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      07-01-2014, 09:50 AM   #89
Takuya211
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i'm looking to buy a new F25 either 2014 or 2015.
Does anyone know if the steering clunk problem has been resolved in 2014 or 2015 models?
TIA
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      07-05-2014, 09:49 PM   #90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Takuya211 View Post
i'm looking to buy a new F25 either 2014 or 2015.
Does anyone know if the steering clunk problem has been resolved in 2014 or 2015 models?
TIA
i wonder the same thing i will buy i x3 35i xline does the clunk is on this year model, or just previus models. thanks
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      07-11-2014, 01:33 PM   #91
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Walendway - thanks for all your help, took it to the dealer last week and the service advisor was able to duplicate the clunk - they kept the car and gave me a loaner - said that they have ordered a new steering rack but it will be about a couple of weeks.

Looking forward to getting it back without the clunk. BTW - the loaner is a 535d Xdrive, now that is a nice car!
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      09-01-2014, 08:51 AM   #92
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My car is presently at the dealer for a service and to have the steering rack looked at once again. I've had the steering rack replaced twice with no success.

Worst of all the dealer advises that there isn't a newer steering rack so there is no solution to the problem.

Am I expected to live with a car that had problems with the steering rack from the first day I drove it out of the dealership? Is anyone familiar with BMW's policy in these cases? I have been patient for over two years now....

I also wonder if anyone from the UK has had the steering rack issue resolved completely. I am asking specifically for anyone from the UK since we drive on the same side in Malta and I suspect that the development of such parts may be different to the USA where they drive on the other side.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
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      09-02-2014, 03:12 PM   #93
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Steering rack clunk

Hi Aaqui
FYI I have a 2013 F25 2.0D M Sport Auto and have 22,000 mls on the clock with no steering clunk noise issues at all, (hope I have not jinxed it now ).
Hope this helps.
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      09-03-2014, 07:38 AM   #94
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Thanks Bowler,

if you have not experienced the clunk in 22,000 miles I doubt you will ever. I really hope you don't because it has been very frustrating

Mine had the clunk from day one. The day I drove out of the dealership I started hearing a slight noise and thought i was imagining things but it worsened as the days went by.

The dealer has now informed me that a new steering rack has been ordered so it will be replaced for the 3rd time. Maybe it will be third time lucky.
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      09-03-2014, 04:50 PM   #95
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I'm taking 35i in next Friday for my 4th attempt to fix the steering clunk. First 2 times was just to get the dealer to acknowledge the sound followed by one replacement. Not too long after my first replacement I got the clunk and it has only gotten worse so hopefully it won't be as frustrating to reproduce. Also, I never commented on the noise while turning the wheel with the engine off on my previous visits so hopefully that will help when I bring it in this time (I always assumed that the dealer would just say "that's normal" or "you shouldn't be turning the wheel while the engine is off"). If my 4th try is a non-starter I officially give up and will be picking up a Macan next model year...hopefully there will be a GTS variant available by then.
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      09-03-2014, 08:54 PM   #96
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My X3 makes the clunking sound quite loudly when I turn the wheel when the car is off but it has never done it while I am driving the vehicle. It is three years old. At this point should I leave it or do you think I should push for it to be replaced? I don't want to create a problem where there isn't one, but then again if it starts clunking when I'm out of warranty I'm going to be pissed that I didn't push for it to be switched out before hand.
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      09-04-2014, 09:49 AM   #97
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Mine makes the noise... dealer said it was normal about 18 months ago when I asked about it.

Why are we all jumping to have the rack replaced? Does anyone think it's a serious problem with the car, or will lead to something serious? I will ask the dealer about it again before warranty expires, but it didnt sound like they intended to do anything about it last time it was brought up ("normal operation").

I guess what I'm getting at is, why should I push to have it replaced?
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      09-04-2014, 12:43 PM   #98
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If you're not hearing the sound while driving then I wouldn't bother with it as it really doesn't impact the driving characteristics of the car. I just don't like that my car sounds like an old taxi when it rattles over bumps...When I bought a BMW my expectation was to have a vehicle that is built and engineered to be more solid and vault-like than the Japanese and American cars I have driven in the past. There are still of course the minor squeaks and rattles that come from inside the car but I consider those as part-and-parcel to owning an SUV vs. a sedan.
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      09-04-2014, 02:29 PM   #99
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The steering rack was replaced in my X3 at 10000 mls in 2012, no problem since
now 38000 mls.
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      09-05-2014, 02:15 AM   #100
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My late 2012 makes a noise with the steering rack if I sit stationary with the car off and turn the wheel left and right, otherwise I don't notice any other noise when the car is running and power steering is active and therefore I won't bother mentioning it to my dealer.
I would only mention it if I was experiencing the same noise whilst I was driving and even then it would have to be obvious as I tend to be a bit picky when it comes to having the dealer take my car to pieces!
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      09-05-2014, 02:53 AM   #101
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My 2011 is't totally clunk free but I'm not concerned about it. The car seems to transmit sounds more than older BMWs would...weight saving if my theory.
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Previous: E30 318iS, E39 520i 523i 523i, E46 vert 330i 330i, E93 vert 335i, F25 30D 35D
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      11-04-2014, 09:12 AM   #102
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Just as an update to my steering rack saga, the dealer replaced the steering rack for the third time around 4 weeks ago and I hate to say that not only has the same clunk returned but now when I steer and drive slowly over small imperfections in the road, I also hear a different noise coming from the central part of the front end. It sounds like part of the front end is moving when put under stress.

I am now due to see the dealer yet again so that they can try the car out and hear it for themselves. I am truly tired of all this farce and I doubt very much I will ever buy another BMW.

In my opinion it is very unfair how BMW is treating this whole matter since the car was defective from day one and they should have replaced the car by now. It has been two and a half years of frustrations and added hassle which I do not need, whilst BMW continue to replace one steering rack after the other with no care in world about customer service. In the process I was made to wait for 10 months until a replacement steering rack arrived at the dealer.

I wonder if others have had to endure a similar experience.

What a disappointment!
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      08-21-2015, 11:56 PM   #103
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Want the thrill View Post
My X3 makes the clunking sound quite loudly when I turn the wheel when the car is off but it has never done it while I am driving the vehicle. It is three years old. At this point should I leave it or do you think I should push for it to be replaced? I don't want to create a problem where there isn't one, but then again if it starts clunking when I'm out of warranty I'm going to be pissed that I didn't push for it to be switched out before hand.
Mine is same. My 2013 X3 35i (24k miles) only makes clunking noise when engine is off. I have never heard clunking from steering while driving. Suspension (M-sport with DHP) makes some noises when driving over bumps or holes, but I think that is normal behavior?

I have told twice about this clunking noise while my car has been in service, but both times I have been told that is totally normal behavior. Is that really true? I mean the clunking noise is normal when engine is off, but no noises while driving?
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      08-27-2015, 11:27 AM   #104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walendvay View Post
All Fixed!

Received the updated steering rack p/n 1-32-10-6-859-278

I drive ~2mi of washboarded dirt roads every day, so if it redevelops, I'll let you know.

Had the noise since day 1 of the car. Apparently, new '13 and '14 X3s don't have the noise (service tech verified).

Thanks for the pointers to the others who had the rack replaced!

I did get a left strut and a left tie rod out of the deal during the debug process!

Hi my 2015 x3 3.0d has the clunk from day one less than a month old now just 500 miles run. The dealership is scratching their heads as to what can be done to my car. Asked them to replace the car, they say it is not such a big issue that would warrant a replacement and they would fix it. Lets see.
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      08-27-2015, 11:31 AM   #105
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Takuya211 View Post
i'm looking to buy a new F25 either 2014 or 2015.
Does anyone know if the steering clunk problem has been resolved in 2014 or 2015 models?
TIA
Still very much there the clunk in my 2015 car from new. Please check the car before you purchase it. The test car did not have it though which was run quite a bit.
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      08-27-2015, 04:12 PM   #106
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Frankly I'm quite surprised to hear that the steering rack noise is still an issue on '14 or '15 cars. I've had the clunk since early on and assumed that the newer units have addressed this issue. RealOEM shows that the part number has changed several times since I've had my '12. I have already had my steering rack replaced once about 1.5-2 years ago but the noise has returned so I plan to return to the dealer and try to have them replace it again with an even newer spec. However, if even '15 vehicles still exhibit the noise I may not bother with the pain of dealing with the service department again.
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      08-27-2015, 06:26 PM   #107
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Jeeez so sorry to hear about rack problems on the X3.
Just purchased a CPO 2011 X3 (8-2011) w/27K miles and thought it was past manufacturing issues occuring before 7-15-2011.
Just wondering how concerned I should be about this while it's still under warranty? It sounds like it could develope at any time.

Might want to be careful what we name our bimmers, female X3's may like their racks adjusted from time to time.

Last edited by punch1118; 08-27-2015 at 08:26 PM..
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      02-22-2018, 05:27 AM   #108
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Hi Guys,

I'm getting a single click/clunk when turning left or right, even stationary.



Do you have any idea what it might be?

Car is just one month out of warranty.

Update: there's also this clunk when I happen to go over a bump or a kerb to enter a driveway for example.

UPDATE: BMW rectified the issue. It turned out to be loose bolts in the suspension, after the fact they had replaced the sump pan a few months back.

Last edited by badgesnob; 03-06-2018 at 06:16 PM..
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      02-25-2018, 01:29 AM   #109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Takuya211 View Post
i'm looking to buy a new F25 either 2014 or 2015.
Does anyone know if the steering clunk problem has been resolved in 2014 or 2015 models?
TIA
Mine is a 2017 X3 3.0 D, 18000 km, and has the clunk when going over bumps. So the problem is still there
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      10-11-2018, 03:00 PM   #110
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F25 Steering issue 4823EC and 482397 codes and "clunk" source found

Figured I'd use this post to share the issues i just had with my steering rack and the solution.

I recently started driving my wife's X3 and noticed a slight 'clunk' when moving the steering wheel. My wife had never noticed it, and I do not know when it started. Obviously don't know if it's the same 'clunk' others have reported, it was minor but annoying to me for a BMW.

A few days into my driving her car I got a steering malfunction light on the dash and message on the console display. I also lost all power steering (that thing is a b*tch to park without PS)

Turns out to be two completely unrelated issues.

The power steering would come and go. Sometimes I could turn the car off and on again and it would be fine for a few days. Other times i'd go days with no power steering. Each time I ran codes I would get the same 4823EC "EPS Torque Sensor" and 482387 "PSC Control Unit Internal Fault (Hardware)" codes.

Clearing would sometimes help for a while.

I just recently had the timing chain job done, so I thought the shop may have messed up reinstalling the steering rack somehow when they dropped the subframe. The owner is a friend of mine and I trust their work. So i took it back and they got it back on the lift to check it out. I also told them about the 'clunk' I had started noticing.

Scans showed a hardware fault which means new steering rack at $3400. Screw that . . . I'll just man-handle it and get huge biceps.

While the owner was searching for a used rack (which he ultimately found a few in the $350-$450 range). His guy who had done my timing chain job started checking the connections of the wiring harnesses for the electric power steering to make sure he had secured them all after reinstalling the subframe.

I was in the shop talking to him and he decided to check the connector for the harness between the Steering Torque Senors and Power Steering motor, a connection he had NOT disconnected during the timing chain job, but he decided to look at any ways.

When he pried it off, there was visible moisture inside the connection. The seal was good, but somehow moisture had gotten in the connection. Capillary action had sucked that moisture up the wires and they had started to corrode and short the connection between those two components(picture below, Terminal #1 on the upper left was the corroded terminal).

He used a Wurth alcohol based electrical connector cleaner to clean out the moisture and re-install the harness.

Initially, it didn't work. He Cleared the codes and they immediately came back. Decided to schedule repair for a week later. At this point owner had not found a used rack yet. So I drove home with no PS.

Next morning I turned car on and PS was back, but no surprise as it had been intermittent. However, it stayed working from then on. I'm now 4 weeks past the cleaning of the harness and have not had a return of the issue or the codes a single time.

I think it took a few more hours for the remaining alcohol and moisture to evaporate and that was preventing the steering torque sensor and power steering control unit from communicating with each other.

I've tried to find a replacement harness since it won't "un-corrode" itself, but apparently they are only available with a new steering rack. So i'm trying to find a ruined rack just to harvest the harness. As of right now, it seems to be working.

In regards to my "clunk" while it was on the lift they had the front-desk girl get in and rock the steering wheel slightly back and forth and found my clunk was coming from the joint where the spindle attaches to the rack.

He had removed that torx bolt at that joint to drop the subframe for the timing chain job. His suspicion is that it's just slightly looser than original spec because of some wear factors. He tightened it a little bit more than spec torque and that improved the clunk slightly to a slight tap that i can still sense, but not enough to bother replacing the spindle and joints with new.

Hopefully some F-series owners who are getting these codes can check their harnesses for moisture/corrosion before dropping a few grand on a new rack.
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