550 Noise While Steering

Originally Posted by mpcajin

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. MINE IS A 545i, 2005. THE SAME NOISE HAS BEEN OCCURING FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. I HAVE TOLD MY SERVICE REP OF THE PROBLEM, BUT, THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE SOUND. MANY FRIENDS AND MY WIFE HAVE HEARD THE SOUND. IT ONLY OCCURS WHILE TURNING INTO A PRAKING STALL OR THE TURNING INTO THE GARAGE. IT SOUNDS LIKE METAL GRINDING ON METAL.

Exactly my problem, only when turning sharply into a parking space or on my L-shaped driveway into my garage at slow speed. I can even feel a slight vibration through the steering wheel when the noise occurs. I'm definitely going to report it to my SA on my next appointment since it appears to be getting louder than when it first started - obviously it's not getting better or going away.

By the way, Welcome to the Fest!

Could the problem be that during a low speed turn with your foot on the brake and the a/c on and the pwr steering pump working hard (hence turning into a spot) that the engine is dragging down to such a low rpm due to all the conditional loads (a/c, turning sharply, foot on the brake etc.) that the engine almost attempts to stall and the result is that the pwr steering pump squeals slightly and causes a sensation in the steering wheel itself due to momentary loss of hydro pressure. The computer/ecu/dme (whatever you want to call it) corrects the low idle in time to not let the engine stall but the result is the squeal/thump in steering wheel?
Just a thought
TJ

have the same problem with my 07 550... sounds like something weird is rubbing. couldn't reproduce at the dealer- of course

one week old 2008 535 w/ active steering. i heard a similarly mechanical noise upon a sharp left turn into a parking space today. not a good sign.

You can add me to the list. I've got this symptom, and don't have AS.

Wow, I've had this with my '06 550i. Same description: it occurs when turning sharply, driving slowly, often when parking. Happens only occasionally so I haven't talked to my CA. But it appears we all have a common problem.

Now lets see if we can find out how to reproduce it. Remember, as the Terminator said "if it bleeds we can kill it"!

I have an 04 545i and get the exact same thing. Since I park in a parking garage I get it every single day. It happens while turning either way and has to do with low speed sharp turns. I thought it was the AS turning on and off. I can hear it, I can feel it with my feet in the floor and I can feel a slight bump in the steering wheel. It probably happens to me 10 times a day between the parking garage and coming home to park in the garage. It is always at low speed.

I don't have A/S - my 08 with about 4K miles on the odo has made a medium pitched moaning sound twice on a sharp left turn into a space.

i have the same problem too. i took the car to the bmw dealership but they could not reproduce it of course.

One interesting observation I've made on this problem - it never happens in warm or hot weather, just in cooler weather in the spring/fall, never in the summer. I haven't heard this noise since May, drove all summer long and now in the cooler October weather, its back. Definitely temperature sensitive whatever it is. If anyone ever finds a resolution, please post! It's no biggie, I'm just curious.

Well mine finally got so annoying that I took it in. Everyone could feel it while driving the car. They replaced the lower steering column and the problem is totally fixed. I HIGHLY suggest anyone with this problem insist on getting it fixed prior to the end of your warranty.

has anyone else found a fix for this? I too have the identical problem. Rotors and pad's replaced, no fix. Shop foreman has duplicated sound, quite a few times, thinking power steering somthing but doesn't think the lower steering column fixes. Field service tech's are out today looking at car.

so far, they've replaced my front brake rotors and pads, steering pump, and steering fluid resorvoir - NOISE IS STILL THERE. they have a new rack-and-pinion on order from Germany. something tells me this isn't going to help either.

anyone else have a cure for this problem?

Originally Posted by BobFV1

I don't have A/S - my 08 with about 4K miles on the odo has made a medium pitched moaning sound twice on a sharp left turn into a space.

Same identical car - same identical circumstances. This is exactly it. I thought is was the brake pads on the rotors but after reading about other possible causes on here I don't think that's it.

it could possibly be the thrust bushing on the lower control arm #11

I think our koni bilstein eibach H&R suspensions are wearing those out, mine has the same symptoms as you guys describe and its been doing it alot since the temp has been 50 or below, yet the 2002 530 Im selling has no such issue?

I've seen posts regarding temperature being colder, but I'm in South Florida, so doesn't apply. One thing both the shop foreman and I both noticed is that it happens more often with longer drives. short skips and hops don't usually generate it. it does seem though that many of have a very specific, and identical issue. we've all been to the shops, and they invariably would have tried different things, and have opened a PUMA case. At this point, doesn't look like they have a fix yet!

Originally Posted by 525iEnjoy

it could possibly be the thrust bushing on the lower control arm #11

Or the microfilters!!

ok - update. as of this morning, they've replace all of the above posted items, plus the Active Roll Bar. Noise still present, and appears to be more consistent now. very strange. they will look at steering shaft today, after reinstalling old roll bar. I'm getting exhausted.

safe to assume that everyone with this problem has gotten it fixed or resolved? If so, what was the final cure?

I have the 'clunk' sound on my 04 545, not the other sound also being discussed here. I have had my dealer look at it 4 times and each time the claim to do something but it never fixes it. Drives me nuts.

Originally Posted by wassy

safe to assume that everyone with this problem has gotten it fixed or resolved? If so, what was the final cure?

Nope, no resolution. My dealer can't reproduce it and I just got the infamous "Wooow" sound while turning right into a parking space. It must be something simple as the brake pads or something since I've observed that every time this happens, it's under moderate braking while turning slow speed left or right into a parking space or mostly, my driveway/garage. If you ever figure it out, please post, thanks!

Originally Posted by MSAMMY

Nope, no resolution. My dealer can't reproduce it and I just got the infamous "Wooow" sound while turning right into a parking space. It must be something simple as the brake pads or something since I've observed that every time this happens, it's under moderate braking while turning slow speed left or right into a parking space or mostly, my driveway/garage. If you ever figure it out, please post, thanks!

We're gonna try.. slated for 1st or 2nd week to bring car back, and FSE will spend entire day with shop making additional attempts. I have to respect the position the auto industry is in right now, BMW included, and recognize that they can't just throw thousands of dollars of parts into something that everyone is clueless on. They do want to fix whatever ails this in the few cases on the whole.

I've looked in detail at the suspension drawings.. I think we all agree the the best way to describe this is a "whooo-ing" sound.. lasts about a second or two, or about 5 driving feet. sounds like coming from driver front, but passengers tell me also sounds like their side.. taking this in lamen's logical steps, I start with the fact that there is a load on the car, and with a load, the shocks or struts will move. could be a bad cylinder or rod in the shock? no one's looked at that as far as I can tell. could be a bushing of some sort, BUT dealer doesn't think so. Back to shocks - what if there are a few faulty or out of speck absorbers.. the glide rod is ever so slightly smaller than designed, and when the load on the car sets in, the glide rubs against the cylinder, making the whooshing noise? why only at slow speeds? because the strut moves slow enough to create either the compressed air escaping, or the rubbing noise.. at faster speeds, it's moving to fast to "Catch"...

well, that is my "hey, at least I came up with something, if not half baked!!!" attempt at the fix.. and again, from a mechanical lamen.. thanks for listening.

I'll join the fray. My 07 550i makes the noise too. And it doesn't matter whether I turn left or right. I would agree mine is more of a grinding sound or as if someone poured sand into the steering column. I was reading around here somewhere last night about this and somebody suggested the best case scenario is that the rack needs lube. Worst case is a new rack...

Originally Posted by shihwei

Hi everyone,
I have an '06 550, and while driving, I realized that when I make a suddent right turn at low speed (trying to turn into parking space etc.) I hear a high pitch squeak sound. Did a brief search, and didn't see this being discussed. Does anyone else have the same problem? Think I also had this problem with my '00 323i (but it was left turn on the 323)

I have a 2006 550 I have problems when u turning and pulling left turns sounds like a high pitch hum I was able
to duplicate it several times for the dealer they replace my rack and pinion power steering pump alternator checked the a frame all bushings replaced front and rear brakes the noise is still there we now are going. To replace the front left caliper and we already did the right I think that the calipers are not coming back kind of seizing up I got it to nappen when doing u turns in the left if you hear it in the right do your u turns that way around maybe 10 mph I can get it to happen alot they lubes the caliper pins and it went away for a day I am very activley working with hassel BMW as you read this car is going back in Monday it happens I real cold weather but sometimes when you move the wheel left to right alittle with slow speeds I can get it do it don't feel weird with the tech in the car just because you can't get it to make the sound right away it is a problem and I think they know about it keep trying any info could help us we don't know but this is sometimes very loud on turns with slight brake tap