[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by Sportskid1

Bringing this topic back from the dead. I took ownership of a 2018 X3 M40i with 34K on it about 6 weeks ago and I think I have this same issues. It has an early 2018 build date and around 50-60 mph the car vibrates. At first I though it was the lane departure warning but nothing changes when that is turned off. I think I an stuck with it now as I can't return the car so I am trying to figure out what to do as while the car is out of warranty I have a 90 day warranty from the company I bought the car from. From reading this thread it sounds like replacing the half shafts is the only solution but temporary. Is there a BMW Service Bulletin that is out on this problem that I can bring in when I have the car looked at. If so where do I find that. I am just worried that I am going to get the run around and have this rejected what I ask them to fix it under warranty.

Also since I will likely be stuck with this car for a long time is there any safety issues in just driving the car for another 50k miles and living with the vibration. Is there a chance of catastrophic failure due to this bad design?

I have not seen anyone post a copy of a service bulletin where BMW acknowledged the issue and what to do to permanently fix it. I don't have the questionable X3 so maybe someone else will reply with some recent but unpublished news. Its a mis-alignment issue with some drivetrain mounting locations. IIRC, there was a Florida based owner who posted in this topic where the dealer actually moved the mounting of certain parts. Since whether you simply replace the half shafts or move the mounting location and then put in new half shafts takes a few thousand miles to know if the issue is really resolved or not, many have not come back to post their results. Its like we all come here to complain and look for a solution but once one is found, we're happily on our way and don't always post the results.

I think the Florida owner might have been in the Jacksonville area so if you comb through the spreadsheet I posted in one of my posts and look for that, you might want to reach out to them to see what the result was and then take that to who ever you bought the car from but even with that, its highly doubtful you will get any relief - but what do you have to lose?

The issue, if left alone, will never get better and at some point you will be looking at the bandaid of new half shafts on your nickel. I suppose if you drove it long enough with the issue, you could be looking at a safety issue if one fails during a drive but you will get plenty of warning via the worsening of the vibration before that...I would think.

[Sportskid1]

Thanks for the heads up. Will look into that

[splashy]

bringing this post back from the dead again. August 2023 I purchased an '18 m40i with 15k miles, april build date

currently 22,0XX miles with no noticeable vibration issues.

Any updates on the issue or has everyone in this thread gotten rid of their '18s already?

[dalek]

My steering wheel vibration started around 38,000 miles. Had the output shafts replaced, and the vibration has been gone for the past 15,000 miles.

[abcsoup]

I had the rear drive shafts replaced under warranty at 24k miles in June 2021. I'm at 45k miles and the vibration has not returned.

[383vett]

Originally Posted by splashy

bringing this post back from the dead again. August 2023 I purchased an '18 m40i with 15k miles, april build date

currently 22,0XX miles with no noticeable vibration issues.

Any updates on the issue or has everyone in this thread gotten rid of their '18s already?

Dealer buyback for my 2018.

[splashy]

Originally Posted by dalek

My steering wheel vibration started around 38,000 miles. Had the output shafts replaced, and the vibration has been gone for the past 15,000 miles.

Originally Posted by abcsoup

I had the rear drive shafts replaced under warranty at 24k miles in June 2021. I'm at 45k miles and the vibration has not returned.

Originally Posted by 383vett

Dealer buyback for my 2018.

Does the vibration have a similar feel as the LDW or is it worse to the point that you know "something is wrong" and its not just the LDW or quality of the road surface ?

Trying to google search the issue , seems this was really the only place it was talked about, and that BMW still has not released
any service bulletins or acknowledgement of the problem...

[calucb05]

Resurrecting this thread in the hopes it helps others. I have an early build '18 M40i and experienced this same issue. Same details as others have mentioned above. Acceleration between 50-60mph caused an annoying humming/vibrating feel in the steering wheel. Took car in for an oil change Dec '22 and paid $300 for a diagnostic test to be told what I was experiencing was normal by the shop Foreman after going on a test ride. Fast forward to Dec '23, took car in for another oil change, brought issue up again and this time new shop Foreman agreed something was off. Sent him all the information from this forum and we did a weight load test which decreased the vibration. Had the rear output shafts replaced and the vibration is finally gone. It also helped that my loaner was an X3 with no vibration issues to easily compare/contrast.

BMW NA replaced everything at no cost as a one time courtesy. My car is out of the original manufacture warranty which makes me think BMW knows about the issue, but it isn't wide scale enough to do a recall. The new shop foreman said he's experienced this only once with another X3. All in all, I'm glad this was done as I was about to give up and live with the vibration, but now that it's gone I can't imagine ever going back to it, it was a pain especially driving on 55mph roads with cruise control on.

Moral of the story - this is not normal, be persistent with the shop Foreman, show them all documentation from this forum and insist they replace the rear output shafts if you have this issue.

Car is an early build 2018 M40i w/52K miles. Vibrations started at around 30K miles.

[kasyak]

Would love to get feedback from those who had the axle shafts replaced under warranty if the issue has been permanently resolved.

I am experiencing this issue with an early build 2018 X3 I recently picked up which is out of warranty. If it's an issue that will return after x amount of miles, I will have to learn to live with it which is unfortunate.

[dt86]

Originally Posted by kasyak

Would love to get feedback from those who had the axle shafts replaced under warranty if the issue has been permanently resolved.

I am experiencing this issue with an early build 2018 X3 I recently picked up which is out of warranty. If it's an issue that will return after x amount of miles, I will have to learn to live with it which is unfortunate.

I would like to find out if this was ever resolved, I'm considering buying a 18 m40i with 120k km (it's carfax doesn't show output shafts ever being replaced, only a wheel balancing once early in its life).

Also found this: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...72486-9999.pdf
which implies they had a bad run of output shafts even though it is a newer number.

Are there vehicles out there that were never affected at all and have been climbing miles?