and cause a chirp. Put some felt in there, or maybe stuff a bit of rubbery foam. See the red oval areas in the pic. Not my pic; stole it from another thread.

[johnnydad]

LOL - my car has the ghetto foam fix there.

Also had an intermittent creaky/clicky rattle from the dash. This was worst in hot, dry weather as the a/c cooled the cabin and once started, would continue the rest of the journey. It could be stopped momentarily by pressing firmly on the top of the instrument binnacle, the top of the iDrive arch or best by the piece of dashtop trim between those two arches.

Replacement of the iDrive screen didn't help, fiddling with the screws holding the binnacles and screen sort of seemed to briefly. On the subsequent visit, they apparently removed the instruments and iDrive screen and tightened up various screws behind the dash - no guarantees they said. Anyway, so far, it is all gone. Very happy indeed.

Remains to be seen if it has also fixed the a-pillar click that happens for 5 minutes every fortnight during summer...

[chromisdesigns]

For the OP == check your hood latches. If one is busted or loose, you will get exactly this noise! Happened to me, was driving me crazy, and believe it or not, the valet attendant at the dealership nailed it. He was getting ready to take the car into the shop (for HPFP replacment) and said "Is your hood loose?". Then he walked over and pressed on one corner, and damned if he hadn't found the squeek! One of the hood latches was broken.

[youry]

I press the 12V lighter socket and the squeak stops

[Alan l.]

Something worth mentioning.....a few weeks ago i hit a nasty pothole that bent two wheels on the passenger side. After that incident i had a LOUD squeak coming from the dash everytime i hit a sharp bump that drove me insane. it was very loud and sounded as if the passenger seat was loose etc... turns out if you open up the glove box the fuse box was touching something behind the dash causing the noise. I was able to bang on the bottom of my glove box to replicate the noise and stuff a piece of foam inbetween that area for my fix.

Now i'm having a weird rattle from the front of the dash area on certain days. started happening out of nowhere and comes and goes. Almost sounds as if its coming from where the windshield meets the dash.

50K car with 4K miles that rattles like a 80's civic. Nice....

Alan

[MusclezMarinara]

Originally Posted by xG35c

I may have the same squeek, seems like it coming from one of the instruments - if I push down on the top of the binnacle it STOPS.
Dealer spent a "day" tracking to down and failed...

i have one like that i keep smacking the dash

[MrDummy]

I have SAME noises, WITH a rearview mirror that moves with the slightest breeze from the A/C as well.

[StockE90]

AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!! With the warmer temps in So Cal now, this is driving me insane!

I've pulled out the entire instrument cluster, driver's side and center trim, headlight switch, and lower kick panel, and I've driven it around but I still hear the chirp. It sounds like two plastic or metal piece rubbing. Every little rut and groove in the road will set it off. Sometimes when my engine is idling rougher with the AC on it will set it off.

Somebody help me! It's not the hood, not the instrument panel plastic, not the trim, could it be in the steering column when the dealership replaced it?

[Seminole]

Originally Posted by StockE90

AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!! With the warmer temps in So Cal now, this is driving me insane!

I've pulled out the entire instrument cluster, driver's side and center trim, headlight switch, and lower kick panel, and I've driven it around but I still hear the chirp. It sounds like two plastic or metal piece rubbing. Every little rut and groove in the road will set it off. Sometimes when my engine is idling rougher with the AC on it will set it off.

Somebody help me! It's not the hood, not the instrument panel plastic, not the trim, could it be in the steering column when the dealership replaced it?

Did you try the bottom of the radio controls? Just in front of the ashtray area where the center console and dash come together (see post above for picture) is a notorious rattle area. I took some foam mattress padding and rolled it into a nice long piece and wedged it in the gap and it stopped a rattle I had in there. While you are driving wedge your fingers into that gap and see if the sound stops.

[StockE90]

Originally Posted by Seminole

Did you try the bottom of the radio controls? Just in front of the ashtray area where the center console and dash come together (see post above for picture) is a notorious rattle area. I took some foam mattress padding and rolled it into a nice long piece and wedged it in the gap and it stopped a rattle I had in there. While you are driving wedge your fingers into that gap and see if the sound stops.

I did, but unfortunately that's not it. The noise is coming from almost directly in front of me when driving. I'm guessing now that something is loose in the steering column or it's the A/C chambers behind the dash.

Also removed the A-pillar airbag trim, but not there either.

This sucks. Since the dealership is claiming it's the aftermarket springs on the perch, I'm going to need to pay to have my stock sport springs put back in before my CPO warranty runs out. Probably not even covered by the CPO warranty.

[oilfighter]

It's possible that they didn't screw in some bracket correctly, that's what happen to my car, and when it gets hot, the squeak drives me nuts. Fortunately my squeak was coming from the passenger side, so they pulled the glove box and had someone poke around inside while driving, and was able to locate the problem.

I say take your car in and replicate the situation, and hope for the best.

[graves4r6]

It makes me think to go back to Jap cars- Japanese cars are bang for your buck and hasle free-

[fdriller9]

Are you sure it's not your AC blower? They're known to get water in them and cause squeaking/eventually fail. The seal on the lower part of the windshield lifts and allows water to leak through.

[bimmernoob]

Originally Posted by graves4r6

It makes me think to go back to Jap cars- Japanese cars are bang for your buck and hasle free-

I agree that the Japanese car are a good bang for the buck and hassle free, but... when it comes to rattles it doesn't matter. I have always own Japanese prior to my e90 and they all have rattles.

I think it's all a matter of road condition and the stiffness of the car. Especially with stiffer suspensions and lower profile tires, it's just going to add more stress to the car. I have just come to except the rattle as part of ownership for a sportier car...

[Nedim]

I have the same issue. I also have another rattle coming from the glove box..

[ska///235i]

Could be a number of things
Take out the cabin air filter and check any loose parts inside the vents
Check under the steering wheel area where your dead pedal is located....its actually right above the dead pedal. You' ll see some plastic parts, check there