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noise from front doors / front pillars

5K views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  kanar200 
#1 ·
Hi,

Do you hear any kind of noise from the front doors / front pillars in your X5s? It is like crack of upholstery (not sure whether it is good English description).

I noticed the noise around 4k miles, I heard that mostly only when going through bumpers. Now I have 8k miles and the noise is more intense / annoying and I hear it more frequently.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
There have been several reports of weld issues on some of the earlier X5's which resulted in a popping/creaking sound in the door pillars. Do some searching on here and you'll find multiple posts. If this is the issue you have, you may have to lemon your vehicle since there is no fix at this time.
 
#3 ·
#5 ·
Personally, I have no idea. I just remember reading about this and posted the links. There's definitely something to this as BMW took the car back no questions asked.

FWIW, the issue seems to be fixed now. My 2012 X5 has no creaks/rattles (yet).
 
#6 ·
Thanks Matt, I have seen these posts. I watched a move recorded by the owner of such X5 - the noise coming from the weld sounds different for me. Therefore, I thought that it is just upholstery problem and maybe somebody experienced that.

I have another 3k miles to the first service (in my standards 2-4 months). I am trying to avoid trips to the dealership as much as possible :)
 
#7 ·
Thanks Matt, I have seen these posts. I watched a move recorded by the owner of such X5 - the noise coming from the weld sounds different for me. Therefore, I thought that it is just upholstery problem and maybe somebody experienced that.

I have another 3k miles to the first service (in my standards 2-4 months). I am trying to avoid trips to the dealership as much as possible :)
Frankly, if you think there is even an outside chance of a weld issue, I wouldn't wait. You don't want to find out you've got a weld failure for the first time when you're driving along at 70mph on the freeway :)

When you take it in, make sure you explicitly state you're concerned about the reported weld issue online. Print the pages from these forums. Make them confirm in writing (on the service report) that the welds were inspected and there is no issue - that way, if anything does go wrong, they have opened themselves up to the lawsuit from hell.
 
#9 ·
Chillax.

BMWs are notorious for the rubber weatherstrip in the door seals causing 'crackly' noises... there are 'dressings' (like Gummipfledge) that will fix the problem. People have been driven to distraction by this, only to spray on some stuff and Wa La, gone.

Just saying, worth checking it out...

Or lemon it. :) (Couldn't resist.)

A
 
#10 · (Edited)
Chillax.

BMWs are notorious for the rubber weatherstrip in the door seals causing 'crackly' noises... there are 'dressings' (like Gummipfledge) that will fix the problem. People have been driven to distraction by this, only to spray on some stuff and Wa La, gone.

Just saying, worth checking it out...

Or lemon it. :) (Couldn't resist.)

A
I had the same creaking sound from left front passenger door . . . it is indeed the weather strip . . . the felt material that sits between the top of the door frame and the body . . . *not* the felt strip against which the glass seals.

BMW actually has a service bulletin to address this issue . . . good news is it works (mine hasn't creaked for over a year, currently 24K miles on the odometer) . . . they placed a clear teflon tape on the painted body surface against which the felt strip on the door frame seals.

I am currently traveling outside the country . . . I can post a copy of the service report when I get back home - first week Jan. 2012.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Thanks for all info. I think that it could be the weather strip you mentioned. Last two weekends I spent in Tahoe area. Obviously it was colder than in the Bay Area and the noise was more annoying (the rubber less flexible?).

I will be travelling until the end of the year; I will bring the car in Jan to dealership.

Lemon probably not this time, would prefer after in ca. 2 years :)
 
#12 · (Edited)
A quick check . . . take a clean wet rag and wipe that felt material on *top* of the door frame. You may have to step on to the running board to see this felt strip. Also wipe down the painted area on the car frame against which this felt strip seals. If the creaking sound decreases (or disappears), you know for sure that is your problem.

The wipe method is very temporary . . . you will need that teflon strip installed.

My suggestion - do not use any chemicals on this felt strip until you have had a chance to install the teflon tape . . . what you don't want is for the felt strip to be altered by any lubricants and then the teflon solution is no longer effective.

Yes, in my case weather has an impact on how much it creaks . . . both the temperature and the humidity . . . recalling from memory, on humid days the noise was less.

PS: To repeat, the felt strip I am referring to here is *not* the one against which the top of the glass seals (this has a vertical orientation) . . . the one I am referring to is on top of the door frame and has a horizontal orientation.
 
#13 ·
My X5 and my 335 are both rattle traps. Just get use to it.
 
#20 ·
Hi,

BMW had two attempts to fix the popping/creaking sound in the door pillars. They applied teflon tape - no improvement. The second time they changed the door seals - helped for a few miles... there is again the amusing noise...

http://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/lemon

"During the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, the "Lemon Law" presumes that a manufacturer has had a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle if either (...) (2) The same problem has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer or its agents and the buyer has at least once directly notified the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the problem as provided in the warranty or owner's manual (...)"

Question: I understand it is not enough to bring the car to dealership, I have to notify the manufacturer / BMWNA about the defect. Does it matter whether the notification is done before bringing the car for the third (or fourth) service to the dealer?

The lemon law is pretty new legislation for me. What is the difference between SONG-BEVERLY WARRANTY RIGHTS where "The law applies for the entire period of your warranty" and lemon law applies "to these problems if they arise during the first 18 months after the consumer received delivery of the vehicle or within the first 18,000 miles on the odometer, whichever occurs first"?

thanks

kanar
 
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