335i serious vibration issues at M-Way speeds

335i serious vibration issues at M-Way speeds

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Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Hi all, wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of what's wrong with my car.

Car is a 2007 335i E92. When driving at 70mph the car will start to shake slightly, then get progressively worse the longer I drive. Up to the point where I can't see anything behind me due to the rear view mirror shaking so much. The vibration seems to be coming from the rear of the car. It's not a wheel balancing issue.

It has a warranty but the local stealership doesn't really have a clue what's wrong with it.

The car was throwing a low pressure fuel sensor warning, so they changed that out but it didn't seem to make any difference. I am now inclined to think that it might be the prop shaft or rear driveshafts.

Both rear driveshafts boots are worn, so it might be ingress into that which is causing it. But it's strange that it's only at high speeds. Driving at speeds under 50mph it feels fine.

Anyone else had this issue? Just looking for something to point them in the right direction.

bmwmike

6,955 posts

109 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Does the vibraton start more with the steering wheel or the front seats... seats is usually the rear wheels whilst steering wheel tends to be front wheels.

Missing prop bolt would probably be apparent all the time. Donut/Guibo worn?

I'd be checking rear wheel balance too unless you have done that already.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Another possible to add to the list is tyres out of shape. Have you tried swapping front to rear? (I take it they are not staggered)

Edit: Ah - I see you have a coupe so probably staggered. Still - are the tyres in good shape?

XMT

3,801 posts

148 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Few things to check that could be causing your issue but the fact you say it gets worse the longer you driver suggests brakes related or tyres.

General things to check:
Tyre pressure - please make sure they are correct!
No vibrations are 50mph, plenty at 70, what about above this, if it reduces then could be a buckled wheel or balancing issue (lost a weight)

Specific things to check, go for a 5-10 mile drive, make sure you brake quite a few times coming off a motorway etc
Get out and feel the heat coming off the disks.

I have a 2011 335i, and I could swear I was feeling vibrations in general in the rear, when I lightly touched the pedal it would go, was rear caliper sticking. Knew it was that straight away as I recently had it on another car.

Outside of that, it will be tyres, wheel balancing, or kinked/bucked wheel.

Its just a process of elimination

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
With regards to the tyres, usually they are staggered, but I have winters on at the moment which are the same all round. I feel the vibration through the seats so I know it's coming from the rear. The tyres were checked last Friday by my local stealership. It's now booked for a check on Thursday.

Another thing to note, as I mentioned before the vibration does not start at 50mph, but 70mph. But when it starts at 70mph and gets progressively worse, after I slow down again even without touching the brake, the vibration will get louder the slower I go until I come to a stop. Then it disappears again until I accelerate up to 70mph again.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Begs the obvious question - have you swapped them off for your summer set in order to eliminate the wheels as a possible cause?

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Begs the obvious question - have you swapped them off for your summer set in order to eliminate the wheels as a possible cause?
No, but I'm hoping it's the driveshafts, seeing as they wouldn't replace them under warranty due to perished seals, they would have to replace them if this was the cause.

I'll hopefully find out soon enough.

roofer

5,136 posts

212 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
quotequote all
Silverbullet767 said:
hornetrider said:
Begs the obvious question - have you swapped them off for your summer set in order to eliminate the wheels as a possible cause?
No, but I'm hoping it's the driveshafts, seeing as they wouldn't replace them under warranty due to perished seals, they would have to replace them if this was the cause.

I'll hopefully find out soon enough.
Not sure on that. Does it do it with the summer wheels? A driveshaft would centralise at speed, would expect some clonking at low speed.

apotts

254 posts

208 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
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Defective tyre.

Beware, it may soon fail!

helix402

7,879 posts

183 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
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Unlikely to be driveshafts, more likely a tyre or wheel problem.

Moose.

5,339 posts

242 months

Wednesday 15th February 2017
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Sounds like it could be a sticking rear brake. Next time it happens, pull over and feel all your wheels and you might find one that's much warmer than the others. Had this on the 125i last month.

Good luck!

JD

2,777 posts

229 months

Wednesday 15th February 2017
quotequote all
Moose. said:
Sounds like it could be a sticking rear brake. Next time it happens, pull over and feel all your wheels and you might find one that's much warmer than the others. Had this on the 125i last month.

Good luck!
Had this on my 335i Coupe.

Simple to find out as above you will have a warm wheel, when the car is parked give the brakes a really good hard prd at standstill and see if that makes the vibration worse.

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Wednesday 15th February 2017
quotequote all
JD said:
Moose. said:
Sounds like it could be a sticking rear brake. Next time it happens, pull over and feel all your wheels and you might find one that's much warmer than the others. Had this on the 125i last month.

Good luck!
Had this on my 335i Coupe.

Simple to find out as above you will have a warm wheel, when the car is parked give the brakes a really good hard prd at standstill and see if that makes the vibration worse.
I'll give that a go tonight. Thanks all.

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Wednesday 15th February 2017
quotequote all
And the winners are...

Moose. and JD! thumbup

After driving home my rear NS wheel was hot to the touch while my OS rear was cool.

Thanks all. This lets me point something out before it goes in tomorrow so the workshop aren't scratching their heads for hours.

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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Update: calliper corroded, should be £340 fitted but will be covered under warranty. Thanks all.

Moose.

5,339 posts

242 months

Friday 17th February 2017
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Nice one! Glad it'll be sorted. When it happened to my car, I didn't have a clue what it was. Luckily my local indy BMW garage diagnosed it over the phone and sorted it the next day smile

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
Just got another phone call, owing to the damage likely caused they will throw in the brake pads but they cant throw in the discs. Opted to replace them anyway as they offered parts only cost on the discs. No labour.

Generosity on a warranty, who'd a thunk it?! smile

XMT

3,801 posts

148 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
Silverbullet767 said:
And the winners are...

Moose. and JD! thumbup

After driving home my rear NS wheel was hot to the touch while my OS rear was cool.

Thanks all. This lets me point something out before it goes in tomorrow so the workshop aren't scratching their heads for hours.
I won frown
I said it first!

Silverbullet767

Original Poster:

10,714 posts

207 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
XMT said:
I won frown
I said it first!
My apologies, five internet pounds are on their way! thumbup

talksthetorque

10,815 posts

136 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
WHen was the last time your brake fluid was changed, I've heard theories the corrosion is caused by water being absorbed by the brake fluid ( the very reason that you change it every so often) - Had a sticky caliper on a 330Ci, which never had it's fluid changed in the six years we owned it.
Anecdotal personal experience + read same on the internet = FACT hehe