[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by admranger

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

Of course…

[bimmerme]

Hi everyone, need some inputs please, since Sept 2022 my 2022 X3 is making this thud noise (intermittent) when backing and at the same time turning steering to left and right but mostly left. Most days happening when temp outside drops below 30F and when car sits overnight. Car was checked by my dealer and spent overnight there twice and still can’t figure where the sound coming from. Then, had one of their mechanics come to my house in the morning after car was sitting overnight and temp was in the 30s, mechanic on driver side was able to reproduce the sound multiple times with me on the passenger seat, and like I’ve mentioned it’s like a thud sound close to like the front wheels stepped over a piece of twig with the size of a regular Sharpie marker and asides from the sound he felt it through the steering wheel as well. (Sound and felt like a tension that pop at least 2-3x until the gear is back to drive mode and back to normal when driving) Now, my dealership has my car since Feb 2 (1 week) updating me that their mechanic was in contact with BMW experts and finally decided to replace the passenger front wheel axle. Hopefully this is the source of the problem. Just felt bad that this is practically less than a year old X3 with about 7,400 miles. Any thoughts please, thank you.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by bimmerme

Hi everyone, need some inputs please, since Sept 2022 my 2022 X3 is making this thud noise (intermittent) when backing and at the same time turning steering to left and right but mostly left. Most days happening when temp outside drops below 30F and when car sits overnight. Car was checked by my dealer and spent overnight there twice and still can’t figure where the sound coming from. Then, had one of their mechanics come to my house in the morning after car was sitting overnight and temp was in the 30s, mechanic on driver side was able to reproduce the sound multiple times with me on the passenger seat, and like I’ve mentioned it’s like a thud sound close to like the front wheels stepped over a piece of twig with the size of a regular Sharpie marker and asides from the sound he felt it through the steering wheel as well. (Sound and felt like a tension that pop at least 2-3x until the gear is back to drive mode and back to normal when driving) Now, my dealership has my car since Feb 2 (1 week) updating me that their mechanic was in contact with BMW experts and finally decided to replace the passenger front wheel axle. Hopefully this is the source of the problem. Just felt bad that this is practically less than a year old X3 with about 7,400 miles. Any thoughts please, thank you.

As described, new control arms with upgraded design. It will solve it. Did on mine. And I was in total despair as well.

[NashX3]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

As described, new control arms with upgraded design. It will solve it. Did on mine. And I was in total despair as well.

Do you happen to have the part number? Some diagrams list 2 control arms up front and some have a lower control arm and thrust arm listed on each side.

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by NashX3

Do you happen to have the part number? Some diagrams list 2 control arms up front and some have a lower control arm and thrust arm listed on each side.

Unfortunately no - only thing I was told was that the technical departement of BMW had recognised the problem for all G01 models and therefore made new control arms to solve it. However I got this Citnow video when they changed the right one and he zoomed in one the old replaced control arm. Could this be of use

[mattsheng]

Originally Posted by madshenriksen

Unfortunately no - only thing I was told was that the technical departement of BMW had recognised the problem for all G01 models and therefore made new control arms to solve it. However I got this Citnow video when they changed the right one and he zoomed in one the old replaced control arm. Could this be of use

That is the Tension Strut / Thrust Arm. The latest part number for that is 31108854989 for the left and 31108854990 for the right. This part is shared between 30i and M40i. There is a SIB on this issue but it only applies to car produced from 8/1/2017 to 1/2/2018. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...38388-9999.pdf

The part number mentioned in the SIB 31106890903 and 31106890904 apparently only fit 30i xDrive and M40i from 2018-2019 and they cost a lot more than the newer parts. Not sure why...

[madshenriksen]

Originally Posted by mattsheng

That is the Tension Strut / Thrust Arm. The latest part number for that is 31108854989 for the left and 31108854990 for the right. This part is shared between 30i and M40i. There is a SIB on this issue but it only applies to car produced from 8/1/2017 to 1/2/2018. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...38388-9999.pdf

The part number mentioned in the SIB 31106890903 and 31106890904 apparently only fit 30i xDrive and M40i from 2018-2019 and they cost a lot more than the newer parts. Not sure why...

Nice find Really sorry to have called it control arms that’s what my mechanic told me and I’m no expert haha

[ewt1508]

Just had mine fixed after four trips to the dealer. My vehicle made a clunking noise when reversing and turning the wheel either direction. The problem ended up being that the thrust arm bushings were faulty. Replaced under warranty and the problem was immediately repaired.

[NashX3]

Originally Posted by ewt1508

Just had mine fixed after four trips to the dealer. My vehicle made a clunking noise when reversing and turning the wheel either direction. The problem ended up being that the thrust arm bushings were faulty. Replaced under warranty and the problem was immediately repaired.

Is your X3 AWD? If so did they provide you with the part numbers? The part numbers Matt listed above seem to be for RWD models only. My mechanic said the parts for my vehicle are on back order and there is no date for when they will be back in stock.

[NYCAlpine]

I experience this every morning when first backing out of driveway.
2020 X3 m40i.
Seems to be a cold weather thing... and also maybe when tires are worn.
After the initial skipping/breaking/crunching sound... it goes away for the day.

Service center was not able to replicate it. So nothing was done.

[admranger]

So I had the X3 at my friend's shop to test the battery (9% life left after 3 years, 5 months). Looked at the tension struts with a borescope and they have big cracks in them that really show up when you flex with a pry bar.

RealOEM.com shows that the part number has been updated to 31106890905 and 31106890906 -- what's fun is when you search for these from BMW parts stores or dealerships you can get the left one in Lemforder but not the right one. Can't get the factory ones at all. getbmwparts.com says the tension struts have been "discontinued"!

Kind of at a loss at the moment if there are no parts available. Really weird.

[mattsheng]

Originally Posted by admranger

So I had the X3 at my friend's shop to test the battery (9% life left after 3 years, 5 months). Looked at the tension struts with a borescope and they have big cracks in them that really show up when you flex with a pry bar.

RealOEM.com shows that the part number has been updated to 31106890905 and 31106890906 -- what's fun is when you search for these from BMW parts stores or dealerships you can get the left one in Lemforder but not the right one. Can't get the factory ones at all. getbmwparts.com says the tension struts have been "discontinued"!

Kind of at a loss at the moment if there are no parts available. Really weird.

The latest part numbers for 31106890905 and 31106890906 are 31108854989 and 31108854990.

See this dealer parts website for reference: https://parts.bmwnorthwest.com/p/732...106890906.html

[mattsheng]

Originally Posted by mattsheng

The latest part numbers for 31106890905 and 31106890906 are 31108854989 and 31108854990.

See this dealer parts website for reference: https://parts.bmwnorthwest.com/p/732...106890906.html

BTW, the cross-referenced lemforder part numbers are here

Left tension strut 39984 01: https://aftermarket.zf.com/en/afterm...88&countryID=D

Right tension strut 39985 01: https://aftermarket.zf.com/en/afterm...88&countryID=D

FCP Euro has the right one in stock but not the left one. But they are only like $20 cheaper than the OEM one from getbmwparts.com

[admranger]

Originally Posted by mattsheng

The latest part numbers for 31106890905 and 31106890906 are 31108854989 and 31108854990.

See this dealer parts website for reference: https://parts.bmwnorthwest.com/p/732...106890906.html

Thanks! I had seen the 990 updated parts number out there but it said 2020+ X3 M40i with it.

I can't believe mine are failing w/only 29.5k miles on the car.

BTW: Neither is in stock at the linked dealership.

[mattsheng]

Originally Posted by admranger

Thanks! I had seen the 990 updated parts number out there but it said 2020+ X3 M40i with it.

I can't believe mine are failing w/only 29.5k miles on the car.

Damn... I will be checking them every 10k miles then...

[admranger]

Originally Posted by mattsheng

Damn... I will be checking them every 10k miles then...

You really can't see unless you have a borescope to get in there. It drives fine but the clunk/crunch noise isn't something I'm willing to live with since this is my wife's car.

[admranger]

Update: I have been unable to find the parts anywhere. They are backordered. "Check back in 4-6 weeks" seems to be a common request from the parts sellers.

[admranger]

FCP Euro has Lemforder tension struts back in stock. I just ordered a pair.

[g11hoonigan]

Originally Posted by admranger

Update: I have been unable to find the parts anywhere. They are backordered. "Check back in 4-6 weeks" seems to be a common request from the parts sellers.

Which sites you looked at?

Here were the 3 I saw which appear to have in-stock:
https://www.bmwpartsdeal.com/parts/b...tra2=&filter=()

https://www.genuinebmwminiparts.com/...990?origin=pla

https://www.bmwpartsnow.com/oem-part...990?origin=pla

[admranger]

Originally Posted by g11hoonigan

Which sites you looked at?

Here were the 3 I saw which appear to have in-stock:
https://www.bmwpartsdeal.com/parts/b...tra2=&filter=()

https://www.genuinebmwminiparts.com/...990?origin=pla

https://www.bmwpartsnow.com/oem-part...990?origin=pla

And when you email them to check for availability they say "check back in 4-6 weeks".

FCP Euro has the Lemforders in stock now so I ordered a set and am awaiting delivery. Lifetime warranty from FCP Euro so I'm good now.

[NashX3]

Originally Posted by admranger

And when you email them to check for availability they say "check back in 4-6 weeks".

FCP Euro has the Lemforders in stock now so I ordered a set and am awaiting delivery. Lifetime warranty from FCP Euro so I'm good now.

My mechanic says they should be getting mine in next month. This order was placed back in early March. I just hope this is the resolution to the noise. I have noticed, as it has warmed up here in TN, the noise no longer shows up unless over night temps dip into the low 50’s.

[admranger]

So I replaced these today. When I examined the Lemforder parts the part number was indeed the updated part numbers. That being said, I saw no discernible difference looking at the old vs. new part.

Pretty easy job, though you have to take the hub bolt out and remove the axle to get the tension strut hub end out. Kind of a pita, but you just work the axle out of the way and you can get the tension strut end out, then you slide the bushing end out of the connecting box it sits in.

A couple of things and I'm hoping someone like mattsheng can tell me the part numbers for the under tray screws and plastic clip nuts that they go into. While you don't need to take the under trays off (except the very corner pieces), I was still chasing the coolant smell so I wanted to use my UV flashlight to see if I could see anything (I put dye into the coolant).

I have searched RealOEM.com and can't find these. Why am I looking for these? Well, one was missing under my car (dealer service only except work I've done at my buddy's shop and I hadn't touched the under trays) and I managed to put too many micro ugga-duggas while tightening one and stripped it out.