Steering Issue

rooster1970 · 10-19-2019, 09:31 AM

Hi,

I have an X3 2016 F25 and when i am driving on the motorway then i feel i constantly correctly the steering with micro adjustments on long straights.

Is this an X3 characteristics or known issue , has anyone experienced the and what was the solution.

Kind regards.
Vernon.

TheCoolX3 · 10-19-2019, 09:52 AM

Check alignment.

Is there any characteristics to the cars wondering? Is it always going to one side?

rooster1970 · 10-19-2019, 10:15 AM

definitely not pulling

BIG_KID · 10-20-2019, 07:15 PM

I've had this problem for years. With the engine off rock the steering wheel back and forth listen for clunking noise.

Oilverland · 10-21-2019, 11:28 PM

Edit 5 Nov - the part [see below] was replaced and things are much better. Steers better, no knocking in regular driving. There is still a bit of a knock when jigging the steering wheel with the engine off. Is this OK? I dunno. When I get home I'm near gravel roads with washboard - I'll see if it still knocks there. Many thanks to BMW Northwest in Fife, WA, for their willingness to listen to my analysis, to research the issue, and to pay for the special tools needed to do the fix.

Edit 18 Nov: Fix is good, no knocking noise on rough gravel roads. The residual knocking when jigging the steering wheel with engine off only occurs after the car has been driven a bit. I'm guessing the tolerances are affected by temperature. The BMW repair instructions do not address that. I guess it's good enough!

Original reply:
I have the same effects regarding wandering, and the steering clunk when engine off and moving the steering wheel, and a louder clunk when on washboard surfaces adn going uphill, and a clunk when backing up and braking.

The possible solution I found on YouTube and another forum. Details follow. I'm trying to find a dealer that can do the work but not charge 7 hours labor that one quoted me, it seemed excessively long.

The fix is an upgraded thrust bushing that goes into the steering rack, on the driver's side, facing forward, at least in my USA rig. It requires fancy tools to do it. Others have merely tightened the existing thrust bushing, but I wonder about the longer term effects of that approach.

There is a history of dealers replacing the rack to fix this, only to have it come back. The new part kit is new as of Nov 2018 I think it was. Don't quote me on that, I lost the link to that info.

..........

Two videos below address this.

The first one just demos the noise, the one by wiggling the steering wheel with the engine off, which my car exhibits. Happens to be on an F30 it think it was, but identical symptom to mine. Comments from the narrator and in the comment section of the second youtube page indicate some of the clunk noises I hear when driving might also be cured by this fix.

The second video shows the part and how the noise is gone after repair. Comments on the second video proclaim improved drivability after the fix, for what they might be worth.

Part 1: Before fix.

Part 2 After fix

Part description and #
Repair Kit Thrust Piece Afs 32999910 - BMW (32-10-6-891-974)

Example site where it is available https://www.bmwpartsdirect.com/oem-p...10-32106891974

Install instructions, includes special tool #s. I asked an independent shop if he could do the work. He found out the calibration tool is $1500 and bowed out.

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...nit/1Vnc3X9PQZ

TheCoolX3 · 10-23-2019, 06:42 AM

I had my steering rack replaced under warranty about a year ago. I've now had the clunk for about a month. Im curious if anyone with an X3 has tried the tightening the screw trick.

Jasonmichaeljones · 10-24-2019, 10:45 AM

All,

I had the steering rack clunk / loose steering feeling for a long time.

After reading about the steering rack bushing, I asked my independent shop to order and replace the bushing. I was sure that this was my issue.

He investigated the issue and found that the inner tie rod end was loose. He applied lock-tite and tightened it up and it completely cleared up the issue. Drove like a dream again immediately after. He charged me $60 above the cost of the oil change it had while it was in the shop to fix it.

check the inner tie rod - could be your issue.

10-19-2019, 09:31 AM	#1
rooster1970 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: bmw x3 Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: uk iTrader: (0)	Steering Issue Hi, I have an X3 2016 F25 and when i am driving on the motorway then i feel i constantly correctly the steering with micro adjustments on long straights. Is this an X3 characteristics or known issue , has anyone experienced the and what was the solution. Kind regards. Vernon.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

10-19-2019, 09:52 AM	#2
TheCoolX3 Lieutenant 174 Rep 540 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW X3 35i M-Sport Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Porsche Cayenn ... [0.00] 2019 Tesla Model X [0.00] 2016 BMW X3 [0.00]	Check alignment. Is there any characteristics to the cars wondering? Is it always going to one side? __________________ 2016 X3 35i \|M-Sport\|Megan Racing Coilovers\|FBO+\|BM3\|Jordan Tuned\|Valvetronic Designs\| 1998 750iL V12\|2017 440i\|2019 991.2 GT3RS Weissach\|2019 Model X\|...and some others Instagram @TheCoolX3
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-19-2019, 10:15 AM	#3
rooster1970 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: bmw x3 Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: uk iTrader: (0)	definitely not pulling
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2019, 07:15 PM	#4
BIG_KID Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 290 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 28i Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Northern indiana iTrader: (0)	I've had this problem for years. With the engine off rock the steering wheel back and forth listen for clunking noise.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-21-2019, 11:28 PM	#5
Oilverland Red-gistered 11 Rep 26 Posts Drives: 2016 X3 F25 xDrive 35i Join Date: May 2018 Location: Great Northwest iTrader: (0)	Possible solution Edit 5 Nov - the part [see below] was replaced and things are much better. Steers better, no knocking in regular driving. There is still a bit of a knock when jigging the steering wheel with the engine off. Is this OK? I dunno. When I get home I'm near gravel roads with washboard - I'll see if it still knocks there. Many thanks to BMW Northwest in Fife, WA, for their willingness to listen to my analysis, to research the issue, and to pay for the special tools needed to do the fix. Edit 18 Nov: Fix is good, no knocking noise on rough gravel roads. The residual knocking when jigging the steering wheel with engine off only occurs after the car has been driven a bit. I'm guessing the tolerances are affected by temperature. The BMW repair instructions do not address that. I guess it's good enough! Original reply: I have the same effects regarding wandering, and the steering clunk when engine off and moving the steering wheel, and a louder clunk when on washboard surfaces adn going uphill, and a clunk when backing up and braking. The possible solution I found on YouTube and another forum. Details follow. I'm trying to find a dealer that can do the work but not charge 7 hours labor that one quoted me, it seemed excessively long. The fix is an upgraded thrust bushing that goes into the steering rack, on the driver's side, facing forward, at least in my USA rig. It requires fancy tools to do it. Others have merely tightened the existing thrust bushing, but I wonder about the longer term effects of that approach. There is a history of dealers replacing the rack to fix this, only to have it come back. The new part kit is new as of Nov 2018 I think it was. Don't quote me on that, I lost the link to that info. .......... Two videos below address this. The first one just demos the noise, the one by wiggling the steering wheel with the engine off, which my car exhibits. Happens to be on an F30 it think it was, but identical symptom to mine. Comments from the narrator and in the comment section of the second youtube page indicate some of the clunk noises I hear when driving might also be cured by this fix. The second video shows the part and how the noise is gone after repair. Comments on the second video proclaim improved drivability after the fix, for what they might be worth. Part 1: Before fix. Part 2 After fix Part description and # Repair Kit Thrust Piece Afs 32999910 - BMW (32-10-6-891-974) Example site where it is available https://www.bmwpartsdirect.com/oem-p...10-32106891974 Install instructions, includes special tool #s. I asked an independent shop if he could do the work. He found out the calibration tool is $1500 and bowed out. https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...nit/1Vnc3X9PQZ Last edited by Oilverland; 11-18-2019 at 08:13 PM..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-23-2019, 06:42 AM	#6
TheCoolX3 Lieutenant 174 Rep 540 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW X3 35i M-Sport Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Porsche Cayenn ... [0.00] 2019 Tesla Model X [0.00] 2016 BMW X3 [0.00]	I had my steering rack replaced under warranty about a year ago. I've now had the clunk for about a month. Im curious if anyone with an X3 has tried the tightening the screw trick. __________________ 2016 X3 35i \|M-Sport\|Megan Racing Coilovers\|FBO+\|BM3\|Jordan Tuned\|Valvetronic Designs\| 1998 750iL V12\|2017 440i\|2019 991.2 GT3RS Weissach\|2019 Model X\|...and some others Instagram @TheCoolX3
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-24-2019, 10:45 AM	#7
Jasonmichaeljones Private 25 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2020 X3 M40I, 2012 135I Vert Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	Steering rack clunk All, I had the steering rack clunk / loose steering feeling for a long time. After reading about the steering rack bushing, I asked my independent shop to order and replace the bushing. I was sure that this was my issue. He investigated the issue and found that the inner tie rod end was loose. He applied lock-tite and tightened it up and it completely cleared up the issue. Drove like a dream again immediately after. He charged me $60 above the cost of the oil change it had while it was in the shop to fix it. check the inner tie rod - could be your issue.
	Appreciate 0 Quote