My X5 sometimes feels like it's falling apart...

[ArNarX5]

So I took my wife's car to work yesterday (the X) and I realized that it has developed a few loose type noises since the last time I drove it about a month ago.

1. When you take you foot off the accelerator pedal and suddenly put it on again at about 10-20 miles per hour, you hear and feel a looseness type of clank sound. If you ease into the gas at the same speed, you'd never know the difference. Could this be a mount that has gone bad or do I smell tranny issues?

2. The steering wheel has started to make a clicking sound that happens when you move from center to left or right. You feel the click in your hand on the steering wheel. I'm sure many have experienced this before and so have I but on much crappier cars. Is that the rack and pinion, arms, or could it be as simple as a bushing in the steering column?

3. This noise was there before but it's gotten a bit louder not. It comes from the back of the car and happens if the car shifts weight slightly or if it hits potholes. I've stuffed every crack but I can't think what else I can look at. It has the self leveling suspension dome where the spare tire is located but I haven't opened that to look inside. Maybe something is loose there? Could it be the bushings on the rear shocks?

4. This noise was also there before but it annoys the living crap out of me. It sounds like it is coming from underneath the front passenger dash area (right under the wood trim piece and the airbag area. I've taken the glove box apart but everything seems tight so I'm out of ideas.

5. Lastly, I noticed that once in a while when slowing down to a stop you now feel a down shift happening where as before you never did.

The car is the 03 4.4 pictured in my profile with about 106k on the clock. I really love the car and it's overall very clean and most importantly... Paid off after sucking the life out of me for 5 years

What should I do? In you guys' experience / opinion... are these repairs major or small? I know noise in a car is like a warning sign, but as to what...

Thanks for your 2 cents!

[cfmistry]

2. It is probably your thrust arm bushings of LCA bushings. I had the same symptom, they replaced my thrust arm bushings and it got 90% better but it is not gone. I think my LCAs do need to be replaced as well.
-Cyrus

[ArNarX5]

thanks for letting me know. How much did it set you back for getting that done?

[Isambard]

1. Rear subframe bushes. I had the same sound/symptoms, thought it was my tranny too. Was under the rear one day and noticed my bushes had seen much better days. Replaced them. No noises, bangs, clanks etc. Drives like new, and the 'box feels as silky smooth as its supposed to!

Which will relate to your problems in number 3 too....

[Isambard]

5. I have the same issue. I've trawled the forums, and raked through this one. There doesn't seem to be an answer to this problem. People talk of 'tranny resets', software upgrades etc, but no-one has stumbled across/come up with a hard solution. I hope I am wrong, and someone will say 'here it is'!

[cfmistry]

By my understanding its not a hard project to take on yourself, I just don't have the facility or tools. Dealership took $920 out of my pocket for it!

[JBF]

2. I have this - dealers replaced the column bearings which helped a little but didn't get rid of it. I suspect #2 may need changing (RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 3.0d STEER.COL.-LOWER JOINT ASSY)

3. Annoying squeak coming from the rear over every little bump, particularly audible if you have the window open in an underground car park? Can you repeat it by standing on the running board and rocking the car? I have something like this - took it to the garage today where they put it in the pit and had a look around while I rocked the car. Seems to be coming from the rubber skirt of one of the rear air shocks. No signs of wear or damage so they are going to clean/lube it up and keep an eye on it. May be trouble ahead - eeek!

4. I think I have had this too. Annoying creak that sounds like it comes from inside the dash or the top of the front shocks? Front anti-roll bar bushes fixed it.

5. Are you sure it's a downshift? I read about something similar when I was looking to buy my X5. Is it like a gentle thump while slowing down, just as/before you come to a stop? It may be the rear subframe bushes. I think mine may be on the way out as I've started to notice this from time to time. My X is at 62k miles so that's about right.