[turnsignalslol]

Hi y’all,

I’ve noticed that my car has a very slight rattling sound whenever I am going downhill or accelerating uphill or relatively slowly. I tried to record it but the mic on my phone wasn’t able to pick it up. It doesn’t happen while idling so I can’t just record the car while it’s parked either.

The noise is so faint that I’ve eliminated some catastrophic issue like spun rod bearings/crank hub/rod knock as the causes. My main theory is that it’s either some interior trim piece vibrating and causing the noise, something in the engine bay hasn’t been fastened properly, or a pebble is in between a radiator and jumping around or something.

Anyone else have this issue? Can you offer some help?

Thanks guys! Most of my worries about this car have been kinda over the top/mainly paranoid but this sound just gives me a headache whenever I hear it.

[m2ss]

I hear ya, I'm OCD when it comes to this type of thing.

Luckily my car has none for now.

Let us know what you find...

[Humdizzle]

have someone sit with you while driving and press down on different interior panels to see if that gets it to go away. clean out your car and make sure nothing is loose in the glovebox. does the noise happen with just sitting there and revving? coasting? or just when the engine is under load?

a good indy shop should have a device like this they can use to isolate the noise:

https://www.amazon.com/STEELMAN-0660...000IHIAES?th=1

[Maynard]

Or, for a lot less, a mechanic's stethoscope: https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4491-Mech...e%2C174&sr=1-4

[Brandt51]

It's a known issue with a quick fix. Increase the stereo volume and the problem rattle goes away.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by Brandt51

It's a known issue with a quick fix. Increase the stereo volume and the problem rattle goes away.

Are you serious about it being a known issue?

[turnsignalslol]

Update:

I managed to narrow down when it happens, it starts when you are approaching 2k rpms and then dies out after that, I tried to record my engine bay while in neutral and revving the car to 2k gradually but that went about as well as expected (loud ass engine and loud ass injectors). The engine sound drowned everything out that I couldn't even hear the sound, even in the cabin lol.

Is this something I just have to live with? As long as the car is fine, I don't really care.

[KevinM]

First thing to do is clarify for yourself whether the rattle is an interior trim issue or from the motor/transmission. If the latter, bring it to your dealer ASAP. If the former, there are a few likely culprits which have been discussed on this forum. My concern is that your rattle seems to be dependent on RPMs.

GL!

[turnsignalslol]

I actually misjudged the rpm’s, it seems to start around 1500rpm and intensifies to around 2000 rpm. Still a very slight sound, I managed to get it in these two videos, but you need headphones and to listen very closely to hear it. It sounds metallic and seems to come from the front end of the car, on the drivers side. It’s most definitely not a trim piece, seems to be coming from somewhere in the engine bay.

Here are the links

https://youtube.com/shorts/bMh2vz3y_TA?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/uv8JEfi-Fd4?feature=share

Any ideas? Dealership is closed until like Tuesday because of Christmas but I can try to give them a call tomorrow morning.

[turnsignalslol]

I have to call the dealer about something else anyways (see this thread: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1977074) but I'll also ask if this rattling sound is somewhat common. Seems like a lot of F8x owners are experiencing this but it doesn't seem to have any issue on my car, just sounds annoying. No codes (no shadow codes either) either whereas wastegate rattle on the N54 would throw a CEL on the N54 (not so sure about the N55 which the S55 is based on)

[m2ss]

I assumed you were referring to an internal rattle, if in engine bay replicate for dealer tech and see what comes up.

I had a squeak in the rear somewhere and tech knew exactly what it was when I replicated it.

[Maynard]

mine has a mechanical buzz that only occurs under load from about 1750-2000rpm. Twice to dealer with no fix, but I wasn't being pushy - mainly wanted them to verify nothing obviously out of line. Next spring I'll get the indie shop that I relaly trust to figure out what it is - suspecting a piece of heat shield that is just a touch too close to the exhaust and picking up vibration. Might also be the exhaust valve or associated hardware - that is a known issue.

[Brandt51]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

Are you serious about it being a known issue?

Not serious at all. I go insane trying to track down erroneous noises, so good luck.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by Maynard

mine has a mechanical buzz that only occurs under load from about 1750-2000rpm. Twice to dealer with no fix, but I wasn't being pushy - mainly wanted them to verify nothing obviously out of line. Next spring I'll get the indie shop that I relaly trust to figure out what it is - suspecting a piece of heat shield that is just a touch too close to the exhaust and picking up vibration. Might also be the exhaust valve or associated hardware - that is a known issue.

Keep me updated! Seems we either have the same problem or something very similar...

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by m2ss

I assumed you were referring to an internal rattle, if in engine bay replicate for dealer tech and see what comes up.

I had a squeak in the rear somewhere and tech knew exactly what it was when I replicated it.

What did it end up being?

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

What did it end up being?

Sorry, it was on our 128i...something with the brake, it was a quick fix.

[jeff4598]

My car IS a rattle. From many locations, loud constant, worse in the cold. 15K miles. It's just part of the car. My daughters 2008 Honda has zero rattles.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by jeff4598

My car IS a rattle. From many locations, loud constant, worse in the cold. 15K miles. It's just part of the car. My daughters 2008 Honda has zero rattles.

Yeah I’ve just accepted it now as something the car has.

[sm2key]

Hi guys hope someone can help, when i rev the car to about whatever rpms, when the revs go down again at around 1800/1500 rpms it makes a very fast rattle vibration coming from under the car passenger side (LHD) any guesses?