[BanziBarn]

Hi Guys,

I normally have the Alpine on pretty loud so I'm not sure how long this has been going on!

You know when you take off in a passenger jet and the engines are on full power? Well, that noise (kind of winy) is coming from my car at motor way speeds. It's not massively loud, but constant. If I change gear but maintain the same speed the noise stays the same so I presume it's coming from the wheel side of the gear box? Or, even the gear box it's self?

I know it's a vague post but just thought someone may have heard something similar before......

Thanks for any comments

[doughboy]

If it is related to road speed, not engine speed, then like you say it will be something from output side of the gearbox to the wheels.

Sounds a bit like a wheel bearing...

[BanziBarn]

I did curb a wheel the other week - Not badly though. Could that do something to a wheel bearing?

[doughboy]

Definitely, did you bump up the curb or just brush it?

Which wheel? Did this coincide with the noise starting?

[xenon]

Also, if it is a wheel bearing and it's making a noise like you describe you need to get it fixed right away before it siezes. Wheel bearings usually grind or rumble - if it's screaming it's dangerously fcuked.

[BanziBarn]

Thanks for the info.

It's by no means screaming - you might not notice the noise if you weren't really in tune with how the car normally sounds.

I bumped the front left, going about 5 miles per hour following a very narrow road round to the right.... Trying hard not to clip the rear right, I turned too late and hit the front left. There's only slight damage to the wheel, a lot less that you see on most cars!

But, if it is the bearing then I'm worried about the possibility of it seizing.

I guess I need to get the wheel refurbished first though so the dealer doesn't try and make me pay for the repair if it is indeed the bearing.

[Josh1a1h]

I have heard gearbox's when they are on there way out and the whining is mental.

Definitely get it checked out ASAP

Gd luck that it is something minor

[bmwak]

When your car makes this noise try coasting (clutch down but letting the car run). Does the noise continue? If it doesn't then it is gearbox related. If it does, then I'd probably hazard a guess that it could be a wheel bearing.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by bmwak

When your car makes this noise try coasting (clutch down but letting the car run). Does the noise continue? If it doesn't then it is gearbox related. If it does, then I'd probably hazard a guess that it could be a wheel bearing.

It's an auto. Could try putting the car in neutral at speed and allow the revs drop to idle.

[xenon]

The dealer might make you pay for the repair anyway - they could argue a bearing is a consumable item. Depends on mileage I suppose.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by xenon

The dealer might make you pay for the repair anyway - they could argue a bearing is a consumable item. Depends on mileage I suppose.

Good point - 30k miles

[xenon]

In that case it should be covered.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by xenon

In that case it should be covered.

Hope so. At least I'll get some value out of the £400 odd that I pay for the warranty!

The car is so dirty, it's a disgrace - It'll be worth taking it in for the wash alone!

[BanziBarn]

Car has failed the MOT. It's the rear wheel bearing! Not covered under the warranty as it's wear and tear. £250....

The car has only done 30k miles - that's quite annoying, especially after forking out over £400 for a warranty to provide me with piece of mind!

EDIT: Phoned BMW warranty and they says that every component on the car is covered against sudden failure if it's not related to mileage or age.

I don't know anything about bearings, but am I safe to argue that after 30k a wheel bearing should definitely not fail due to the mileage alone?

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

Phoned BMW warranty and they says that every component on the car is covered against sudden failure if it's not related to mileage or age.

I don't now anything about bearings, but am I safe to argue that after 30k a wheel bearing should definitely not fail due to the mileage alone?

30k is way too low for a wheel bearing to fail, it's not wear and tear.

TBH without curbing or collision they should last the life of the car.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by doughboy

30k is way too low for a wheel bearing to fail, it's not wear and tear.

TBH without curbing or collision they should last the life of the car.

Cheers, appreciate that. Defo no collision. I can see an argument coming on... Wish me luck!

[xenon]

Agree with DB and it's what I said earlier. 30k is nothing but they might argue that because it's failed at such a low mileage it can only be because it's been abused against a kerb. Whether they'll win such an arguement is down to you...

Good luck.

[doughboy]

......and the design life of a major brand european vehicle these days is 300,000km / 10 years with just service items and friction surfaces replaced.....

Which wheel bearings are not.

[BanziBarn]

Hopefully they won't be able to use the damage thing because my rear wheels have no marks on them, yet its easy to see that they look used and not newly refurbished. Fingers crossed!

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by doughboy

......and the design life of a major brand european vehicle these days is 300,000km / 10 years with just service items and friction surfaces replaced.....

Which wheel bearings are not.

Nice one

[BanziBarn]

Turns out that it was the local indi garage where we had the MOT done that told my wife that bearings won't be covered under warranty, not the BMW garage...

So, I've booked the car in to BMW and explained that BMW Warranty said all components are covered and I wasn't told otherwise by the service guy. I'm still expecting them to do the work and then claim I have to pay afterwards - but I'll deal with that at the time.

The other issue which has now reared it's ugly head is that of the lead times to get your car booked into a BMW garage. I should have just got the MOT booked into BMW in the first place but it didn't occur to me that the car might fail (probably naively) - We've got two kids so it's much more convenience for the wife to drop the car off around the corner and walk home, than go to the BMW garage.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that the MOT will run out a week today, and the car is booked into the BMW garage on the Monday - so basically I'll have no MOT over the weekend (which is stressing me out), but it's the only way we can get the car fixed under warranty.

We won't drive the car over the weekend, apart from taking it to the garage on the Monday but still, this Warranty thing is looking less and less appealing now if you have to wait ages to get work done!

[Dr Dave]

You'll be OK, don't worry.

I would expect a bearing to last much much longer than 30K so I would expect this to be covered on a warranty.