2011 328ix vibration

My first BMW new to me 2011 328i x drive I bought from BMW dealer 4 weeks ago with 6,000 mi. has a vibration that starts at 40 mph. It is most noticeable at 45mph, after 50 it starts to fade and ends at above 60-65. The dealer did force balance the tires, rotate and check for bent wheels last week.
The vibration is still there. A tech and a manager tell me they both have the same year and model and theirs vibrate also and its in the drive train and nothing can be done to correct it.
The X drive only. The BMW Rep told them the same thing.
What? Give me a break! The car should be smooth at any speed. Has anyone out there heard or have this problem also.
Any advice to solve this? Possible lemon law?

My 335 is perfectly smooth at all speeds (non-xdrive). I did once have a vibration issue with an MDX though. Tried new wheels, new tires, countless force balances, etc. Nothing worked. It was a new car, so all suspension and steering parts were perfect, so that ruled out something like a worn control arm bushing. Next step was to investigate possible drive train issues, but I didn't feel like dealing with the hassle, so I sold the car.

Does the vibration happen all the time?

I have the same car and I notice that the tires have a tendency to get a minor flat spot when sitting especially when the weather is cooler. I can feel a very slight vibration driving around town. However it goes away after about 15 -20 minutes once the tire warms up. Other than this issue the car rides smooth as glass. I have ~16k on my car.

BB

Originally Posted by ddubreck

My first BMW new to me 2011 328i x drive I bought from BMW dealer 4 weeks ago with 6,000 mi. has a vibration that starts at 40 mph. It is most noticeable at 45mph, after 50 it starts to fade and ends at above 60-65. The dealer did force balance the tires, rotate and check for bent wheels last week.
The vibration is still there. A tech and a manager tell me they both have the same year and model and theirs vibrate also and its in the drive train and nothing can be done to correct it.
The X drive only. The BMW Rep told them the same thing.
What? Give me a break! The car should be smooth at any speed. Has anyone out there heard or have this problem also.
Any advice to solve this? Possible lemon law?

Your dealer is fos. I have 33,000 miles on my 2011 and zero vibration at any speed.

Originally Posted by ddubreck

My first BMW new to me 2011 328i x drive I bought from BMW dealer 4 weeks ago with 6,000 mi. has a vibration that starts at 40 mph. It is most noticeable at 45mph, after 50 it starts to fade and ends at above 60-65. The dealer did force balance the tires, rotate and check for bent wheels last week.
The vibration is still there. A tech and a manager tell me they both have the same year and model and theirs vibrate also and its in the drive train and nothing can be done to correct it.
The X drive only. The BMW Rep told them the same thing.
What? Give me a break! The car should be smooth at any speed. Has anyone out there heard or have this problem also.
Any advice to solve this? Possible lemon law?

>AHEM<

Which dealer is this?

I have a 2011 328 x drive with 17 k and I also notice a slight vibration through the drive train.

Originally Posted by Steveg203ct

I have a 2011 328 x drive with 17 k and I also notice a slight vibration through the drive train.

Did you try to get it resolved at a dealer?

I also have an 08 328xi (e92) and I dont feel the vibration often, but I think ive felt a slight vibration once or twice over the past few months. I dont see it a problem in my car and i think the dealer is FOS. at this point theres not much else u can do other than getting rid of the car and getting a new one or ignoring the issue.

I'm almost due for an oil change I'm going to ask them to look at it.

No vibration with mine. Tires do flat spot after sitting a while - goes away in five minutes. I would sit on dealer and have him fix it. Any BMW that has a "normal" vibration is not a normal BMW.

Angie

Originally Posted by zeeway

No vibration with mine. Tires do flat spot after sitting a while - goes away in five minutes. I would sit on dealer and have him fix it. Any BMW that has a "normal" vibration is not a normal BMW.

Angie

Are Conti Pro Contact run flat tires on your car?

Originally Posted by ddubreck

Are Conti Pro Contact run flat tires on your car?

Yep.

Angie

Originally Posted by zeeway

Yep.

Angie

No vibration what so ever at 45 mph?

Originally Posted by ddubreck

No vibration what so ever at 45 mph?

ddubreck,
If the dealer "force balanced" the tires (using the Hunter GSP 9700 machine), what were the individual tire "force" results? Ask them! I had the same issue on my car (Conti RFs). The machine will give a reading in "lbs force," and on sensitive cars 16 lbs force (1st radial harmonic) may be the limit requiring tire replacement.

BMW certainly has a standard for tire "radial force variation - RFV" that may cause ride disturbance, but I've been unable to find it. GM, Ford is about 16 lbs. max RFV. Tire RFV ride disturbance may be speed dependent, but the Hunter machine can detect the anomaly in the tire.

My advice: go back to the dealer and ask them just what the tire "RFV" limits are supposed to be and ask what they found before. If they don't give an adequate answer, go to another dealer and have the tires re-checked.

Wheel balancing is like cutting hair. Some people do it well some people don't. Have it rebalanced. You'd be surprised what can happen.

Originally Posted by ddubreck

No vibration what so ever at 45 mph?

Nope.

Angie

Thanks for the replies.

Like I said I was having vibration too. It was bad between 40 to 45 . Yesterday I took it in for an oil change and I told them to check it out.

They ended up balancing the tires which cost me 100.00. That solved the problem and it drives really smooth now. I'm at 19k and I'm really careful with potholes. I can't wait to Ditch these run flats. The ride is so rough and I'm tired of the punishing ride.

I hope your vibration is solved, the balancing didn't work for mine, 9,000 mi. now. It starts at 40mph and is worst at 45 and doesn't happen all the time. I thought mabey the cold temperature here in Rochester, NY while it was between 36- 40 degrees but yesterday it was 23 when I started out and it was smooth as silk. Stopped at a coffee shop for about 1 hour and the vibration was back when I left. ??? What the F---? Is it the tires or drive train Xdrive? Let me know if your vibration returns. You have Conti tires too?

So far so good and my vibration was really bad between 40 and 45. They gave me a 2011 328i x drive for a loaner with 10k and this car really drove very smooth. Then when I picked up my car it was also smooth again.

I have the conti's also, I can't wait to get rid of the run flats. The ride will be smoother and the car won't hit the bumps so hard.

I wasn't happy about dishing out the money for balancing so soon.

Good luck and keep me posted.

My 2011 335 X Drive is smooth at all speeds.
I would never accept "this is how it is" from the
Dealer.