[fl-bimmer]

I was driving my 2008 e90 home yesterday and noticed a sound and as I was driving down my street hit a bump and the whole rear end swayed like crazy. Looked under the left rear wheel and see the guide rod is swinging free (bolt backed itself out and is missing).

I called the collision center at the BMW dealer that worked on my car in March (accident, some idiot ran into my left rear wheel) and told him what I found. He told me that was several months ago and is not his fault. I countered back that the bolt was not properly torqued in since they replaced most of the rear suspension, including the guide rod with the missing bolt. He said if it wasn't torqued right I would have seen something earlier.

What's anyone's opinion?? It didn't shear off. it backed out and is missing!!

Thanks for your input.

[e679]

Did they replace with new bolts and lock nuts. If no, the old bolts may have became fragile after the impact. If yes, there is a very high chance that the bolt wasn't torque right or worse wasn't torque at all.

[CALWATERBOY]

Originally Posted by fl-bimmer

What's anyone's opinion?? It didn't shear off. it backed out and is missing!!

You're screwed. Har!

So, stop by BMW & score new....raise rear.....torque. Prob <$10 and you're good.

[CALWATERBOY]

Originally Posted by fl-bimmer

I called the collision center at the BMW dealer that worked on my car in March (accident, some idiot ran into my left rear wheel)....

Exactly what work was done?

[fl-bimmer]

BMW Assist towed to dealer. Dealer called and said it was their fault. He suspected someone reused the same bolt instead of using a new bolt. They also checked the whole rear end to see if any other bolts in the rear suspension were loose.

Glad this did not happen on the highway....could have been MUCH worse!!

[jasonschock]

Crazy. This just happened to my 2006 330i. Started from a stop light and hit light bump in the intersection, heard a pop and some noise, felt it get loose and clunky, especially as I turned down a side street to inspect. Luckily, it was low speed but I'd just finished a ~200 mile trip. Would have been a catastrophic failure on the freeway.

Super loose wheel when I took it off. The free end of the guide rod pressed against part of the boot around the CV joint and twisted it a bit, squeezed out a bunch of grease. Rubber looks intact, just twisted around a bit.

The bolt happened to land in the roll-over strut, so I fished it out and it looks fine. No visible damage, didn't shear. I'm going to replace it myself and take it back to the indie mechanics that worked on it. They've replaced the left rear bearing twice -- plus the hub and axle once -- because it keeps exploding for some unexplained reason. And now this ... Otherwise good mechanics, but I know for a fact they used the old bolts.

[CALWATERBOY]

Originally Posted by fl-bimmer

I was driving my 2008 e90 home yesterday and noticed a sound and as I was driving down my street hit a bump and the whole rear end swayed like crazy. Looked under the left rear wheel and see the guide rod is swinging free (bolt backed itself out and is missing).

I called the collision center at the BMW dealer that worked on my car in March (accident, some idiot ran into my left rear wheel) and told him what I found. He told me that was several months ago and is not his fault. I countered back that the bolt was not properly torqued in since they replaced most of the rear suspension, including the guide rod with the missing bolt. He said if it wasn't torqued right I would have seen something earlier.

What's anyone's opinion?? It didn't shear off. it backed out and is missing!!

Thanks for your input.

My opinion: Yer screwed

Ho ho ho ho ho!

Can't prove nothin'....may as well chalk it up....retorqued suspension bolts a good practice from time to time. When replacing mine, found a couple of [not critical] bolts at much less torque than spec. Scared myself!

Time for Christmas Cheer!