front suspension noise

texasbmw325i · 07-01-2010, 11:18 PM

whenever i go over speed bumps my car makes noises like a worn mattress. i am the first and only owner so i know the car has been driven very easily over bumps. and the car has about 82k miles on it. has anyone else experienced problems with their front suspension? i know the tires arent low either because i just checked them so it cant be that. it only makes noises on the front of the car.

bmw6953 · 07-02-2010, 12:10 AM

It looks like it might be time for new springs and shocks.

MFKN3 · 07-02-2010, 12:37 AM

shocks need replacing by the sound of it

ENINTY · 07-02-2010, 07:57 AM

My car used to make this noise too. I traced it to the accordion boots that cover the strut pistons on the front struts. On my car the boots are detached from the lower connection on the strut (near the lower spring mount). Look into the wheel well atop of the tire and look to see if the boots have detached. I think over time the rubber boots shrink and become loose.

Darklighter · 09-14-2010, 02:30 AM

My car's done it since it's first fall in 07. Now that it's getting colder and wet again, it's back with a vengeance and very annoying since it seems to have gotten worse. It used to be mostly just over speed bumps but now it does it on a lot of road bumps too.

Going to complain yet again when I bring it in for service and hope it can be fixed before I run out of warranty in a few months.

Chriztofor · 09-14-2010, 06:21 AM

Why do people expect cars not to require any maintenance? 82,000 miles and you are wondering why your suspension is making noise and needs to be inspected? It doesn't matter if you baby the car; age/mileage also plays a role.

Neutrino45 · 09-14-2010, 09:20 PM

How can you tell if your shocks, springs, suspension need to be replaced? Is it by feeling the way the car drives or is it something that can be measured, similar to brake pad and rotor thickness?

I have similar noise when I go over speed bumps.

ENINTY · 09-15-2010, 08:52 AM

You can tell if the springs are in need of replacement by a change in the stock suspension setup ride height. BMW measures the ride height by the distance of the bottom lip of the fenderwell directy above the axel to the street. Shocks are really worn out when they start to leak oil, but shocks to degrade over time and you can tell by bouncing the suspension and seeing how many times the car moves up and down before it stops. On BMWs with such tight suspensions this test is not such a good inticator. The best way is to see how the car drives. The suspension loosens up over time due to wear of the many components of the suspension such as ball joints and bushings. If the suspension can't be set to hold the stock alignment, then components are worn to the point of replacement.

Neutrino45 · 09-15-2010, 11:42 AM

ENINTY, thanks for the info!

xPETEZx · 10-06-2012, 03:21 PM

Sorry to drag this topic out of the grave, and on my first post too.
However I googled this exact issue and have same problem.

I wonder if the OP ever had this fixed, and if so how?

Thanks!

stimpy · 10-07-2012, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xPETEZx

Sorry to drag this topic out of the grave, and on my first post too.
However I googled this exact issue and have same problem.

I wonder if the OP ever had this fixed, and if so how?

Thanks!

I don't know what exactly the OP did but there really is only one option when this happens - replace your shocks. I'm sure his springs were fine but at 82k it's time for the shocks to go. He either replaced them with OEM or bought aftermarket.

This problem just reared it's ugly head on my FK Silverline X's so I went with HPA's Koni/Swift setup.

youngdoc1 · 10-07-2012, 01:21 PM

Hey,

Had this exact same problem this weekend on my 2009 E82 with only 24k miles on it. I only noticed the noise on speed bumps. Front sway bar bushings were replaced and problem is gone. I dont know if the same applies to the E9x as well?

xPETEZx · 10-07-2012, 04:29 PM

I had a good look at my front springs + shocks, and both sides look identical.
While I was there, I did notice the front driver side (right hand drive) was ever so slightly lower.
My very unsientific test was to put my fist on the top of the tire. On the passenger side, my fist fits between the tire an the arch. Touching both.
On the driver side, I can only get 4 fingers in the gap.

This all point to it being the shock?
If so, should these be done in pairs?

07-01-2010, 11:18 PM	#1
texasbmw325i Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: 2011 jeep grand cherokee overl Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: here and there iTrader: (0)	front suspension noise whenever i go over speed bumps my car makes noises like a worn mattress. i am the first and only owner so i know the car has been driven very easily over bumps. and the car has about 82k miles on it. has anyone else experienced problems with their front suspension? i know the tires arent low either because i just checked them so it cant be that. it only makes noises on the front of the car.
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07-02-2010, 12:10 AM	#2
bmw6953 Second Lieutenant 23 Rep 257 Posts Drives: 2006 325i Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: california iTrader: (0)	It looks like it might be time for new springs and shocks.
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07-02-2010, 12:37 AM	#3
MFKN3 Colonel 127 Rep 2,224 Posts Drives: supercharged 4.4L stroker E92 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia iTrader: (2)	shocks need replacing by the sound of it
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07-02-2010, 07:57 AM	#4
ENINTY Banned 173 Rep 3,415 Posts Drives: 2006 325i Sport Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	My car used to make this noise too. I traced it to the accordion boots that cover the strut pistons on the front struts. On my car the boots are detached from the lower connection on the strut (near the lower spring mount). Look into the wheel well atop of the tire and look to see if the boots have detached. I think over time the rubber boots shrink and become loose.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-14-2010, 02:30 AM	#5
Darklighter Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 248 Posts Drives: e92 328i Sparkling Graphite Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (1)	My car's done it since it's first fall in 07. Now that it's getting colder and wet again, it's back with a vengeance and very annoying since it seems to have gotten worse. It used to be mostly just over speed bumps but now it does it on a lot of road bumps too. Going to complain yet again when I bring it in for service and hope it can be fixed before I run out of warranty in a few months. __________________ 2007 e92 328i Sparkling Graphite \| Sport package \| Gray poplar wood \| Rogue Ikon exhaust
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09-14-2010, 06:21 AM	#6
Chriztofor Colonel 103 Rep 2,783 Posts Drives: '06 325i and '13 X5 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Burbs iTrader: (1)	Why do people expect cars not to require any maintenance? 82,000 miles and you are wondering why your suspension is making noise and needs to be inspected? It doesn't matter if you baby the car; age/mileage also plays a role. __________________ If no codes are being thrown use Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner (concentrate). It solves rpm fluctuating upon cold start-up. Also, for most BMW problems start off by scanning your car with the Peake Research Tool. It contains the actual BMW codes. If you want to register a newly installed battery for free (just buy a $10 cable) and google/download BMWLogger
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09-14-2010, 09:20 PM	#7
Neutrino45 Major 62 Rep 1,452 Posts Drives: XXX Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: milky way iTrader: (2)	How can you tell if your shocks, springs, suspension need to be replaced? Is it by feeling the way the car drives or is it something that can be measured, similar to brake pad and rotor thickness? I have similar noise when I go over speed bumps. __________________
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09-15-2010, 08:52 AM	#8
ENINTY Banned 173 Rep 3,415 Posts Drives: 2006 325i Sport Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	You can tell if the springs are in need of replacement by a change in the stock suspension setup ride height. BMW measures the ride height by the distance of the bottom lip of the fenderwell directy above the axel to the street. Shocks are really worn out when they start to leak oil, but shocks to degrade over time and you can tell by bouncing the suspension and seeing how many times the car moves up and down before it stops. On BMWs with such tight suspensions this test is not such a good inticator. The best way is to see how the car drives. The suspension loosens up over time due to wear of the many components of the suspension such as ball joints and bushings. If the suspension can't be set to hold the stock alignment, then components are worn to the point of replacement.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-15-2010, 11:42 AM	#9
Neutrino45 Major 62 Rep 1,452 Posts Drives: XXX Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: milky way iTrader: (2)	ENINTY, thanks for the info! __________________
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10-06-2012, 03:21 PM	#10
xPETEZx Captain 46 Rep 663 Posts Drives: Golf R Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: London iTrader: (0)	Grave digging! Sorry to drag this topic out of the grave, and on my first post too. However I googled this exact issue and have same problem. I wonder if the OP ever had this fixed, and if so how? Thanks!
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10-07-2012, 01:21 PM	#12
youngdoc1 Private First Class 34 Rep 150 Posts Drives: 2019 X4 M40i Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Toronto, Ontario iTrader: (0)	Hey, Had this exact same problem this weekend on my 2009 E82 with only 24k miles on it. I only noticed the noise on speed bumps. Front sway bar bushings were replaced and problem is gone. I dont know if the same applies to the E9x as well?
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10-07-2012, 04:29 PM	#13
xPETEZx Captain 46 Rep 663 Posts Drives: Golf R Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: London iTrader: (0)	I had a good look at my front springs + shocks, and both sides look identical. While I was there, I did notice the front driver side (right hand drive) was ever so slightly lower. My very unsientific test was to put my fist on the top of the tire. On the passenger side, my fist fits between the tire an the arch. Touching both. On the driver side, I can only get 4 fingers in the gap. This all point to it being the shock? If so, should these be done in pairs?
	Appreciate 0 Quote