[subieworx]

Bought my 2014 x3 M sport about 9 months ago with 42k miles on it. Really like it aside from a couple issues I am having with it, the most annoying being a clunk that will not go away.

It's always from the front left and seems suspension related. It happens when coming off a sharp bump like rail road tracks or a pot hole. Never when hitting the bump, only coming off it.

Car now has 52k miles on it and here is everything i have done.

New front tension rods
New front lower control arms
New outer ball joints
New struts
New tophats
New spring cushions
New endlinks

I have checked the torque on the subframe bolts.
I have checked for the play in the steering rack and see none.
I have checked for play in the sway bar bushings (who's bright idea was it at BMW to no longer sell sway bar bushings apart from the sway bar!!?!?!?!?!)

After all this....absolutely no change in the noise. It has always been there, hasn't changed and now I am out of things to replace on the suspension. Anyone ran into something like this? I have owned and worked on a lot of BMW's (and other cars) and have never run into this before.

[oVeRdOsE.]

I have the same, its very random when and how it occurs, and it might comes from the driver side mirror.

Try to take some bump while pressing on the mirror.

[pungo]

Without the vehicle running, turn the steering wheel left to right quickly. If you hear a clunking sound, lift the front wheels off the ground. Hold the left front tire at 3 & 9 o'clock and move the tire left to right quickly (push/pull). If you hear/feel a clunking sound, check to see if the play is coming from where the tie rod enters the steering rack. If so, have the EPS steering thrust piece kit installed. The part is under $30. Instructions attached.

steering rack knock fix 32106891974 replacment instructions.pdf

[subieworx]

I have checked for that and don't seem to have any play, but may go through that procedure anyway. Do those instructions have to be followed to a T? The tensioning piece does not look expensive, but the tools will add up for sure.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by subieworx

I have checked for that and don't seem to have any play, but may go through that procedure anyway. Do those instructions have to be followed to a T? The tensioning piece does not look expensive, but the tools will add up for sure.

If you get the left front wheel off the ground and grab the tire and try the push pull at the 3 & 9 o'clock position and there is zero play and or no knocking sound, then the EPS steering thrust piece is probably not the problem.

The reason for the special tools to install the part easier and to properly set the critical adjustment of the steering rack play.

[oVeRdOsE.]

I just remember about the window module at the bottom of the door, I had this issue few months ago, the clunck really seem to come from the suspension, but it was in the door. get the window up from a inch of so, put pressure on it, and see if you still ear the clunck.

[labmixz]

My clunk on my 2011 X3 turned out to be the front drive shaft u-joint failing. I could have sworn is was something suspension related as well, it happened when going down an incline or turning, really any kind of bump, always sounded like the front left.

First I thought it was the control arms, but they all looked fine, I kind of feared it might be the steering rack (due to other people having the issues). I kept looking and couldn't find anything, didn't even think to check the drive shaft. Finally took it to a friend so I could get it on a lift to have a better look at everything, sure enough the front drive shaft has major play at the U-joint.

Though, I can't imagine you having that issue with that low of mileage, but apparently the front drive shaft u-joint going out is fairly common on all x-drive cars.


Edit: If you get underneath and see if there's play in the front drive shaft, it will rule that out pretty fast.

[subieworx]

As mentioned everything checks out. I have a little bit of play from teh output bearing of the transfer case to the front driveshaft, but that isn't causing a clunk. Everything else is oddly perfect yet the noise persists.

[evilchargerfan]

was there ever a resolution to the noise?

[383vett]

Originally Posted by evilchargerfan

was there ever a resolution to the noise?

Two posts above.

Originally Posted by labmixz

My clunk on my 2011 X3 turned out to be the front drive shaft u-joint failing. I could have sworn is was something suspension related as well, it happened when going down an incline or turning, really any kind of bump, always sounded like the front left.

First I thought it was the control arms, but they all looked fine, I kind of feared it might be the steering rack (due to other people having the issues). I kept looking and couldn't find anything, didn't even think to check the drive shaft. Finally took it to a friend so I could get it on a lift to have a better look at everything, sure enough the front drive shaft has major play at the U-joint.

Though, I can't imagine you having that issue with that low of mileage, but apparently the front drive shaft u-joint going out is fairly common on all x-drive cars.


Edit: If you get underneath and see if there's play in the front drive shaft, it will rule that out pretty fast.

[tomas3314]

Ever solve the puzzle?