I've developed a strange rattle in the front end of my '04 X5 with 66000 miles.
The suspension feels fine but it sounds like a bad strut or ball joint when hitting small bumps in the pavement at low speed. Everything that I've looked at appears to be OK and tight except that when i reach under the hood and grab the steering shaft where it comes out of the column through the firewall, I can shake it up an down. there is no play in the universal prior to its heading down to the steering rack, just this 1/8" of play where the shaft enters the firewall.

Twisting the steering wheel back and forth will produce a noise due to the stearing shaft play but it doesnt seem like the rattle i here on pavement joints at low speed.

Any ideas ...??

Peter D