Special dash rattle?
 

It looks like someone left a screw or some other metal object in the dash somewhere. When I drove my brand new 2006 X5 off the lot and took a fairly sharp quick turn we noticed a little rattle. After the next week it was easy to make the object move from left to right in the dash. I managed to wedge the object on one side of the vehicle and the service department couldn't hear it so they didn't do anything on my first visit back. About 1 month later after driving over some bumps, the dash rattle was back. So I made a movie so the service manager didn't think I was nuts! Whatever it is wedged itself again before I had my service appointment and it's in for service until they can figure it out. Service manager called to tell me it may be a few days. I already miss my X5 but the noise was starting to drive me nuts!

After seeing your video, it sounds like … a set of 30-weight ball bearings (it's all ball bearings, nowadays) ... :rofl:

Just kidding; I hope that your dealership can find and fix properly for you. Congratulations on your X5.

Mike

It sounds like a Pachinko machine. :rofl: At least you have the rattle isolated and can really hear it. I had a dash rattle that had me and my dealer going mad. We tried a half dozen fixes and it either went away or I got used to it. :tsk: Good luck with your ball bearing. :D

Good luck with this, dash rattles and squeaks can crack you up,
they always seem to be in inaccessable places.

I'm going to the dealer in the morning to take the service manager out for a ride in my X that they've had for two days...trying to duplicate what I describe as a penny in a metal coffee thermos noise that appears when the front end is under unequal load or turning. I swear it is in the steering column. It is driving me nuts.

I know what you mean.
I dropped a drill bit into my door cavity,
and just when I think the noise is gone,
then it comes back.
One of these days extreme action will have to be taken.

Foam it!

Yeah, foam it or tear it down.

I think the vent tubes behind the dash are made of metal - sounds like somthing in there to me... GL!

I'm posting this for future rattle searches. Went for a drive with the Service Manager and replicated the rattle. His suspicion was that the adjustable stops on the hood hinges (small 8mm adjustble threaded stops) were the cause. They greased them up and this appeared to lessen the noise and were planning to adjust them out 1/4 turn when they got it back in the shop. If this was indeed the problem, the hood was tapping this stop and resonating into the "A" pillar, which was then transmitting into the dash.

Incidentally, according to the dealer, BMW NA does not consider rattles as faults covered by warranty, but as "adjustments", and will therefor not pay the dealer to tear apart a dash or what have you. Hopefully, a quarter turn of a minor 8mm theaded stop will take care of this rattle.

I plan to post some pics...