[madshenriksen]

Hey guys,

I've had my X3 30d since March this year and to this date I don't regret buying!

However in August I started to hear this crunch sound when reversing to the left at full lock out of my parking lot and when I parallel park (also in reverse to the left). It sounds like as when you step on new fallen snow - if that makes sense… And only appears for a second or two.

The sound is NOT there when I reverse to the right. Not even when I really try to get it to show.

The "crunch" is only when reversing.

I've had it to dealer twice and the 1st time they did something to the rack and said if it didn't help I should wait until I put on my winter tires.
Neither did help.

2nd time he replaced the right wheel bearing at the front right… Didn't help either.
After the wheel bearing replacement I've also now started to hear clunk noise on the right when I drive over bumps and stuff.

I've read on threads in here that it maybe has something to do with the axle geometry, but isn't it weird I only get the sound to the left and not the right???

And what should I do with the newly found clunk noise over speed bumps?

[zukmeister]

are you rolling on summer tires? When it gets cold those turn pretty much solid and will make a skipping sound under full lock.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by zukmeister

are you rolling on summer tires? When it gets cold those turn pretty much solid and will make a skipping sound under full lock.

Nope, winters now… And it did on summers too

[Xnfris]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Nope, winters now… And it did on summers too

Mine is Doing the same thing. The dealer couldn't reproduce the sound last time I had it there. It does it every time I back into my Parking spot turning the wheel full lock to the left.

It's not the tires. I know that. I've stood outside the car while my wife backed it up. It's defiantly a mechanical sound.

Doesn't seem to matter if the car have been driven for hours or just down the street for it to make the noise.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by Xnfris

Mine is Doing the same thing. The dealer couldn't reproduce the sound last time I had it there. It does it every time I back into my Parking spot turning the wheel full lock to the left.

It's not the tires. I know that. I've stood outside the car while my wife backed it up. It's defiantly a mechanical sound.

Doesn't seem to matter if the car have been driven for hours or just down the street for it to make the noise.

Exactly… It's definitely inside somewhere. I also had my better half doing the steering from full lock to see if the tires were simply just hitting/scratching something in the angles but that's not the case either

[atrueb]

I have that sound when reversing slowly full lock left or when driving forwards slowly over curbs full lock right. Only happens with summer tires though. I believe it is the tire rubbing on the ground or quickly loosing grip for a split second, which is more likely with summer tires given the lower tread depth compared to softer winter tires. I have a 30d aswell, so i always thougjt it was the tire skipping, given that the 30d is quite a torque beast.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by atrueb

I have that sound when reversing slowly full lock left or when driving forwards slowly over curbs full lock right. Only happens with summer tires though. I believe it is the tire rubbing on the ground or quickly loosing grip for a split second, which is more likely with summer tires given the lower tread depth compared to softer winter tires. I have a 30d aswell, so i always thougjt it was the tire skipping, given that the 30d is quite a torque beast.

Sounds like a possible reason, but still can't figure out why it only happens when reversing left. When driving forward no matter what the speed and angle is, I hear nothing. The sound is definitely quieter with winter tires though but still present and loud enough for my passengers to ask what the sound is.

[AZM40i]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Hey guys,

I've had my X3 30d since March this year and to this date I don't regret buying!

However in August I started to hear this crunch sound when reversing to the left at full lock out of my parking lot and when I parallel park (also in reverse to the left). It sounds like as when you step on new fallen snow - if that makes sense… And only appears for a second or two.

The sound is NOT there when I reverse to the right. Not even when I really try to get it to show.

The "crunch" is only when reversing.

I've had it to dealer twice and the 1st time they did something to the rack and said if it didn't help I should wait until I put on my winter tires.
Neither did help.

2nd time he replaced the right wheel bearing at the front right… Didn't help either.
After the wheel bearing replacement I've also now started to hear clunk noise on the right when I drive over bumps and stuff.

I've read on threads in here that it maybe has something to do with the axle geometry, but isn't it weird I only get the sound to the left and not the right???

And what should I do with the newly found clunk noise over speed bumps?

I occasionally hear this noise. Reversing with wheel to the left. Not full lock left. Maybe half way. Most of the time it is when I return home and I am backing into my garage. Right when I let off the brake. But then it goes away. And it doesn't happen every time. I have a pre LCI - MY21 - Adaptive Suspension (Not all pre LCI came with adaptive but all LCI did. Wondering if it is something to do with the Adaptive?) It doesn't happen every time and I can't get the car to make the noise intentionally. Ever.

I have taken it to dealer once for this and they couldn't reproduce the noise. There are older posts for pre LCI cars that have tracked this to a cracked suspension top mount. I specifically asked my dealer to check the mounts. They said everything was good. There is also a thread out there where someone posted a video of their car making the noise. I considered showing my dealer the video "this is the noise my car is making". I can't find the thread at the moment... I have also seen some stuff about torn bellows around the suspension components. Might be worth looking to ensure all of your bellows are intact?

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by AZM40i

I occasionally hear this noise. Reversing with wheel to the left. Not full lock left. Maybe half way. Most of the time it is when I return home and I am backing into my garage. Right when I let off the brake. But then it goes away. And it doesn't happen every time. I have a pre LCI - MY21 - Adaptive Suspension (Not all pre LCI came with adaptive but all LCI did. Wondering if it is something to do with the Adaptive?) It doesn't happen every time and I can't get the car to make the noise intentionally. Ever.

I have taken it to dealer once for this and they couldn't reproduce the noise. There are older posts for pre LCI cars that have tracked this to a cracked suspension top mount. I specifically asked my dealer to check the mounts. They said everything was good. There is also a thread out there where someone posted a video of their car making the noise. I considered showing my dealer the video "this is the noise my car is making". I can't find the thread at the moment... I have also seen some stuff about torn bellows around the suspension components. Might be worth looking to ensure all of your bellows are intact?

Thanks a lot! Glad I'm not the only one to have this problem. Let me know if you manage to find the video
Dealer said the replacement of right wheel bearing fixed the noise when they test drove it, but already on my way home I managed to produce the sound again. I wonder if we hear the same noise.
I will send this reply to dealer to have them check

[AZM40i]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Let me know if you manage to find the video

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showp...9&postcount=15

Gotta turn this one up pretty loud and get close to speaker. But if this is the noise you are hearing you will know it when you hear it. Car in the video seems to have the noise going forward. Not reverse.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by AZM40i

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showp...8;postcount=15

Gotta turn this one up pretty loud and get close to speaker. But if this is the noise you are hearing you will know it when you hear it. Car in the video seems to have the noise going forward. Not reverse.

Thank you for this, however this is not the sound I've just tried to record it down in the parking basement. If you turn it up, you can hear the crunch like stepping on snow. I tried doing it to the right as well, no sound at all. So not the tires. I didn't apply the brakes either. Engine is cold here, but same sound even when things are heated up. And it's not like I made a crazy turn in this video

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Thank you for this, however this is not the sound I've just tried to record it down in the parking basement. If you turn it up, you can hear the crunch like stepping on snow. I tried doing it to the right as well, no sound at all. So not the tires. I didn't apply the brakes either. Engine is cold here, but same sound even when things are heated up. And it's not like I made a crazy turn in this video

For anyone interested in this, dealer are now considering this as a rack issue and are going to replace the rack completely in a few weeks

[TXGrey]

Originally Posted by AZM40i

I occasionally hear this noise. Reversing with wheel to the left. Not full lock left. Maybe half way. Most of the time it is when I return home and I am backing into my garage. Right when I let off the brake. But then it goes away. And it doesn't happen every time. I have a pre LCI - MY21 - Adaptive Suspension (Not all pre LCI came with adaptive but all LCI did. Wondering if it is something to do with the Adaptive?) It doesn't happen every time and I can't get the car to make the noise intentionally. Ever.

I have taken it to dealer once for this and they couldn't reproduce the noise. There are older posts for pre LCI cars that have tracked this to a cracked suspension top mount. I specifically asked my dealer to check the mounts. They said everything was good. There is also a thread out there where someone posted a video of their car making the noise. I considered showing my dealer the video "this is the noise my car is making". I can't find the thread at the moment... I have also seen some stuff about torn bellows around the suspension components. Might be worth looking to ensure all of your bellows are intact?

I have the same issue... mine is backing into my garage with wheel turned to the RIGHT tho... regardless, same issue as mentioned above and original poster described it best. It basically sounds like snow “crunching” under your foot... just for a quick second or so, then nothing. And only in this scenario (for me)... I never hear it any other time... just doing a K turn on my driveway backing into my garage. My car is about to go in for its first oil change, so I plan on having them check this out as well.

[madshenriksen]

SOLUTION:

Dealer ordered a new steering rack under warranty and replaced it. My mechanic called me to say the replacement actually made the noise worse and he wasn't sure what to do next.

The dealer have some kind of "emergency line" to BMW when dealership don't know how to fix the problem. They came up with the idea to maybe replace the ball joint at the end of the steering rack to check if the joint had any misalignments that could cause the noise.

Mechanic replaced it and now the "snowy" crunch noise is COMPLETELY gone after 7 months of pure frustration. Car drives smoother than ever.

[TXGrey]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

SOLUTION:

Dealer ordered a new steering rack under warranty and replaced it. My mechanic called me to say the replacement actually made the noise worse and he wasn't sure what to do next.

The dealer have some kind of "emergency line" to BMW when dealership don't know how to fix the problem. They came up with the idea to maybe replace the ball joint at the end of the steering rack to check if the joint had any misalignments that could cause the noise.

Mechanic replaced it and now the "snowy" crunch noise is COMPLETELY gone after 7 months of pure frustration. Car drives smoother than ever.

OK - good to know. I'll take this info with me whenever I finally do my appt. Thanks for updating us.

[2019X4RH]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

SOLUTION:

Dealer ordered a new steering rack under warranty and replaced it. My mechanic called me to say the replacement actually made the noise worse and he wasn't sure what to do next.

The dealer have some kind of "emergency line" to BMW when dealership don't know how to fix the problem. They came up with the idea to maybe replace the ball joint at the end of the steering rack to check if the joint had any misalignments that could cause the noise.

Mechanic replaced it and now the "snowy" crunch noise is COMPLETELY gone after 7 months of pure frustration. Car drives smoother than ever.

I have the exact noise when reversing and turned steering wheel on my X4 2019. Do you have any notes from the service centre? The service centre are telling me this is normal and won't go any further!

This is my video of the sound:
https://youtube.com/shorts/s_OlDLXosno?feature=share

So frustrating!!! 😖

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by 2019X4RH

I have the exact noise when reversing and turned steering wheel on my X4 2019. Do you have any notes from the service centre? The service centre are telling me this is normal and won't go any further!

This is my video of the sound:
https://youtube.com/shorts/s_OlDLXosno?feature=share

So frustrating!!! 😖

Unfortunately no. They usually do a citnow video whenever I bring it in but because I was there multiple times in a few weeks, my mechanic just told me the solution over the phone.

Car is actually at the dealer just now having problems with noise going over speed bumps and small holes in the road and the same noise now comes when I turn to the left going forward at low speeds. Don't know if it's related to the reversing noise. I'll keep you updated when I get it back and try to get a more accurate description of what they did to silence the noise reversing left.

[madshenriksen]

Hi everybody,

Thought I would add a solution to this problem I’ve dealt with for the last two years. After a long Series of bringing the car in to dealer without any solution (and with almost every front part replaced), dealership was almost ready to give me a new car. However in their “despair” they accidentally stumbled across a statement from BMW in July recognizing this sound for X3’s made after 2018. Apparently they have figured out that it’s the lower control arms in the front that are engineered quite badly, so they have produced a whole new set of control arms to replace the old model in cars with this problem.

I got the new control arm on the right front a couple of weeks ago and will have the left front replaced in March.

No sound coming from right front at low speed turning and no crunch/clicks at all when going over bumps etc.

[Navypilot]

My Porsche Macan had this same problem. Turned out it was the Transfer box. Backing up making full turn you would hear a crunching sound. Porsche replaced 100’s under warranty.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Thank you for this, however this is not the sound I've just tried to record it down in the parking basement. If you turn it up, you can hear the crunch like stepping on snow. I tried doing it to the right as well, no sound at all. So not the tires. I didn't apply the brakes either. Engine is cold here, but same sound even when things are heated up. And it's not like I made a crazy turn in this video

I have exactly this specific sound... was there any final resolution?

[madshenriksen]

Yep. As mentioned above, newly designed control arms on both right and left front need to replace the control arms with the “old” design. Warranty will cover this.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Yep. As mentioned above, newly designed control arms on both right and left front need to replace the control arms with the “old” design. Warranty will cover this.

I just had this appear today. 2 months out of warranty.