[holee]

Well I got my four majorly bald tires replaced today, so I don't have to worry about my tires blowing out on me.

But this had no effect on removing the tapping noise I've been hearing for the past two months. When I took my car to Sterling BMW, the techs there said that the dangerously-thin tires were what was causing it, but alas that doesn't seem to be so.

The noise sounds like a quiet tapping on metal noise. It's very fait so I can't hear it when I'm driving fast. But it's almost always there. I can't seem to make it go slower or faster. It's a low, almost constant tapping.

I'm thinking it might be some sort of metal fatigue or something, because it KIND of sounds like the noise you hear after you've driven your car for a while on a hot day and then pull over and stop.

The noise is coming from the back of the car, I think behind the driver's side and possibly below the car. Anyone have any guesses on this? I'm goign to get the alignment fixed tomorrow and hopefully that might fix it, but otherwise, I can't spot anything that might be causing the tapping noise.

 

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Well...
I'd say that it's time to take it back to the dealers. It sounds like they heard it last time. Now that your car is safe to drive, get them to look it over again.

 

[nate]

I hope it's not another torn final drive carrier

 

[xmas63]

Maybe there's someone in your trunk...

 

[dredmo]

Maybe there's someone in your trunk...

yeah maybe....

reminds me of that urban legend where the hook dude leaves his arm or whatever on the door handel. I forget the chain of events but now he has no more hook.

 

[holee]

I haven't killed anyone this week so that can't be it.

After driving around for half an hour I think I made a mistake. The noise is coming from FRONT of me. Possibly around the left tire or near the axle.

The tapping is also most noticeable between 20-40mph. Any higher or lower it doesn't seem to exist.

Also the tapping always occurs in a pattern. So it's not jus tone tap, it'll be two-four taps in a row.

Anyway, I'm off to the dealership tomorrow to see if they might have a better idea...

 

[holee]

Oh, I also tried going downhill in neutral and the tapping was still there. So I don't think it's the engine or transmission.