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      01-27-2012, 01:47 AM   #1
tnb55
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Small shake when turning sharply:

I take hold of my X3 (automatic 20d) on 14 October 2011 and from day one I notice that if I turn very sharp 90 deg and crawl forward to enter my garage the car gives a shake, it feels as if you driving over something. At my local dealer I demonstrated it to the service Manager driving around in a parking area. The warmer the car the more prominent it is, also the pavement must be rough. We tried it with a brand new X3 on the floor; it is doing the exact same thing. You will never notice this under normal driving conditions, you must stop and then crawl forward turning sharp. If anyone will be so kind to try this with their X3 or already experience this, some feedback will be highly appreciated, thanks in advance
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      01-27-2012, 02:23 AM   #2
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Have you tried the same maneuver with DSC off and got the same shake?
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      01-27-2012, 04:25 AM   #3
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This is based on experience with old cars, but as the X3 drives all 4 wheels it needs to transmit this drive through the front (steering) wheels. This demands a clever coupling. They used to be called "constant velocity joints". It is easy to get them to work when nearly in a straight line - ie wheels at 90% to the car, but gets tougher to engineer the more the wheel is turned. So at full lock you may be approaching the operational limits of the joint - not an issue in normal driving since with this much lock on no real speed is possible, it's just for manoeuvring. And pretty much all engineering is a compromise - in this case ability to transmit a lot of power, reliability, cost, size and weight. I've experienced this on several cars in the past, including a current front drive Audi, and to be honest it's not been an issue. I try to be "gentle" with the throttle when on full lock to limit the stress I put on the couplings when they are operating at their limits.

But this is all guesswork. Other forum members may well have a better idea!
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      01-27-2012, 05:38 AM   #4
tnb55
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I tried it with the DSC off, still the same shake. It feels like the drivetrain, like a differential not freewheeling or unlocking either the rear, front or centre diff. Don’t know if the rear diff is an open diff, the dealer says it is a LSD but I am not sure, different answers on the net. I also don’t feel anything on the steering wheel, more in the rear half of the car. . It is very disturbing for this class of car.
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      01-27-2012, 09:44 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnb55
I tried it with the DSC off, still the same shake. It feels like the drivetrain, like a differential not freewheeling or unlocking either the rear, front or centre diff. Don’t know if the rear diff is an open diff, the dealer says it is a LSD but I am not sure, different answers on the net. I also don’t feel anything on the steering wheel, more in the rear half of the car. . It is very disturbing for this class of car.
I experience the same with my old X3. It's likely to be the differential working because of changes in the rolling diameter between the back and front wheels when you turn heavily on your wheel. Just be gentle with the throttle.
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      01-27-2012, 10:51 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnb55 View Post
I tried it with the DSC off, still the same shake. It feels like the drivetrain, like a differential not freewheeling or unlocking either the rear, front or centre diff. Don’t know if the rear diff is an open diff, the dealer says it is a LSD but I am not sure, different answers on the net. I also don’t feel anything on the steering wheel, more in the rear half of the car. . It is very disturbing for this class of car.
When you make a sharp turn, brakes are applied automatically to the Inner wheels to avoid roll over. May be that's causing the jerkness.

I believe the latest gen xdrive does torque vectoring not only from front to back...does side to side also, like the Acura's SH-AWD.
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      01-27-2012, 12:00 PM   #7
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I agree that this sounds like a non-issue - merely a result of the AWD system.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus7 View Post
The only "real" torque vectoring (in a strict definition of the term) available on BMW products is in the "Variable-M" system.
Actually the x6, and x5/x6 M's have a torque vectoring system "Dynamic Performance Control."
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      01-27-2012, 01:42 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus7 View Post
Right, another reason for a X3M.
That, or just make it a standard option.
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      01-27-2012, 02:12 PM   #9
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Thanks all for your feedback, sorry but I am still not completely confident that there nothing to worry about. Lotus is explaining it well as usually, but as he said on slow speeds, wheels hardly turning, none of the systems should do anything.
It is my understanding except for RichardRb on his old X3 that nobody experience similar shakes or jerks on their F25 at very slow speed turning sharply.
I’ll try and live with it if BMW can’t give a solution or sensible explanation, but it will be difficult being a technical guy and a passionate car lover.
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      01-28-2012, 12:22 PM   #10
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I also felt it already as you discribe, on my old X3 it wasn't.
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      01-28-2012, 07:58 PM   #11
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Mine does something similar when parking. I always back in to my parking spot and when I swoop in I turn hard left at about 3mph, brake to a stop, then back in. With forward momentum there seems to be a minor bump under near full steering lock, feels like I'm going over a small pavement imperfection but none exists. More a nuisance than a problem but there is definitely a 'pop' at slow speeds with turn under way at full deflection.
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      01-29-2012, 05:43 AM   #12
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Another two people experiencing the same thing (MikeBimmer describe it spot-on) make me feel better that it is a design thing and not unique to my car.
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      01-29-2012, 09:00 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBimmer View Post
Mine does something similar when parking. I always back in to my parking spot and when I swoop in I turn hard left at about 3mph, brake to a stop, then back in. With forward momentum there seems to be a minor bump under near full steering lock, feels like I'm going over a small pavement imperfection but none exists. More a nuisance than a problem but there is definitely a 'pop' at slow speeds with turn under way at full deflection.
Describe this "pop" some more, if you would.
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      03-12-2012, 02:13 PM   #14
tnb55
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My pop-shake is still with me and still very annoying, I tried to live with it but it is not possible, I am thinking of selling my car , replace it with the new CRV, it is not in the same class but at the moment I'm not enjoying the drive anymore, every time when I pull out of a parking or carport I wait in anticipation for that pop-shake. The BMW factory representative told me that it is the X-Drive system, if that’s the case then the Germans got it all wrong. Really don’t want to sell my car but it is driving me crazy, as all the other threads that explain clunks and some other noises and feelings I think it is all related, a design flaw.
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      03-12-2012, 06:20 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnb55 View Post
I am thinking of selling my car , replace it with the new CRV
So you'd rather drive a crap-can because the x3 makes a noise when you park?

Good luck with that.
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      03-13-2012, 09:57 AM   #16
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As far as I know, the 4 wheel drive system releases the front wheels when turning full-lock, because the angles don't allow joints and transmission to work properly.

So, I believe this is relevant to the limit reached for the transmission on the front wheels to go off.
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      06-02-2015, 11:22 AM   #17
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I am having the same issue. Every time I make a left or right turn at low speeds it feels like the tires are rubbing & vibrates Not even at full lock The service dept. at 1st told me it was a loose rain cover that was rubbing & said it was fixed which was not. I brought it back today & they said they'll have to check it out again the mechanic thinks it has something to do with the traction control but that's just his guess. I'm hoping they fix this issue & is not a design flaw of BMW since I have driven a lot of other AWD & 4x4 vehicles without this issue. Has anybody got this issue fixed? or is it just something I have to deal with for the life of the car?
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      06-02-2015, 11:49 AM   #18
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I might be experiencing something similar: when I turn right (nearly full lock) and bend into a driveway slowly, I hear and feel a minor thump or shake when my front left wheel rolls over that small driveway curb. Any ideas what it could be?
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      06-03-2015, 04:04 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atrueb View Post
I might be experiencing something similar: when I turn right (nearly full lock) and bend into a driveway slowly, I hear and feel a minor thump or shake when my front left wheel rolls over that small driveway curb. Any ideas what it could be?
Me too.
Sounds like something is loose or a play/radial clearance that shouldn't be there.
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      06-03-2015, 11:48 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scandic24 View Post
Me too.
Sounds like something is loose or a play/radial clearance that shouldn't be there.
My thoughts exactly. But last time the dealerships couldn't find anything loose. Maybe it's the brake line hitting something?
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      06-17-2015, 09:50 AM   #21
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so after weeks of trying to figure out what was wrong the service dept. said the transfer case had to be replaced. Just got my car back & drove it to see if I can reproduce this shake but all seems good now...
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      06-17-2015, 01:58 PM   #22
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Maybe it is the AWD. X3 does not have a real center differential, instead it uses multi-clutch coupling. At full lock, the larger speed difference between front and rear axle may cause some binding. But it is not as bad as on a traditional locked 4WD system (where it will become truly hard to turn) as X3's computer allow slippage in the clutch pack.
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