Beware the Coins in Your Pocket...Expensive Mistake

robkap · 12-31-2006, 11:41 PM

My 330 is a year old, and had begun making annoying noises when starting and stopping -- sounded like something sliding around somewhere. At first, I assumed it was a package I'd put in the trunk -- was carrying my wife's Xmas gift around.

But the package came out and the sound stayed. It bothered me enough that I brought it to the dealer yesterday.

$238 in labor later, I can report that the sound wasn't coming from inside the door panel or from the cover under the car -- each of which was dutifully removed and checked by the mechanic. The sound was coming from a pocketful of change that had found its way under the drivers seat and into the heating vent down there.

Seems there is a heating vent/tube that runs the length of the car, and it makes an excellent percussive chamber. The coins fall out of your pocket and bounce around under the drivers' seat until, sooner or later, they take the lucky bounce into the heating slot...where they slide backwards the length of the car when you accelerate, forward the length of the car when you stop.

I never knew 27 cents could be so loud.

Unfortunately, there is not mesh or protection over the vent to prevent this.

The service department was very nice about it -- at least they shared my frustration at the lack of a part to filter out the coins...

KennyVendetta · 12-31-2006, 11:52 PM

I guess I will just throw the coins into the center console...

mmm def · 01-01-2007, 12:39 AM

That would drive me bonkers, good you got it taken care of.

Ninjaneer · 01-01-2007, 12:42 AM

So total labor came out to $237.73 eh?

calvino · 01-01-2007, 01:30 AM

why did they charge you??? to check were the noise was coming from, what about the warranty???

$0 for the next 4 years! that's what the ads said

sunchild · 01-01-2007, 02:22 AM

that was useful information, thanks.

Getagrip · 01-01-2007, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvino

why did they charge you??? to check were the noise was coming from, what about the warranty???

$0 for the next 4 years! that's what the ads said

How can an influnence outside of BMW's control be warranty? How is the dealer able to determine if the situation is a warrantable concern until effort is expended to determine the cause? The dealer did the right thing.

07335-06325 · 01-01-2007, 08:18 AM

Shit, my wife has a motorola razor, and it found its way under the passenger seat in my 325. That sucked trying to get it out!!!

treublue · 01-01-2007, 09:19 AM

coins? i always get rid of them. only carry bills

robkap · 01-01-2007, 10:48 AM

I never thought it was a warranty issue -- I'm the ones who has the coins falling out of his pocket.

BUT, I do wish BMW had done a better job engineering the vents under the seats. This seems like an anticipate-able problem that a piece of plastic could solve...

cruizin01 · 01-01-2007, 10:50 AM

Ive seen spare change cost many owners more than just spare change to fix issues caused by them. Ive seen many times, people overflow there change cubby and coins will get wedged down into the steptronic shift assy and cost 600 or 700 hundred dollars to be repaired..

That and along with coffee being spilled down the center consoles, can be very costly

MacAttack · 01-01-2007, 11:46 AM

Thx for the info bro. I'll give the change to my kids before going on a ride from now on.

HRC · 01-01-2007, 12:02 PM

Thanks for the heads-up!

Danny

Schweitzer · 01-01-2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

coins? i always get rid of them. only carry bills

Same here. I even take my passenger's change and put it in a ziplock bag.

I had what turned out to be a dime caught in the passenger seat guide track, and it would slide forward and back. I looked all over and couldn't find where it came from. It sounded like it was coming from under the rear of the console. While doing a stop-and-go trying to determine its whereabouts, it finally bounced out and landed on the rear floormat. What a pain. I hate change.

inTgr8r · 01-01-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvino

why did they charge you??? to check were the noise was coming from, what about the warranty???

$0 for the next 4 years! that's what the ads said

Why not???
How is this warranty related when nothing failed on the car.

teknochild · 01-01-2007, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Getagrip

How can an influnence outside of BMW's control be warranty? How is the dealer able to determine if the situation is a warrantable concern until effort is expended to determine the cause? The dealer did the right thing.

well only because it didnt end up being a warranty issue, if it had been then they wouldnt have charged

ksfrogman · 01-01-2007, 12:43 PM

Seems that with as much as our cars are "over-engineered," one would have expected BMW to cover those openings with a grate.

firstkill · 01-01-2007, 02:46 PM

there is a good post on the forum already showing the vents and how to fish stuff out of it.

Its happened to me a few times, and i use 2 chopsticks and a flash light to flip out coins.

(im not smart enouigh to put a grate on the holes)

my car has 2 for the vents and 2 in the carpet.... but stuff always falls in the vents so far.

fk

teknochild · 01-01-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksfrogman

Seems that with as much as our cars are "over-engineered," one would have expected BMW to cover those openings with a grate.

i would expect them to cover it with a bullet proof glass reinforced by kevlar and carbon fibre

robkap · 01-01-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstkill

there is a good post on the forum already showing the vents and how to fish stuff out of it.

Its happened to me a few times, and i use 2 chopsticks and a flash light to flip out coins.

(im not smart enouigh to put a grate on the holes)

my car has 2 for the vents and 2 in the carpet.... but stuff always falls in the vents so far.

fk

I would LOVE to see that post. Any idea of keywords to use for search (unless you happen to have url...).

txusa03 · 01-02-2007, 07:27 AM

I say you took a big loss there. You got a terrible exchange rate there .27 cents for 238 dollars.

Best of luck in the future with your money issues.

BMW0 · 01-02-2007, 07:39 AM

Thanks for the info, I drop coins under my seat off and on. I better be careful or i'll end up with some coiny noise.

12-31-2006, 11:41 PM	#1
robkap Enlisted Member 6 Rep 42 Posts Drives: '06 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	Beware the Coins in Your Pocket...Expensive Mistake My 330 is a year old, and had begun making annoying noises when starting and stopping -- sounded like something sliding around somewhere. At first, I assumed it was a package I'd put in the trunk -- was carrying my wife's Xmas gift around. But the package came out and the sound stayed. It bothered me enough that I brought it to the dealer yesterday. $238 in labor later, I can report that the sound wasn't coming from inside the door panel or from the cover under the car -- each of which was dutifully removed and checked by the mechanic. The sound was coming from a pocketful of change that had found its way under the drivers seat and into the heating vent down there. Seems there is a heating vent/tube that runs the length of the car, and it makes an excellent percussive chamber. The coins fall out of your pocket and bounce around under the drivers' seat until, sooner or later, they take the lucky bounce into the heating slot...where they slide backwards the length of the car when you accelerate, forward the length of the car when you stop. I never knew 27 cents could be so loud. Unfortunately, there is not mesh or protection over the vent to prevent this. The service department was very nice about it -- at least they shared my frustration at the lack of a part to filter out the coins...
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12-31-2006, 11:52 PM	#2
KennyVendetta Salsero 41 Rep 260 Posts Drives: 335 Crimson Red Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0)	I guess I will just throw the coins into the center console... __________________ 335 Sedan \| Crimson Red \| Cream Beige \| Burl Walnut \| Step \| ZSP\| ZPP \| CA \| PDC \| Sunshade \| Paddle Shifters Pick up - Jan 18 2007
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01-01-2007, 12:39 AM	#3
mmm def Colonel 144 Rep 2,610 Posts Drives: 21 330, 19 ND2 RF, 11 RX350 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	That would drive me bonkers, good you got it taken care of.
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01-01-2007, 12:42 AM	#4
Ninjaneer Shadow Warrior 139 Rep 2,095 Posts Drives: '07 335i Sedan Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	So total labor came out to $237.73 eh? __________________ 335i E90 / Arctic / Gray / Burl Walnut / Steptronic / ZPP / ZSP / Paddles / CA / Nav / PDC / OEM Spoiler Mods: PIAA Angel Eyes, Rear Fog Switch, Escort X50 Blue hardwire, 30% Charcoal Llumar Installing soon: Rear Power Outlets (Happy Robot mod!)
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01-01-2007, 01:30 AM	#5
calvino Lieutenant Colonel 304 Rep 1,928 Posts Drives: had e90, 330i mystic blue Join Date: May 2006 Location: Weston,Florida iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 e90 330i [0.00]	why did they charge you??? to check were the noise was coming from, what about the warranty??? $0 for the next 4 years! that's what the ads said __________________ E90 Mytic Blue 330i 07-20-2006. 05-17-2011 Doesn't the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural? Support NORML
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01-01-2007, 02:22 AM	#6
sunchild Lieutenant 25 Rep 469 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Orange County, CAL iTrader: (2)	that was useful information, thanks.
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01-01-2007, 08:18 AM	#8
07335-06325 New Member 6 Rep 29 Posts Drives: metallic black 07 335 coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Germany iTrader: (0)	Shit, my wife has a motorola razor, and it found its way under the passenger seat in my 325. That sucked trying to get it out!!!
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01-01-2007, 09:19 AM	#9
treublue First Lieutenant 20 Rep 377 Posts Drives: E92 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Alberta iTrader: (0)	coins? i always get rid of them. only carry bills __________________ Last one there drives a Hyundai!
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01-01-2007, 10:48 AM	#10
robkap Enlisted Member 6 Rep 42 Posts Drives: '06 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	I never thought it was a warranty issue -- I'm the ones who has the coins falling out of his pocket. BUT, I do wish BMW had done a better job engineering the vents under the seats. This seems like an anticipate-able problem that a piece of plastic could solve...
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01-01-2007, 10:50 AM	#11
cruizin01 Private First Class 15 Rep 106 Posts Drives: 07 BMW Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio iTrader: (3)	Ive seen spare change cost many owners more than just spare change to fix issues caused by them. Ive seen many times, people overflow there change cubby and coins will get wedged down into the steptronic shift assy and cost 600 or 700 hundred dollars to be repaired.. That and along with coffee being spilled down the center consoles, can be very costly
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01-01-2007, 11:46 AM	#12
MacAttack Colonel 29 Rep 2,134 Posts Drives: fast enough Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Afghanistan iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 BMW [0.00]	Thx for the info bro. I'll give the change to my kids before going on a ride from now on. __________________ 2007 E92 335i Coupe: Monaco Blue/Premium/Sports/Winter Package/Nav/CA/6MT/TT/Active Cruise/Active Steering/iPod/Rear Shade/Tint/Short Shifter/OEM Alum Pedals//
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01-01-2007, 12:02 PM	#13
HRC MAUI BUILT 485 Rep 7,781 Posts Drives: 2006 330i MT Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NORCAL iTrader: (10) Garage List 2002 E46 325i [0.00] 2012 E70 35i [0.00]	Thanks for the heads-up! Danny __________________ Arctic/Blk Leather/Alum.Trim/MT/ZSP/Sunshades/Blk Lines/M3 Illuminated Knob/Alcantara Performance Wheel/M-E-Brake Handle/Euro Fog Switch/Koni Yellows/H&R Sport Springs/19" VMR V718's w/PS2 Tires/M-Tech Body Kit/Carbon Fiber Spoiler/Bimmian Interior Bulbs/OEM Eye Glass Tray/SSK/Alcantara Boot/Split Armrest/OEM Dual Rear Power Outlets/Rear Ashtray Delete/OEM Alum. Pedals/Osram 6000K/Brex Rings/LED Side Markers/BMS Power Box
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01-01-2007, 12:43 PM	#17
ksfrogman Major General 576 Rep 6,750 Posts Drives: E90 330i 6MT Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (12) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00] 2006 330i [0.00]	Seems that with as much as our cars are "over-engineered," one would have expected BMW to cover those openings with a grate. __________________
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01-01-2007, 02:46 PM	#18
firstkill Second Lieutenant 12 Rep 247 Posts Drives: e93 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alhambra iTrader: (0)	there is a good post on the forum already showing the vents and how to fish stuff out of it. Its happened to me a few times, and i use 2 chopsticks and a flash light to flip out coins. (im not smart enouigh to put a grate on the holes) my car has 2 for the vents and 2 in the carpet.... but stuff always falls in the vents so far. fk
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01-02-2007, 07:27 AM	#21
txusa03 Major General 550 Rep 6,563 Posts Drives: TS330iPPSP6MT Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Planet Earth iTrader: (3)	I say you took a big loss there. You got a terrible exchange rate there .27 cents for 238 dollars. Best of luck in the future with your money issues. __________________ under construction!
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01-02-2007, 07:39 AM	#22
BMW0 Colonel 237 Rep 2,059 Posts Drives: AW E90 330i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Spokane, WA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Thanks for the info, I drop coins under my seat off and on. I better be careful or i'll end up with some coiny noise. __________________ 330i 6MT l 255 HP @ 5900 rpm 214 lb-ft Torque @ 3500 rpm l Alpine White l Beige l Aluminum l ZSP l 494 l PDC "Freude am Fahren" = "Joy to Drive"
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