[Tee-Dub]

My 330 is just under 55k miles and the front suspension is creaking/squeaking over speed bumps. Is it normal for the bushings/struts to be gone this soon? Both my 540s, which were much heavier, made it to 100k on original suspension.

Could it just be the cold weather making the bushings squeak?

[TexAg06]

Originally Posted by Tee-Dub

My 330 is just under 55k miles and the front suspension is creaking/squeaking over speed bumps. Is it normal for the bushings/struts to be gone this soon? Both my 540s, which were much heavier, made it to 100k on original suspension.

Could it just be the cold weather making the bushings squeak?

I have 46K on my 335i. I am having this same problem. It mainly occurs when it's sub-50 degrees. Anybody else experienced this?

[BMW's Only]

I have 44k on my e92 328i and I recently got my front bushings replaced for this exact reason.

I am also curious to see if this is normal..

[JM3]

I have found that if you lubricate the sway bar bushings (front and rear), that a lot of the squeeks go away. You physically have to disassemble them. The front is E-A-S-Y, the rear is a pain.

Use synthetic grease.

Jay from ground Control

[ver.e90]

there were three attempts at rectifying the creaking suspension in my car:

1: remove sway bar bushings and lubricate, then replace. Result: sound went away for a week, then came back.

2: replace sway bar bushings. Result: sound is still there.

3: replace sway bar links: Result: sound is still there.

What blows my mind is when the techs test drive the car after the work is done, they always say they don't hear a thing. The minute i drive the car home and go over speed bumps on my road, the noise is there.

Next attempt is in two weeks. My SA is setting up a time where a shop foreman is going for a test drive with me.

Funny thing is when i drive the car under wet conditions, the creaky sound is very prominent. However, after driving in dry weather for the next three-four days, the sound starts to dissipate until its gone. I'm dumbfounded...

Does anyone have any idea what the hell is causing this noise? Its only coming from the front passenger side. Has anyone had this creaking noise fixed??? I have a feeling it has something to do with the actual shock absorber.

[Hoog_23]

I replaced the rear shocks on my old 330 e90 @ 55k miles and it made a world of difference. Dealer told me before hand that the fronts are good for 90k. Its not a bad diy and I bought someone's low mileage take offs on the forum here.

I thought my front end was shot too but the new rear shocks really tightened things up. I think the cold weather really makes the bushings turn into rocks.

[dannomorris]

Originally Posted by simmi

there were three attempts at rectifying the creaking suspension in my car:

1: remove sway bar bushings and lubricate, then replace. Result: sound went away for a week, then came back.

2: replace sway bar bushings. Result: sound is still there.

3: replace sway bar links: Result: sound is still there.

What blows my mind is when the techs test drive the car after the work is done, they always say they don't hear a thing. The minute I drive the car home and go over speed bumps on my road, the noise is there.

Next attempt is in two weeks. My SA is setting up a time where a shop foreman is going for a test drive with me.

Funny thing is when I drive the car under wet conditions, the creaky sound is very prominent. However, after driving in dry weather for the next three-four days, the sound starts to dissipate until its gone. I'm dumbfounded...

Does anyone have any idea what the hell is causing this noise? Its only coming from the front passenger side. Has anyone had this creaking noise fixed??? I have a feeling it has something to do with the actual shock absorber.

I wish I knew the answer too, my Msport Touring has suffered this since it was about 2 years old, its now just gone out of warranty and they are still on the case, its had 3 sets of anti roll bar bushes replaced (sway bar) and the last set were apparently a modified set.

Each time I collect it they claim its fixed, but first speed hump or uneven road and its still evident. Last time they even lied about test driving it as I left a tell tale in the car to see if they moved it, and they didn't!!.

Not happy, went back in yesterday and ended up £330 worse off due to a service being required, but still got a creaky car. They are contacting BMW technical but reckoned they will have to wait till the BMW tech visits and this is every 3 months. Not a massive issue but embarrassing when I drive to golf or am out and about with mates and frustrating as its the family car so every time I have to drop it off on the way to the Station I have to squeeze two baby seats and a buggy into my Mini Cooper S so the wife can get about, no mean feat especially when its -2c and snowing!!! (and I slipped over yesterday and landed on the car seat, OUCH!!).

If I do get it fixed I'll post up the issue, at least I've finally got them to focus on it. I guess if it was my daily driver I'd have focused on it sooner though

Danno

[ver.e90]

UPDATE: So, the last thing my SA decided to do in order to attempt to resolve the creaking noise in the front end was replacing the two front struts. Well, so far I haven't heard much of anything. However, the true test will be when i'm driving in the rain. For some reason, when the car is being driven when its wet out, the dreaded creaking noise comes back. I'll let all of you guys who have the same problem know if the sound is gone for good.....

[Flagler ///M135]

I'm curious to see if the problem went away

[ver.e90]

okay, so after driving my car with the newly replaced front struts in the rain, i'm glad to say that the creaking noise is gone.

so, if anyone has the same front-end creaking noise when going over speed bumps and is annoying enough that you want to repair it, let your SA know it could be the front struts.

[lucas.kent]

I've got a similar squeaking and I'm taking it in for service tomorrow. I only have about two weeks left on my warranty, so I hope they fix it right the first time!

[MikeLogan]

I noticed a similar problem on my E92 during all the cold weather/snow/salt, etc.. Brakes especially. A good car wash and a few rains later, back to normal.

Originally Posted by lkw15

I've got a similar squeaking and I'm taking it in for service tomorrow. I only have about two weeks left on my warranty, so I hope they fix it right the first time!

Hi neighbor

[ver.e90]

Unfortunately, after driving in the rain again, the dreaded creaking noise in the front right side came back. I don't understand what the #$% the noise is, and its really annoying me b/c no one can figure it out. The best way I can describe the noise is it sounds like a creaky old mattress. did anyone else who had this problem get it fixed successfully?

[fdriller9]

No squeaking here. I have a 330 as well, just under 52k.

[spdy330]

No squeaking on mine so far, 44k.

[BKV122]

This would always happen to me in my 330 when it was cold out. At work as I leave the parkin lot there's a speed bump and it would always creak. Once it got warmed up it wouldn't creak any more. Right now with the 60 degrees out I get no creaking. Wait till the weather gets warmer out to figure it out.

[aboji]

my front susp. is begining to creak. I never had this problem until I got my springs installed. wtf.

[lucas.kent]

They told me that the brake pad sensor was causing the squeaking my 330. They replaced it and haven't heard a peep.

[ver.e90]

we're talking about creaking- like an old floor that creaks. not squeak, like a squeaking brake.

[lonestar22]

my e90 squeaks more than my e30. especially after its sat in rain for a few hours.

[bmrcfreak]

I happened to notice a very faint creak in my front end when going over a speed bump the other day. Was rainy, ~55°F. My 330i has about 60k on it. I highly suspect a control arm bushing after having a very similar experience in my e46. Luckily they're relatively cheap and looks like an easy DIY...maybe I'd even upgrade to M3 style if they'd fit...gotta do a little more research plus the problem doesn't seem too bad at the moment.

If anyone gets crazy and decides to replace their control arms to fix their creak, please post your results!

Just for a reference, sounds like this:

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[jamin325i]

just did my control arms and new bushings on my '94.
this allows more stress on my other factory components,
now 16 years old.

what was a rare creak in right front when weather got
down to freezing is now more prevalent then before the work.
a little more testing tells me it is steering related as
it occurs when turning the steering wheel.

the other components related to steering are the tie rods balls,
and the top of the strut assembly. next i will test my original
tierods, and if ok, focus on my original strut mounts which
incorporate bearings. the top of the strut rotates with steering
and i suspect is likely source of creaking. while i have fairly new
bilsten struts i did not replace the mounts.
while i think of old rubber mounts as clunking more than
creaking, the location of points me toward this noise source.

don't expect an update, as i can live with this cold weather
noise as old cars have them.