Front Passenger Wheel Hum?

I've been noticing a hum or droning noise coming from the front passenger side. It very noticeable around 30-50mph. Any ideas? I should have mentioned this when I took my car to get the ASS reprogrammed.

Have you hit any potholes or storm drains? You may have a wheel bearing telling you it's shot. Passenger-side front is the most common bearing to fail on passenger cars in the US.

Here's a thread from the E90 forum in which someone described a similar noise, albeit on an E90. I replied with my experiences with a failing wheel bearing.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...807&highlight=

Check it out and see if the description from my posts in that thread sounds like what you're hearing.

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me as well. If you find a place out of the way you can swerve from side to side loading the bearing. It should be louder in one direction.

I also noticed a hum this weekend. First time on a the highway for more than 30mins and noticed the humming around 50mph. Car is only 2 weeks old and haven't hit any large potholes. yet.

There's certainly a chance it's just the tires wearing in, but as John added above, see if gently (AND SAFELY!!!) swerving from side to side makes it any louder.

I will also add that usually with a bad bearing you'll feel something in the steering wheel. Certainly not a violent vibration, but a subtle vibration that usually will be felt only when you hear the noise. On my E90, every rhythmic hum was accompanied by this ever-so-slight vibration.

I hope it's nothing! If in doubt, go have a technician at the dealership drive it ASAP.

I think I felt that slight vibration too.. I'm going to test it once more before I take it in. I have to schedule my ASS update as well.

I havent hit anything major. I already have 1300k miles on my car. Ill try the swerve test. I dont remember any vibration. If it is the wheel bearing, is it a major issue? I dont have time to take it to dealership till Saturday. Thanks!

Wheel bearing will be replaced under new car warranty. Should not be a problem... The only way they would give you a hard time is if it was obviously abused, which you haven't done.

Is that a common part that is in stock at the dealership or something that has to be ordered? How long would it take to replace it if they did have one in stock?

Unknown. My dealer had the front hub in stock for my E90 when it happened to me last year. I have no idea what kind of parts inventory dealers are typically carrying for F30's.

Anecdotally, since posting my experiences last year, I've received PMs from 4 different posters here and on E90post asking about my repair. I'd say this is a more common problem in areas where the roads are less than perfect and you run the risk of consistently hitting potholes.

Don't let me pigeon-hole you into believing that your problem is without doubt a bad bearing... There are other things it could be. But anytime someone says they hear a 'hum' from the front end I automatically think wheel bearing.

50mph swerve test yielded no results. I dont know how severe I have to swerve but it was quite fun. The sound did not change. Ill have the dealership check it out sometime this week.

Good thing the sound is consistent and the technician heard it. I will update later.

Its my differential...

Originally Posted by virus86

Its my differential...

Wow. Thanks for the update and at least this will be a nice fat warranty repair. Sorry for your luck, but in the long run this is a good thing to have happen so early. Let us know once the repair is complete.

Are there any specific questions I should ask my dealer before they chop up my car? i.e: Are you going to replace the whole differential assembly or a part of it? etc

Originally Posted by virus86

Are there any specific questions I should ask my dealer before they chop up my car? i.e: Are you going to replace the whole differential assembly or a part of it? etc

My only advice is this: if you don't trust your dealer's service department, go to another dealer. There won't be much wiggle room on this... they will replace parts until the problem reported by the customer is resolved. I'm going to *assume* that would mean a whole new diff, but the only person who really knows the answer to that is the accountant in Germany who came up with the parts and labor rates paid to the dealer for warranty work.

Certainly ask what's going on and how they propose to fix the issue, but overall I would trust my dealer unless I had a specific reason not to.

I realize I just gave a very vague and wishy-washy answer... i hope on some level that helps.

Differential changed and the hum is gone!

Originally Posted by virus86

Differential changed and the hum is gone!

Fantasic news!

Thanks for the update.

Originally Posted by virus86

Differential changed and the hum is gone!

Was the humming consistent at any speed? I seem to get my hum at around 50mph

Originally Posted by virus86

Differential changed and the hum is gone!

Excellent news. Now you can really enjoy your car!

Originally Posted by m3kidd

Was the humming consistent at any speed? I seem to get my hum at around 50mph

I heard the hum around 30-50mph.

Took my car in for the A.S.S. update and had them look at the hum as well. Just found out it is from a wheel hub. Part won't be delivered until Jan.