[HydroStream6]

UPDATE! FIXED! See below.

Good morning,

I have a 2011 335i xdrive sedan. I noticed a slight creak/pop noise coming from the front driver's side of my vehicle a couple months back. It's not so bad that I think something is going to fall off, but it bothers the crap out of me and you can feel it in the floorboard of the car when it happens. It only seems to happen under the following situations.

1. quick left turn
2. coming to a harder than normal stop
3. taking off after a harder than normal stop
4. occasionally a speed bump
5. if you go around 35mph and slalom, it will pop every single time

I've had the car on a lift and nothing is loose. Tie rods, end links, everything is tight as a drum. I've wiggled, bounced, pushed, etc. Everything looks mint. I cannot find out what's causing this noise, and I have a hard time believe a strut mount, etc, would go with only 40k on the car.

I've read about the issues people have had with sway bar bushings. Mine appear to be in excellent condition, everything looks great. I suppose I will change these next if I can't find the cause. I've also replaced the tension rod bushings with poly units thinking that may have been causing it.

Any ideas??

Thanks!

[juld0zer]

Ball joints? Id start with the tie rod ends - check for play and stiction. Unusual for your low mileage but environmental factors can shorten life.

[HydroStream6]

Yea I've checked them all and they're all super tight. I can't imagine they would make that noise when they look as good as they do. Car is also in super nice shape, no winters, etc. This is why I'm boggled haha. Thank you for the reply.

[juld0zer]

How about the universal joints on the front prop shaft? Any excessive slop there? Some play is acceptable as it can be difficult to determine if it's the uni joint or the splined section causing the slop sometimes.

[HydroStream6]

I will have to check that. It's hard with the huge plastic under cover haha. I do have a vibration around 40-50mph as well. You can feel it in the floor and in the seats but not in the steering wheel.

[HydroStream6]

So I replaced the front sway bar bushings last night. I will say BMW made it a huge pain in the ass. The bushings are molded to the fsb. What could have been a ten minute job turned into a 90 minute job as I had to pull the fsb out of the car completely, cut off the bushings, grind the remaining rubber off with a wire wheel, then reinstall.

After all that, the noise remains. What seems odd however is that it SEEMS like my mysterious 40-50mph vibration is now gone. If it's not gone, it's greatly diminished. I'm wondering if by not allowing the fsb to move in the bushings, a slight misalignment may have sent a harmonic through the bar? Either way the vibration seems better or gone now.

Going to replace the upper strut mount next and see if that get's rid of my noise. If it doesn't, I'm out of ideas.

[HydroStream6]

IT'S FINALLY FIXED!

What a pain in the ass. In my quest to fix this noise/clunk, I've had the car on the lift and checked all components many times. I put a wrench on sub frame bolts, motor mounts, steering rack. I'v replaced strut mounts, sway bar bushings, end links, tension strut bushings. No change.

Then finally yesterday I decided to put a wrench on anything I could see. This is when I got a socket on the UPPER bolts on the motor mounts. One nut each side, I think it's a 16mm. The driver's side was not even finger tight!! And the passenger side was loose albeit not quite as bad. I lock tited them and put them back on and tight, no more clunk!!

What's strange is this car is in impeccable shape with no indication of any work ever being done. I believe these worked themselves loose. Anyways, hopefully this thread will same someone else the time, money and frustration. Weeeeeeeeeeee

[juld0zer]

We all love a happy ending! thanks for updating us!