Just picked up new x3 now I hear a horrible engine sound

smiller8810 · 03-06-2011, 08:43 PM

pICKED UP MY NEW X3 AND NOW I HEAR A HORRIBLE RATTLE IN THE ENGINE. I ALSO NOTICE ON MY IPHONE MUSIC ON PLAYBACK IT HICCUPS. ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO HELP!

Nahoa · 03-06-2011, 08:46 PM

Take it back to the dealer ASAP.

Lotus7 · 03-06-2011, 09:37 PM

I second Nahoa.

Stop driving it immediately. If the sound is really "HORRIBLE" I'd even be concerned about driving it back to the dealer. I'd phone them the minute they open on Monday and ask them to send someone to your home to evaluate the situation. Did you use the iDrive "Check Vehicle status" setting? If it sounds like metal to metal noises, you should probably have the car picked up on a flat bed transporter if you can. Call the place you bought it immediately.

Sorry - Your X3 experience is certainly not typical.

PLEASE do keep us informed about what they find.

mccun934 · 03-06-2011, 11:49 PM

I have my X3 going in on Wednesday to fix a few minor issues as well as an overly rattle filled idle that makes the car sound way outside what I would consider normal. This is my 4th inline 6 powered BMW and haven't heard this sound at idle before.

I'll see if I can get a video of it with sound tomorrow next time I run it. The car performs fine, plenty of power and only seems to make this sound at idle. At anything above 1K RPM it is gone and purring nicely.

MA78 · 03-07-2011, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiller8810

pICKED UP MY NEW X3 AND NOW I HEAR A HORRIBLE RATTLE IN THE ENGINE. I ALSO NOTICE ON MY IPHONE MUSIC ON PLAYBACK IT HICCUPS. ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO HELP!

Could you be a little more specific?

xDrive35i · 03-07-2011, 01:48 AM

Anyone experienced some unexpected engine revving below 3000 at idle just after a cold start? It's like a pulsating fluctuation between 900 and 1600, and one time it went to 3000 in park.

Lotus7 · 03-07-2011, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccun934

I have my X3 going in on Wednesday to fix a few minor issues as well as an overly rattle filled idle that makes the car sound way outside what I would consider normal. This is my 4th inline 6 powered BMW and haven't heard this sound at idle before.

I'll see if I can get a video of it with sound tomorrow next time I run it. The car performs fine, plenty of power and only seems to make this sound at idle. At anything above 1K RPM it is gone and purring nicely.

Direct injection engines like the N55 do typically make a very slight "ticking" sound at idle because of the high pressure injectors triggering for extremely short durations. It's very similar to the sound of slightly worn hydraulic valve lifters in an old American pushrod engine. I can hear this sound on mine with the hood opened, but not from the inside of the car with the windows closed. That "ticking" sound does disappear as the injector duration becomes longer as rpms increase and is also masked by other engine sounds at higher revs. (for me above about 1200 rpm).

Older, port injection BMW engines (with electromagnetic injectors) do not make this sound. One of the downsides of the piezo injectors used on direct injection engines is the audible "clicking" they can generate.

I think most people wouldn't call THAT sound a "horrible rattle", but describing the character of sound is always a subjective determination, and what's "horrible" for one person might be nirvana for another.
Think RAP music.

mccun934 · 03-07-2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juddholland

Anyone experienced some unexpected engine revving below 3000 at idle just after a cold start? It's like a pulsating fluctuation between 900 and 1600, and one time it went to 3000 in park.

nope, have not seen that myself ...

mccun934 · 03-07-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lotus7

Direct injection engines like the N55 do typically make a very slight "ticking" sound at idle because of the high pressure injectors triggering for extremely short durations.

yeah, it didn't seem into the realm of 'OMG my car is broken' and more of a question if the sound is normal or not.

xDrive35i · 03-07-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccun934

nope, have not seen that myself ...

It's not typical, it only happens every once in a while. And it's not terribly dangerous or worrisome, but it just happens, pulsating, as if the cold start idle (which in most cars is 200 or 300 rpms higher than running temperature idle) is getting too excited.

In any case, I'm bringing my car in tomorrow morning.

jijioben · 03-07-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juddholland

Anyone experienced some unexpected engine revving below 3000 at idle just after a cold start? It's like a pulsating fluctuation between 900 and 1600, and one time it went to 3000 in park.

If I leave the car outside, since it is now quite cold here (-20C/-4F) it will rev up for a while after starting, and then return to the standard low rpm idle. It is much more than 200-300 rpms - sometimes as high as 800-1000 rpms. I guess it senses the oil temperature and infers that it may be too viscous at that temp.

xDrive35i · 03-07-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jijioben

If I leave the car outside, since it is now quite cold here (-20C/-4F) it will rev up for a while after starting, and then return to the standard low rpm idle. It is much more than 200-300 rpms - sometimes as high as 800-1000 rpms. I guess it senses the oil temperature and infers that it may be too viscous at that temp.

Yes this is exactly it.

BIMMER UK 76 · 03-07-2011, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiller8810

pICKED UP MY NEW X3 AND NOW I HEAR A HORRIBLE RATTLE IN THE ENGINE. I ALSO NOTICE ON MY IPHONE MUSIC ON PLAYBACK IT HICCUPS. ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO HELP!

Any news?

Lotus7 · 03-07-2011, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juddholland

Anyone experienced some unexpected engine revving below 3000 at idle just after a cold start? It's like a pulsating fluctuation between 900 and 1600, and one time it went to 3000 in park.

Have not seen anything like that. Revving to 3000 does not sound normal.

On mine, from a cold start (around 30 deg. F.) it will immediately rev. to 1400, then quickly and smoothly drop down to 900 within 15 seconds (no "pulsating"), and then slowly drop down to 600 after a few minutes of idling or a few blocks of driving.

nick776 · 03-07-2011, 05:15 PM

I've had 9 different BMWs. Each one of them has had some sort of "peculiar" engine sound. My '11 X3 is no different. It almost sounds like a diesel to me. In the past, I've had several BMWs with rampant "ticking" in the engine. I took each of them into the shop and was told there was no problems. It drove just fine.

If I were you, unless it's something highly out of the ordinary, I wouldn't worry about it. Having had so may BMWs, I can assure you strange engine noises are very typical (depending on the model).

03-06-2011, 08:43 PM	#1
smiller8810 New Member 2 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 bmw x3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: lansdale pa iTrader: (0)	Just picked up new x3 now I hear a horrible engine sound pICKED UP MY NEW X3 AND NOW I HEAR A HORRIBLE RATTLE IN THE ENGINE. I ALSO NOTICE ON MY IPHONE MUSIC ON PLAYBACK IT HICCUPS. ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO HELP!
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

03-06-2011, 08:46 PM	#2
Nahoa Lieutenant Colonel 45 Rep 1,876 Posts Drives: F25 35i Mineral Silver/Black Join Date: May 2008 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Take it back to the dealer ASAP. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-06-2011, 09:37 PM	#3
Lotus7 Major 66 Rep 1,041 Posts Drives: xxxx Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: xxxx iTrader: (0)	I second Nahoa. Stop driving it immediately. If the sound is really "HORRIBLE" I'd even be concerned about driving it back to the dealer. I'd phone them the minute they open on Monday and ask them to send someone to your home to evaluate the situation. Did you use the iDrive "Check Vehicle status" setting? If it sounds like metal to metal noises, you should probably have the car picked up on a flat bed transporter if you can. Call the place you bought it immediately. Sorry - Your X3 experience is certainly not typical. PLEASE do keep us informed about what they find.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-06-2011, 11:49 PM	#4
mccun934 Enlisted Member 11 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	I have my X3 going in on Wednesday to fix a few minor issues as well as an overly rattle filled idle that makes the car sound way outside what I would consider normal. This is my 4th inline 6 powered BMW and haven't heard this sound at idle before. I'll see if I can get a video of it with sound tomorrow next time I run it. The car performs fine, plenty of power and only seems to make this sound at idle. At anything above 1K RPM it is gone and purring nicely.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-07-2011, 01:48 AM	#6
xDrive35i Lieutenant Colonel 123 Rep 1,781 Posts Drives: Porsche Macan S Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Anyone experienced some unexpected engine revving below 3000 at idle just after a cold start? It's like a pulsating fluctuation between 900 and 1600, and one time it went to 3000 in park.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-07-2011, 05:15 PM	#15
nick776 Private First Class 78 Rep 169 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montgomery, AL iTrader: (0)	I've had 9 different BMWs. Each one of them has had some sort of "peculiar" engine sound. My '11 X3 is no different. It almost sounds like a diesel to me. In the past, I've had several BMWs with rampant "ticking" in the engine. I took each of them into the shop and was told there was no problems. It drove just fine. If I were you, unless it's something highly out of the ordinary, I wouldn't worry about it. Having had so may BMWs, I can assure you strange engine noises are very typical (depending on the model).
	Appreciate 0 Quote