Z4M - Help with two issues please - popping noise and nav scrn

[Specter]

Guys - Thought you may shed some light on a few issues I have discovered lately. Needless to say it needs to go to the dealer but that's not going to happen for a few weeks at best...Here goes:

I have a muffled popping noise when going over bumps that seems to be coming from the front of the car from the middle to right (passenger) side. It seems something is loose and I never heard it in my previous '03 Z4, which I owned since new for four years. Looked today at where the strut tower braces are mounted and there is a tiny bit of paint missing around the bolt that secures the brace to the tower on the left (driver) side. Got under the car this weekend at the local oil change place and all looked good after removing the plastic panel underneath that runs from the air dam to the trans. After bringing my wife's car in they were cool enough to let me drive it into one of their bays and get undeneath. After checking a few things on the suspension we could find nothing loose. This also seems to be getting worse with time.

Second thing is the nav screen which seems to have a mind of its own. Sometimes works fine, sometimes not at at all, and occasionally opens half way. I often have to force it open then it acts like it came awake all of the sudden by moving down and back up. Not sure if there's a setting I am missing or if it can be reset somehow.

Any help / advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

[F360C]

Ok the issue of the popping noise might be one of three things... first it could be one of the strut bars that is loose. Next it could be one of the springs that is twisting and then popping back into place but I am not sure how or why this noise occurs. I have the spring popping noise but only when I am turning tight and slow but it doesn't happen all the time. Lastly and worst case scenario it could be a broken motor mount bolt. The noise that led me to check for my broken motor mount bolt was muffled grinding/popping noise coming from the front right of the car. The best way to check for this is to take off the passenger side wheel and look in behind the wheel well. I was able to clearly see the missing bolt... if it is a broken motor mount bolt then you are the first roadster to have this happen. The issue seems to only affect coupes so that leads me to think that it is one of first two things I described.

[iamwiz82]

I have the same pop as you describe, but it only occurs at first bump after the car has been sitting awhile. It feels like a really solid pop, too.

[Zuzax]

I had the same issue and it was that the two black strut braces from the firewall to the strut towers were loose.

Ron Stygar has posted the correct torque for those bolts - do a search and then torque them down properly and you will either 1) fix the problem; or 2) eliminate a possible source of the noise.

If you don't have a torque wrench, use this as a sign from God that you need to expand your tool collection.:thumbup: Just don't get a cheap torque wrench - you get what you pay for in this case.

[epbrown]

I'm also betting on the strut bars. My suggestion is also to buy a torque wrench, but when you're done could you send it to Spartanburg? From the frequency of loose bolt posts on Z4 forums, I'd say they could use one.

[Fast6]

but when you're done could you send it to Spartanburg? From the frequency of loose bolt posts on Z4 forums, I'd say they could use one.

:rofl:

Ditto on the strut brace bolts. Affected my car too.

[KevinC]

No doubt - strut bar bolts. Happened to me to, symptoms were identical. Very common.

[jambo]

mine too with previous owner, saw a thing on the history report - clunky noise, tightened strut bars

oh man my nav screen does EXACTLY the same thing! it is so annoying, but it only acts up like once every 10 or 15 starts, but then it's berserk for a few starts after that - either stuck down, stuck half way up, or tries to raise and gets half way then lowers itself again. need to turn key on and off a few times or start/stop engine to get it back to normal. it's been to the dealer twice now (once from previous owner, and once from me yesterday) and they keep saying they cant replicate it so they just went through and checked all the connections. if it does it again it's going straight back in for lucky number three!

[pvr]

The screen I had on my previous Z, and the only solution is replacement as it can not be fixed. I have heard of many members who had this issue and they have all been replaced.

It will get worse over time, so make sure you do get it replaced whilst under warranty as they are expensive to buy!

[Specter]

Yah this is getting old, and it does take a restart, or simply my right hand forcing the thing up. I met a tech and he said same thing - whole unit needs to be replaced. Too bad there is not a simpler remedy for this, as I do not want anyone tearing into the dash. It was an option I really did not want to begin with, but it came with the only black on black car I could find when I was in the market. I will take your advice and see if they can't replace it.

I have learned through my experiecnce with dealers and the service folks that you have to give them a specific thing to look for, otherwise you get the same old, "We could not get that to happen, replicate the problem" BS.

Thanks all for the help peeps - Specter

[iamwiz82]

Well I checked my strut brace bolts, all four were loose. It took an average of 2.5 turns to tighten each one back to spec. No popping on start now.

[nicoleinseattle]

Wow I had the same identical issues this past month. My vehicle is under warranty so they tightened the strut brace bars for me and replaced the entire Nav system for me.