[Minty]

Picked up a brand new X3 M40i a few weeks ago and immediately noticed an extremely irritating resonance / noise which appears to originate from the front . It is apparent at most speeds (albeit lower in volume) but very loud at 70mph on poorly surfaced roads.

I initially put it down to brand new tyres etc and decided to give it a few miles. I have now covered 800 miles and the noise appears to be worse if anything.

I have 21" 718m alloys with Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres.

I have booked it into the dealers next week (I also have an issue with the ambient lighting ) but wanted to ask the wisdom of community to point the technicians in the right direction.

I have made a short recording;

https://youtu.be/TE4yesdqvYY

Cheers,
Minty

[Legis]

The perculator noise is apparent in this model I’m afraid. Just search the forum, many of us have it. I have stopped noticing it now, almost a year into my ownership. Not sure if it’s still there to be honest.

[Minty]

Originally Posted by Legis

The perculator noise is apparent in this model I’m afraid. Just search the forum, many of us have it. I have stopped noticing it now, almost a year into my ownership. Not sure if it’s still there to be honest.

I did search the forum and found the 'percolator' noise threads but they sounded different to my noise. Mine is more of a resonance / vibration (although I cannot feel any vibration). It gets extremely loud on roads surfaced with loose chippings and becomes quite distracting / annoying.

I don't remember the demonstrator making the noise on the same road surface (although I was probably too busy enjoying it!).

I'd be very disappointed with BMW if this is a 'characteristic'...kinda defeats the purpose of specifying acoustic glass. My previous car, an F31 340i, not know for it's refinement, was quieter on this type of road

[Twickers]

Originally Posted by Minty

I did search the forum and found the 'percolator' noise threads but they sounded different to my noise. Mine is more of a resonance / vibration (although I cannot feel any vibration). It gets extremely loud on roads surfaced with loose chippings and becomes quite distracting / annoying.

I don't remember the demonstrator making the noise on the same road surface (although I was probably too busy enjoying it!).

I'd be very disappointed with BMW if this is a 'characteristic'...kinda defeats the purpose of specifying acoustic glass. My previous car, an F31 340i, not know for it's refinement, was quieter on this type of road

Was the demonstrator you drove an M40i as well? I am just asking as the stiffer nature of the M Perfomance chassis might be the cause of it (the stiffer chassis will resonate in a different way). I don't know if people with regular M Sport cars have also flagged this up? In saying that I am seriously pedantic when it comes to undue noise and I do not remember anything like it when I had my M40i, quite the opposite in fact, I found it fairly quiet (perhaps a bit of wind noise from the windows).

[Zero71]

Isn’t that just the sound of runflats. On good roads they are fine, on bad they make a lot of noise. My 4 sounds like it’s going to vibrate itself into little pieces when I drive certain stretches of the M25. Fortunately, living 400 miles from there it’s not somewhere I drive often.

[Legis]

Originally Posted by Minty

I did search the forum and found the 'percolator' noise threads but they sounded different to my noise. Mine is more of a resonance / vibration (although I cannot feel any vibration). It gets extremely loud on roads surfaced with loose chippings and becomes quite distracting / annoying.

I don't remember the demonstrator making the noise on the same road surface (although I was probably too busy enjoying it!).

I'd be very disappointed with BMW if this is a 'characteristic'...kinda defeats the purpose of specifying acoustic glass. My previous car, an F31 340i, not know for it's refinement, was quieter on this type of road

I listened to your video again, and I think I understand what you mean. Kind of a humming like something is not fully tied or two metal plates vibrating? I have something similar coming from mine sometimes, but it’s from the back. Not this loud though.

[Minty]

Originally Posted by Twickers

Was the demonstrator you drove an M40i as well? I am just asking as the stiffer nature of the M Perfomance chassis might be the cause of it (the stiffer chassis will resonate in a different way). I don't know if people with regular M Sport cars have also flagged this up? In saying that I am seriously pedantic when it comes to undue noise and I do not remember anything like it when I had my M40i, quite the opposite in fact, I found it fairly quiet (perhaps a bit of wind noise from the windows).

Yes, demonstrator was an M40i as well with the same tyre / suspension specification (21" Bridgestone and adaptive suspension). I have tried putting it into sport but it makes no difference.

I do accept that run flats generate more noise but my previous F31 with run flats didn't make this noise.

[Minty]

Originally Posted by Minty

Picked up a brand new X3 M40i a few weeks ago and immediately noticed an extremely irritating resonance / noise which appears to originate from the front . It is apparent at most speeds (albeit lower in volume) but very loud at 70mph on poorly surfaced roads.

I initially put it down to brand new tyres etc and decided to give it a few miles. I have now covered 800 miles and the noise appears to be worse if anything.

I have 21" 718m alloys with Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres.

I have booked it into the dealers next week (I also have an issue with the ambient lighting ) but wanted to ask the wisdom of community to point the technicians in the right direction.

I have made a short recording;

https://youtu.be/TE4yesdqvYY

Cheers,
Minty

***UPDATE***
I recently discussed this issue with my local friendly BMW Service Manager who came out for a test drive with a Master Technician and both concluded that it is normal tyre noise related to large wheels and low profile tyres and different road surfaces.

I was not convinced until they lent me another X3 M40i for the weekend with identical spec except it had Pirelli pZeros instead of Bridgestone’s and no acoustic glass. The noise was still apparent in the loan car but interestingly it had significant more ‘normal’ road noise which slightly drowned out the resonance noise and the ride was much more jiggly.

We discussed this and ended up swapping over the wheels to test and it was clear that the Pirelli’s were significantly firmer (same pressures) and still exhibited the noise. When I got the Bridgestone’s back on there was a noticeable improvement in smoothness and ride quality.

I think the problem is that because the acoustic glass masks all other noises so well, the resonance / drumming noise is the only noise you can hear! Looks like as others have said I need to learn to live with it.