E53 rear noise - rumble / vibration

[samcoombes]

Hi Guys

I'm at a loose end here. My 2004 3.0D is still making an intermittant rumble / groan / vibration from the rear.

I occassionally tow a caravan and this makes it slightly worse, but it is there at all different times.

• More often than not around 40 mph
• If i floor it, the rumble is loud
• If I corner with a bit of speed, the vibration is bad, but it can vibrate a lot on a straight road too.

To date I have been to 3 garages (a tyre shop, a wheel balancing place and an Indy) and nobody can find anything.

It has recently had:

• All new tyres
• Hunter wheel alignment
• Full service
• Rear brake calipers stripped and cleaned (they thought it could be a sticky caliper)

Can anyone suggest anything? The vibration feels almost like the rear wheels are loose (they are not).

Thanks in anticipation.

[andrej1979]

Have you looked at wheel bearings?

[samcoombes]

Indy did - he said the noise would be near constant if they were an issue? I also asked the alignment chap and he said he could find no play at all?

[srmmmm]

Are you feeling the vibration, or just hearing it? Take a look at all your exhaust system mounting points and make sure everything is secure.

2002 X5 3.0 322,900 miles
2014 428i 27,000 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

1970 Firebird - Under restoration

[smokeyyank]

Is the sound only present when gas is applied or constant at the 40mph mark? That can help determine driveline issue vs everything else. I would check your flex disc for cracks and make sure that is in working order. Also the center support bearing and u joint can go bad and have some of the symptoms you describe. Has your rear diff ever been serviced? When you floor it and there is a rumble is that from a stop or anytime you're hard on the throttle? If you're at the 40mph mark and its rumbling and you hit the brakes what happens?

[samcoombes]

My Indy checked the diff and drivetrain and said all is good. I crawled under and checked the flexdisc and that too looks ok. Car has only done 97k miles?

The rumble is around 40mph at any speed. Joining a motorway for example is most noticeable, or if going uphill at speed and it drops a gear, the vibration is really bad for a few seconds or so them goes.

If i brake, the noise stops after i have reduced speed.

I thought the rear diff was sealed? I can change the oil then?

[Lamby]

Just had mine in for the same sound, hoped it was a wheel bearing, turns out it was the rear diff that has gone BANG! Cost? Well, £1,750 for the part from bmw and £450 for the garage to fit it and 2 x litres of oil at £24.99 per litre! Ouch, last time this is happening to me... I am not spending any more money on her...

[wpoll]

Dang, Lamby. There's nothing left to go wrong now - you've replaced nearly everything!

[Lamby]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Dang, Lamby. There's nothing left to go wrong now - you've replaced nearly everything!

I am so unlucky with this damn X5, I could fall in a bucket of t*ts and come out sucking my own thumb.

Still, pretty much feel the same, pay the bill, keep it, then (hopefully it will last) a couple more years.

I have to say, that its certainly the last big ticket item that will go wrong with it before I show it the big scrapyard in the sky.

[Ryoken]

Lamby, your not on your own on this, i could post up what ive done on mine , (and future jobs i know im going to have to do)but i feel i would wear my fingers down to the bone,
but i see it as its a 2002 car with 167k on it , things will need repairing ,
but stiff upper lip ol boy