Tensioners/Pulleys

I dropped my car at the dealer last night so they could do a cold start and hear the squeaking... they said they started it twice today but didn't hear it either time.

They are keeping it over the weekend to try again on Monday... if they can't hear it I don't get the issue resolved on warranty until they can... is this a game they are playing? I hear it every morning when I start it. I don't get how they aren't hearing it... and without me there I don't know either way.

Anyone else go thru this upon trying to get it fixed?

Sent from my DROIDX using BimmerApp

If not, you take it home, loosen the fan belt and spin the tensioner and idler pulleys. If one or both of them spin and sound like roller skate wheels, then take it back and tell them that the tensioner or idler pulley is bad.

They may not be playing a game; they just may have inexperienced mechanics, or it's honestly not making that sound when they start it up.

I has the same issue, and yes it was tension rollers/pulleys and dealer didn't hear anything as usually. I was pest off, took tape recorder to the garage in morning, record 3 minutes of squealing, burn audio CD-Rom using PC, and brought it to the service advisor. They gave me appointment and fix it under warranty.

Originally Posted by LX-biker

I has the same issue, and yes it was tension rollers/pulleys and dealer didn't hear anything as usually. I was pest off, took tape recorder to the garage in morning, record 3 minutes of squealing, burn audio CD-Rom using PC, and brought it to the service advisor. The gave me appointment and fix it under warranty.

It would have taken less time to fix them yourself!

Yes, but that time I was living in apartment and no repairs allowed in the underground garage, plus why pay for new car and do not use warranty? .. And I has unbelievable fun to open there hearing capabilities!

Apartments suck. period. I hope I never have to live in one ever again.

Yep! Bimmer=house+good garage.

Another thing to remember is that their garage is probably noisy while we have the luxury of listening to our cars when it's relatively quiet.

Depending on how many miles are on your car, I would also look at doing the belts. Since you're in there, why not do the cooling system overhaul? Oh yeah, and another thing...the list goes on and on...



Johnny

The car has 54k miles... I plan on the cooling system and belts will be done on next service... Thanks for the input all!

Resurrecting this old thread... my car has been making the dreaded pulley squeal again (off and on since last fall, ambient temperature dependent) but it's gotten worse recently... taking it back to the dealer tomorrow to drop it off so they can inspect and correct their error... since they replaced all pulleys in Nov '10. This is getting old.

Question for you all... why would any one (or more) of the pulleys be squealing/squeaking again so soon?? It's only been ~17k miles. It's starting to also whine at idle on hot days (80°F+), with the high pitched whistle that has been known to be the pulleys, exactly the same as this video:

This is getting frustrating... the dealer cannot get the car to make the noise long enough to diagnose with a scope... it will be there all weekend now... but I have a 335d to drive in the meantime, not bad... I told them when I dropped it off that it was making the noise in the video and to listen... apparently they didn't

Hope to god they have it figured out by Tuesday... the SA "thinks" he knows which pulley is doing it, but doesn't want to start throwing parts at it...

Eek. That sounds like something is dry. Are you sure it's the tensioner/idler pullies and not one of the accessory pullies?

They replaced all pulleys in November 2010... They are trying to pinpoint which one is bad again... They think it's the a/c pulley, but want to be sure.

Done, done and done... was the A/C Pulley... replaced and everything is quiet as it should be... car was only at the dealer a total of seven days... but enjoyed that 335d, the $38 in fuel for the 308 miles I drove it can't be beat... that was only about 1/2 a tank