steering noise - video diagnose
 

I had this exact same noise in my e36 and never pinpointed it. It's annoying though. I would imagine this is extremely common but I would like to get to the bottom of it. It seems pretty high up on the steering column...as in...i don't think it's tie rods. Seems like the steering U-joint if i had to guess.

It does sound like the U-Joints of the steering column. You can get to them and lube them however it's sounds normal to me. You have the engine off, you wont hear that with the engine on and the power steering working.

My X5 sat for a year and a lot of the front end components were rusted sitting here by the shore. One of the things I had to lube were those U joints, there is a rubber boot covering them both inside the car-under dash and outside near the firewall. Again mine were rusted and the steering was very hard...yours sound normal.

My 2002 started doing the same about a year ago, then advanced to a nice squeak. Now it starts to bind at 3/4 turn from center in either direction so I know it's the double U-joints. As they wear, they probably induce a side load into the column causing those noises.

2002 X5 3.0 240,000 miles today!
2004 325i 106,000 miles

no replaceable guibo or other parts i take it? doesn't look like it on RealOEM.

I would have someone watch the steering shaft u joint while turn turn the wheel to see if there is play in the joint. If I couldn't pin it down that way I would us an auto stethoscope to trace to the source.

i had everything apart this weekend and was able to grab the entire u-joint with my hands and work it back and forth. that's DEFINITELY where it is coming from. i suppose it's just wear. seems like i saw a thread somewhere that showed how to fix it. had something to with tightening up the torx bolts after realigning or something like that. i'll have to look for it. somewhat lower priority at present however...relative to certain other projects underway.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...wer-joint.html
Here you have it.