[pits200]

Originally Posted by bope

Can you try to turn off clima button, because I hear similar sound when my clima is on. When I shut off clima, this sound is dissapeare...

Your issue is very different, yours is the hvac blower located behind the glove compartment. $100 to replace the part yourself.

[ccraig13]

Just started hearing this sound after I got my winter tires installed this week. I even had my fluid replaced at 75k. I have 99k on it now. Darn, that money was supposed to go to my new clutch

[famsedan]

Hm, you guys don't really have that many miles... Are we sure this is the case? I'm not saying I don't believe you OP, but has anyone else had this diagnosed as well?

Who's to say this potential diff issue isn't going to happen every 65-80k miles. Might consider trading in my xi for an i if that's the case.

[bope]

Originally Posted by pits200

Your issue is very different, yours is the hvac blower located behind the glove compartment. $100 to replace the part yourself.

Ok, but why this sound dissapear when ventilation working, and clima button is turn off?

[E36graduate]

I would have checked to see if any oil was in the front diff first!?!? The E90 was know to have some issues with the front diff leaking. There isn't much oil in there to start. Mine was leaking pretty bad. Added some thicker gear oil and drove it until I had to redo the clutch. At that time I ended up finally fixing the output shaft O ring. I'm at 132K and feels good.

[ColdTestament]

Updates folks - i went ahead and bout the differential from from Bmw of South Atlanta. It came nicely packed and on time. I did this after I was told that the dealership could do nothing for me. I had a pending BMW of NA complaint open for a good will repair that I'd not heard back from until last week.

They acknowledged that the part should not have broken with so few miles and were going to cover the part and give me the warranty rate for labor.. So, the dealership will write me a check for $1365 for the part that I brought to them and it will end up being about $7 or 800 bucks for the install verses the $4000 they initially quoted.

So

Looks like it may have worked out. I left in my dci and my jb4 - but seeing that it's out of warranty I imagine it wouldnt have made that big of a deal.

Still not money I wanted to spend but if I had to spend something this situation was definitely preferable.

graphite..

[famsedan]

Nice! Glad everything worked out for you! We can only hope it's as painless for everyone else that runs into this issue

[GB-335xiCoupe]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

Just started hearing this sound after I got my winter tires installed this week. I even had my fluid replaced at 75k. I have 99k on it now. Darn, that money was supposed to go to my new clutch

EXACT same thing here. I just put on my winters. The noise is not exactly the same - more like if you make the crowd noise in your cupped hands... then when it shifts it goes CLUNK. When I let off the gas, it goes away. Maybe mine is a different problem? Car is at 69k miles.

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by GB-335xiCoupe

EXACT same thing here. I just put on my winters. The noise is not exactly the same - more like if you make the crowd noise in your cupped hands... then when it shifts it goes CLUNK. When I let off the gas, it goes away. Maybe mine is a different problem? Car is at 69k miles.

Yeah that does sound different especially since mine makes the sound regardless of whether the clutch is engaged or not, it's speed dependent. The shop told me my transfer case is making the noise, but said it's not gonna blow up, always a good thing . I was about to just have them replace it but now I'm not sure I want to just yet. They replaced the fluid so I'm gonna wait it out since I've heard others had to drive about 1k miles with the new fluid before the sound started to get quieter. Besides the noise, there's no difference in drivability. Having the radio on or even just the heater fans is enough to drown it out.

[ccraig13]

Update: I took my car to another shop today and they said it was definitely my winter tires. I'm glad cause I was quoted around $3k for a new transfer case. However, the guy did say that even if it was my TC, he wouldn't bother replacing it since it's just an annoyance and isn't going to blow up

[GB-335xiCoupe]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

Update: I took my car to another shop today and they said it was definitely my winter tires. I'm glad cause I was quoted around $3k for a new transfer case. However, the guy did say that even if it was my TC, he wouldn't bother replacing it since it's just an annoyance and isn't going to blow up

I'm concerned it will potentially affect handling - if that front right wheel is supposed to grab and give me power in a dynamic stability situation, it could be ugly. ALso, if it's just the TC, would that affect the shifting, and make a gear change rough? Mine has the AT6.

I can't see winter tires being the cause of this condition. Although, that is when it began...

[wdeerfield]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

Update: I took my car to another shop today and they said it was definitely my winter tires. I'm glad cause I was quoted around $3k for a new transfer case. However, the guy did say that even if it was my TC, he wouldn't bother replacing it since it's just an annoyance and isn't going to blow up

winter tires do make a hell of a noise on dry roads. my blizzak's have a few season on them and they hum pretty loud. nothing turning the radio up cant fix.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by GB-335xiCoupe

EXACT same thing here. I just put on my winters. The noise is not exactly the same - more like if you make the crowd noise in your cupped hands... then when it shifts it goes CLUNK. When I let off the gas, it goes away. Maybe mine is a different problem? Car is at 69k miles.

Wow i've been noticing a whirring at highway speeds and this thread had me having a heart attack... Now that I think about it I only noticed it after I switched to winters too so hopefully that is it and not my front diff

[GB-335xiCoupe]

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

winter tires do make a hell of a noise on dry roads. my blizzak's have a few season on them and they hum pretty loud. nothing turning the radio up cant fix.

This noise is most definitely NOT coming from the tires themselves. The noise is not always there, and when driving on dry pavement, these tires (Continental Extreme Winters) are whisper quiet.

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by GB-335xiCoupe

I'm concerned it will potentially affect handling - if that front right wheel is supposed to grab and give me power in a dynamic stability situation, it could be ugly. ALso, if it's just the TC, would that affect the shifting, and make a gear change rough? Mine has the AT6.

I can't see winter tires being the cause of this condition. Although, that is when it began...

A guy over on X Outpost (he has an X5) said he had the exact same whine and had them put fresh fluid in. After 1k miles of driving he said he was noise free.

Another note about my noise is that in changes pitch when the roads are wet. This seems that it would point to it being the tires again for me.

[GB-335xiCoupe]

Well I haven't figured out what the real cause is, but in my case, it has gone away for now... I live in Wisconsin, and the noise started when the temperature got below freezing.
Then, we had a few days where it was in the negative-teens. As it got colder, the noise and hard shifts got worse and worse...
Then last week, we had a reprieve. Temps went up to 34F. Problem disappeared completely. So this is obviously temperature-related. Or at least it gets exacerbated when the temperature is low. So that would lead me to believe it is probably low or old transmission fluid? Are there separate fluid locations for X-drive cars in each corner? If the culprit is transmission fluid, wouldn't it seem strange that the noise was only coming from the front passenger corner...?