Annoying vibration at 75mph

Vote Quimby · 06-15-2010, 10:58 PM

I picked up a CPO 2008 335i sedan over the weekend and drove it home about 600 miles. I noticed a very annoying persistent vibration on the highway, even on brand new roads, mostly at or around 75 mph.

I suspect that it has something to with the balancing or alignment that was done when the dealer installed new OEM 18" Bridgestone tires. I'm not overly familiar with run-flats, but I've never seen a wheel with as many wheel weights as my two fronts and I can't help wonder if this has anything to do with it (see attached photos). It seemed to be most noticeable at that speed and regardless of whether I was in 5th or 6th gear, so I assume that it is independent of the drive components.

Is this consistent with a simple re-balancing issue?

Thanks

Roowah · 06-15-2010, 11:08 PM

That does seem like a lot of weight. If I could guess, possibly the rim has a small bend in it (possibly from hitting a pothole by the previous owner), and instead of getting it straightened correctly, compensated by trying to balance it with a lot of counterweight.

BMWinNorthdakota · 06-15-2010, 11:10 PM

Back to the dealer ASAP if this is CPO. Unacceptable considering the premium price you paid to have that CPO badge... You think they would notice something like that with those "209358320852305832 point inspections"

benny90 · 06-15-2010, 11:11 PM

I had the same problem, but it was because my tire tread was getting low. It definitely sounds like you have a tire balancing problem.

Orient330iNYC · 06-15-2010, 11:28 PM

bent rim most likely, do you know if the tires were replaced because of bubbles?

06mb325 · 06-16-2010, 12:20 AM

x2 bent rims. One of the first things the dealers do to CPO is change all tires. If you recently bought it, then it should have almost new, if not new tires. It is most most most probably the rims.

1bad335 · 06-16-2010, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roowah

That does seem like a lot of weight. If I could guess, possibly the rim has a small bend in it (possibly from hitting a pothole by the previous owner), and instead of getting it straightened correctly, compensated by trying to balance it with a lot of counterweight.

I agree 100%. That looks like way too much weight. I would say that wheel is junk and should be replaced. I just bought a CPO 335I myself and had a bad tire within the first week. Brought it back and they replaced it no questions asked. I would not accept a repair of that wheel and would insist on a new wheel. Good Luck

3Aims · 06-30-2010, 04:33 PM

Is there a benchmark for how much weight should be on a truly straight OEm BMW wheel and tire?

Nedim · 06-30-2010, 04:46 PM

My car was doing that a while back too, i thought it was a bent rim. But it was the tire

EHDEN · 06-30-2010, 06:36 PM

i'd have your tires checked. it shouldn't vibrate at all. did you get this fixed yet?

MrDummy · 07-01-2010, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bad335

I agree 100%. That looks like way too much weight. I would say that wheel is junk and should be replaced. I just bought a CPO 335I myself and had a bad tire within the first week. Brought it back and they replaced it no questions asked. I would not accept a repair of that wheel and would insist on a new wheel. Good Luck

I agree as well, bent rims are usually the case esp. with RFTs. But that is also a ton of stick on wieght. But knowing most dealerships foreign and domestic it is a cheap fix used for a slightly bent rim.

texasKA · 07-01-2010, 09:42 AM

you need not worry about "too much weight" on the weight blocks. that amount of weight is nothing.

if the tire needs 4 ounces to balance, then the darn thing needs 4 ounces. no way around it. you should have seen how many weights were on my 35" mud-terrains on my jeep. but, the tires drove smooth with zero vibration. the tire shop will install the correct amount of weights to make the tire balanced - so there is never a "too much weight" or whatever comment like that.

if you want to minimize the amount of weight, tell the shop to align the yellow dot stamped on the tire to the valve stem. the yellow dot is the lightest part of the tire (tires dont have even distribution of weight around the circumference. its not perfect). if your tires are new, there should be a yellow dot and maybe a red dot.

1 - run flats are terrible. they tire and wheel might be balanced, but the road compliance of the tire is shit and you could still get vibration.

2 - if the tires are new, just get them to rebalance it.

3 - if vibration still occurs after rebalancing, ask them to check for the "roundness" of the tire. tires are not always perfect circles. they have dead spots, flat spots, high spots, etc.

bimmer_335 · 07-01-2010, 11:06 AM

what you didnt test drive the car before you bought it? I'm surprised...

anyhow... sounds like a wheel balance issue... but get the original dealer involved... at least call the sales person in case it turns out wheel is bent or somthing.

F32Fleet · 07-01-2010, 11:47 AM

Tire guys have told me that almost every sport pkg equiped BMW with RFT's has atleast 1 bent rim. Looks like that maybe the case with your CPO.

ShastaMan · 07-01-2010, 10:39 PM

Is the vibration in front or the rear? Either your wheels are out of balance or you have a serious suspension problem. I would call the dealer.

cfabluenose · 07-01-2010, 10:52 PM

Having experienced a bent rim, I would check on that. The vibration is wicked.

Vote Quimby · 07-15-2010, 08:59 PM

OK, so my dealer here in Toronto has confirmed that I have three mildly bent rims (hence the bucketload of wheel weighs).

I contacted the salesperson at the dealership where I bought it in New York, who insist that they would not have sold a car with bent rims and refuses to pay for it, despite the fact that I sent them a letter about it immediately after I drove it home.

In answer to 'bimmer_335"'s question, I purchased the car sight unseen from Toronto and asked to test drive it on a freeway when I arrived to take delivery, but was told that this would not be possible as there are no freeways in their immediate vicinity.

I'm drafting a letter to the owner of the dealership and plan to take it up with the BBB if he's not willing to make the situation right, but was wondering if anyone out there can suggest any other avenues (consumer protection agencies, regulatory bodies, etc). I should mention that the car was advertised and prepped as CPO, but that I had them remove the certification prior to sale to save a few bucks as the warranty coverage is not valid in Canada.

Thanks in advance for your insights.

Vote Quimby · 07-18-2010, 03:43 PM

Anyone?

Rice&Pumkin · 07-19-2010, 08:15 PM

It might be a bent wheel had the same problem in the winter time hitting all the unavoidable pto holes in nyc.

dynamite196 · 07-19-2010, 09:26 PM

That does seem like a lot of weight. Have them check the rim runout, if the runout is within spec, you most likely have a defective/damaged tire. FYI, it's possible for the tire to "balance out" on the machine (i.e. the machine believe the tire is 100% balanced) yet you feel plenty of vibration when driving. I had a similar problem on my previous vehicle and I feel for you 100%, it's annoying as F***!

06-15-2010, 10:58 PM	#1
Vote Quimby First Lieutenant 90 Rep 313 Posts Drives: G80 M3CX, G01 X3 M40i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Toronto iTrader: (3)	Annoying vibration at 75mph - 2008 335i I picked up a CPO 2008 335i sedan over the weekend and drove it home about 600 miles. I noticed a very annoying persistent vibration on the highway, even on brand new roads, mostly at or around 75 mph. I suspect that it has something to with the balancing or alignment that was done when the dealer installed new OEM 18" Bridgestone tires. I'm not overly familiar with run-flats, but I've never seen a wheel with as many wheel weights as my two fronts and I can't help wonder if this has anything to do with it (see attached photos). It seemed to be most noticeable at that speed and regardless of whether I was in 5th or 6th gear, so I assume that it is independent of the drive components. Is this consistent with a simple re-balancing issue? Thanks
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06-15-2010, 11:08 PM	#2
Roowah Captain 28 Rep 811 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 330i 6MT Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cambridge, MA iTrader: (0)	That does seem like a lot of weight. If I could guess, possibly the rim has a small bend in it (possibly from hitting a pothole by the previous owner), and instead of getting it straightened correctly, compensated by trying to balance it with a lot of counterweight. __________________ 2006 E90 330i 6MT: TiAg\|Black Leather\|Poplar Trim\|Premium Package\|Cold Weather Package 2003 E46 325i 5MT: Retired - The beginning of my BMW obsession!
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06-15-2010, 11:10 PM	#3
BMWinNorthdakota Banned 244 Rep 1,106 Posts Drives: 2007 bmw 335i e90 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Fargo ND iTrader: (0)	Back to the dealer ASAP if this is CPO. Unacceptable considering the premium price you paid to have that CPO badge... You think they would notice something like that with those "209358320852305832 point inspections"
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06-15-2010, 11:11 PM	#4
benny90 Major 55 Rep 1,182 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 330i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (24) Garage List 2006 330i [10.00]	I had the same problem, but it was because my tire tread was getting low. It definitely sounds like you have a tire balancing problem. __________________ 2006 330i E90 \|\| Jet Black on Terra \|\| STEP \| ZSP \| ZPP \| FULL M-tech Kit \| Linea Corse LC818's / 19x8.5 ET30 / 19x10 ET22 / Falken FK452's \| 35% Pinnacle Tint \| Blacklines \| CF Trim & Roundels \| Predator ICE \| Alarm \| Cosmos Fogs \| Smoked Corners w/ X5 Bulbs \| BMW Performance Grills \| BMW Performance Steering Wheel \| M Sport E-Brake \| ACS Roof Spoiler & Pedals \| M3 Spoiler \| Euro Fog Switch \| Paddle Retrofit Kit \| CF Mtech Splitters
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06-15-2010, 11:28 PM	#5
Orient330iNYC Brigadier General 1469 Rep 3,553 Posts Drives: 2023 X7 40i Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wall St iTrader: (2)	bent rim most likely, do you know if the tires were replaced because of bubbles? __________________ Present: 2023 G07 40i ZDH/ZDU/ZMP/ZMQ/2NH/ZPK/ZPP/ZRC/300/3AC Past: 2013 335i 6MT ZMM/ZDH/ZTP/3AG/494/508 Past: 2016 F34 335i xDrive ZCW/ZDA/ZDH/ZTP/ZMP/2V5/5DL Past: 2019 G01 M40i ZDA/2VF/ZPP/ZPX/688/3AC
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06-16-2010, 12:20 AM	#6
06mb325 Private 0 Rep 61 Posts Drives: Monaco Blue E90 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	x2 bent rims. One of the first things the dealers do to CPO is change all tires. If you recently bought it, then it should have almost new, if not new tires. It is most most most probably the rims.
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06-30-2010, 04:33 PM	#8
3Aims Private First Class 2 Rep 100 Posts Drives: 535i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dallas iTrader: (1)	Is there a benchmark for how much weight should be on a truly straight OEm BMW wheel and tire?
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06-30-2010, 04:46 PM	#9
Nedim Captain 72 Rep 716 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335i Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Des Moines, IA iTrader: (4)	My car was doing that a while back too, i thought it was a bent rim. But it was the tire
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06-30-2010, 06:36 PM	#10
EHDEN Brigadier General 394 Rep 3,893 Posts Drives: 435i Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 BMW 435i [7.00]	i'd have your tires checked. it shouldn't vibrate at all. did you get this fixed yet? __________________
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07-01-2010, 09:42 AM	#12
texasKA Rock Band Drummer 6 Rep 69 Posts Drives: 2008 528i Join Date: May 2010 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	you need not worry about "too much weight" on the weight blocks. that amount of weight is nothing. if the tire needs 4 ounces to balance, then the darn thing needs 4 ounces. no way around it. you should have seen how many weights were on my 35" mud-terrains on my jeep. but, the tires drove smooth with zero vibration. the tire shop will install the correct amount of weights to make the tire balanced - so there is never a "too much weight" or whatever comment like that. if you want to minimize the amount of weight, tell the shop to align the yellow dot stamped on the tire to the valve stem. the yellow dot is the lightest part of the tire (tires dont have even distribution of weight around the circumference. its not perfect). if your tires are new, there should be a yellow dot and maybe a red dot. 1 - run flats are terrible. they tire and wheel might be balanced, but the road compliance of the tire is shit and you could still get vibration. 2 - if the tires are new, just get them to rebalance it. 3 - if vibration still occurs after rebalancing, ask them to check for the "roundness" of the tire. tires are not always perfect circles. they have dead spots, flat spots, high spots, etc.
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07-01-2010, 11:06 AM	#13
bimmer_335 Major 177 Rep 1,123 Posts Drives: 540 mSport Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: In the middle of nowhere, TX iTrader: (1)	what you didnt test drive the car before you bought it? I'm surprised... anyhow... sounds like a wheel balance issue... but get the original dealer involved... at least call the sales person in case it turns out wheel is bent or somthing.
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07-01-2010, 11:47 AM	#14
F32Fleet Lieutenant General 3575 Rep 10,352 Posts Drives: 2015 435i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Southeastern US iTrader: (0)	Tire guys have told me that almost every sport pkg equiped BMW with RFT's has atleast 1 bent rim. Looks like that maybe the case with your CPO.
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07-01-2010, 10:39 PM	#15
ShastaMan Colonel 5 Rep 158 Posts Drives: 2009 335i E90 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Shasta County, Calif. iTrader: (0)	Is the vibration in front or the rear? Either your wheels are out of balance or you have a serious suspension problem. I would call the dealer.
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07-01-2010, 10:52 PM	#16
cfabluenose Lieutenant 38 Rep 430 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 328i Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wolfville iTrader: (0)	Having experienced a bent rim, I would check on that. The vibration is wicked. __________________ 2009 328i
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07-15-2010, 08:59 PM	#17
Vote Quimby First Lieutenant 90 Rep 313 Posts Drives: G80 M3CX, G01 X3 M40i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Toronto iTrader: (3)	OK, so my dealer here in Toronto has confirmed that I have three mildly bent rims (hence the bucketload of wheel weighs). I contacted the salesperson at the dealership where I bought it in New York, who insist that they would not have sold a car with bent rims and refuses to pay for it, despite the fact that I sent them a letter about it immediately after I drove it home. In answer to 'bimmer_335"'s question, I purchased the car sight unseen from Toronto and asked to test drive it on a freeway when I arrived to take delivery, but was told that this would not be possible as there are no freeways in their immediate vicinity. I'm drafting a letter to the owner of the dealership and plan to take it up with the BBB if he's not willing to make the situation right, but was wondering if anyone out there can suggest any other avenues (consumer protection agencies, regulatory bodies, etc). I should mention that the car was advertised and prepped as CPO, but that I had them remove the certification prior to sale to save a few bucks as the warranty coverage is not valid in Canada. Thanks in advance for your insights.
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07-18-2010, 03:43 PM	#18
Vote Quimby First Lieutenant 90 Rep 313 Posts Drives: G80 M3CX, G01 X3 M40i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Toronto iTrader: (3)	Anyone?
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07-19-2010, 08:15 PM	#19
Rice&Pumkin LionLungz 17 Rep 178 Posts Drives: 335i E92 & 450H Join Date: May 2008 Location: Queens NY iTrader: (5)	It might be a bent wheel had the same problem in the winter time hitting all the unavoidable pto holes in nyc.
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07-19-2010, 09:26 PM	#20
dynamite196 New Member 1 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	That does seem like a lot of weight. Have them check the rim runout, if the runout is within spec, you most likely have a defective/damaged tire. FYI, it's possible for the tire to "balance out" on the machine (i.e. the machine believe the tire is 100% balanced) yet you feel plenty of vibration when driving. I had a similar problem on my previous vehicle and I feel for you 100%, it's annoying as F***!
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