[HiredGun]

I'm at a total and complete loss. Having had the differential in my 328 replaced at 1700 miles, I'm now sitting on 3700 miles and the gear whine that led to the diff replacement is as bad as ever. BMW Corporate has stated the noise is normal and is unwilling to acknowledge there is anything wrong with the car or do anything about it. I have posted a video that plays back a small portion of my ride home yesterday. The video also plays back a filtered version of the recording that isolates, but does not amplify, the frequency where the noise is occurring. If you watch the video, imagine driving for two hours a day with that sound always coming and going. I have resolved to setting the cruise at speeds when the whine is quieter. This is a BRAND NEW, 2011 328.

Is this really a normal noise for the industry's benchmark sports sedan???

[Clarence Watson]

I only have experience driving a 328xi and 335i, but I can't imagine a 328i having significantly different transmission or differential sound than a 335i. I'd agree that something is wrong. Did BMWNA hear your audio recording before saying it's normal, or did they just rely on your or dealer's descriptions? How do they explain that it was there, then not, then there again? And why did they replace diff. at 1700 mi. if they're saying the same symptoms this time around are normal (which, IMHO, they're not)?

[HiredGun]

Originally Posted by Clarence Watson

I only have experience driving a 328xi and 335i, but I can't imagine a 328i having significantly different transmission or differential sound than a 335i. I'd agree that something is wrong. Did BMWNA hear your audio recording before saying it's normal, or did they just rely on your or dealer's descriptions? How do they explain that it was there, then not, then there again? And why did they replace diff. at 1700 mi. if they're saying the same symptoms this time around are normal (which, IMHO, they're not)?

I'm not sure that BMWNA has heard the recording. My local shop has a copy and they said they would email it to the right people. In my conversations with BMWNA, they have expressed ZERO interest in obtaining or hearing the recording. So I think they are relying on the dealer's opinion, in fact, they have stated such.

The last service shop foreman has stated this is a problem that BMW is no longer replacing differentials for (this is not the same dealer that replaced the original diff). He acknowledge that he personally has worked on other cases like this, only to have the noise return. It seems he has even worked to change the pre-load with no avail; the noise moved to a different speed range.

With regard to the problem recurring, no one at BMW will give me an answer to those questions.

[RedDinan335i]

That sound is not normal at all. It is difficult to know where the sound is coming from in the video. I suggest going to another dealer in the area and see if you get better service.
It does sound speed related, which could be a multitude of different components in the drivetrain. You really need a qualified tech to ride along to help isolate and diagnose the noise.
Also other info that may help is logging speed, coasting vs under load, etc.

[HiredGun]

It comes in under light throttle at about 35, 40, 45, 50 mph. This recording is made at about 44 or 45 mph. You can hear at the end the of the recording the whine as the car moves back through the speed ranges where the noise is present. My understanding that that is the reverse load on the diff.

[Badperfection]

I heard a noise,,,, then warmed up the car, redlined everywhere for about 10 minutes.... never heard any weird noise again open up your ride... after the break in period,, push it hard so everything can fall into place... just a suggestion

[Chriztofor]

^ +1, it can't hurt.

[Badperfection]

engine/trans is as smooth as butter now... I really do think since the car is made to perform that you need to really open her up... then she should be good.

[GreenThree]

The second part of your video sounds like the movie Signs, lol. Doesn't sound normal. I get a whine at low speeds. Yours sounds more like a high pitched hum than a whine

[infbp22]

HiredGun,

The squeeky wheel gets the grease.

Sounds like the dealer is trying their best. This is not a new issue by any means; it started with the E90 platform. Call customer relations and start talking buy back. They tend to change their attitude when you give them a little boot in the arse.

[ENINTY]

I'm sorry that you are having this problem; the equalized recording makes it sound seriously annoying. Since you've had the differential replaced (I'm wondering if BMW actually did change out in the first place) having a second differential make the same (exact?) noise is highly unlikely.

I would look into whether the diff was actually replaced. Without checking the serial number on the differential of the old one first and checking the new one now, there is really no way to tell other than asking BMW to get the build sheet data of the manufacturing of your car to know what the original differential S/N was. I doubt they'd go that far to investigate such an allegation anyway.

Second, maybe it is not the differential after all and maybe another driveline component. Differentials usually change noises as the car turns, your noise seems more constant. I think you should ask the dealer to look at the driveshaft center bearing. The center bearing is adjustable side to side and a bit fore and aft. It is possible that the bearing was loaded incorrectly during assembly of your car, or possibly it is just a bad center bearing and starting to make noise.

Regardless, if the noise, in the ambient listening environment of your interior, is as bad as the recording indicates, BMW should be doing everything possible to correct the issue. My car at 133,000 miles, makes nowhere near that sound.

Good luck with it.

[HiredGun]

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think the differential was actually replaced. The repair order stated they placed a remanufactured differential (yes a remanufactured differential in a car with 1700 miles on it!) and the new/remanuf one is not as shiny and pretty as the original. I was furious about the part since my dealer sales person said they always used new parts in warranty repairs.

I actually requested a replacement vehicle when the remanufactured part was installed and have complained to the point where BMW has connected me to a corporate customer service representative in NJ. They keep telling me that they do not think there is anything wrong with the car. After thinking about this for a bit, I think I'm going to pursue a lemon law claim.

Eninty, I'm also wondering if this is the diff. The characteristics are all there, but the pitch is relatively consistent (between 1300 and 1400 hz.)

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by HiredGun

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think the differential was actually replaced. The repair order stated they placed a remanufactured differential (yes a remanufactured differential in a car with 1700 miles on it!) and the new/remanuf one is not as shiny and pretty as the original. I was furious about the part since my dealer sales person said they always used new parts in warranty repairs.

I actually requested a replacement vehicle when the remanufactured part was installed and have complained to the point where BMW has connected me to a corporate customer service representative in NJ. They keep telling me that they do not think there is anything wrong with the car. After thinking about this for a bit, I think I'm going to pursue a lemon law claim.

Eninty, I'm also wondering if this is the diff. The characteristics are all there, but the pitch is relatively consistent (between 1300 and 1400 hz.)

Attachment 485239

Too bad you can't match the freq data against RPM (calculating in gear ratios to determine driveshaft speed). That one spike at almost 1,400 may indicate something or than the diff.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by HiredGun

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think the differential was actually replaced. The repair order stated they placed a remanufactured differential (yes a remanufactured differential in a car with 1700 miles on it!) and the new/remanuf one is not as shiny and pretty as the original. I was furious about the part since my dealer sales person said they always used new parts in warranty repairs.

I actually requested a replacement vehicle when the remanufactured part was installed and have complained to the point where BMW has connected me to a corporate customer service representative in NJ. They keep telling me that they do not think there is anything wrong with the car. After thinking about this for a bit, I think I'm going to pursue a lemon law claim.

Eninty, I'm also wondering if this is the diff. The characteristics are all there, but the pitch is relatively consistent (between 1300 and 1400 hz.)

Attachment 485239

Good luck, that whine is annoying. We can see how as a business, the last thing BMW wants is to have to start replacing differentials for 2011 cars. On the other hand, we can see how they have never come up with any solutions on the N54's, except to take a turbo and a cat away and call it a N55. It's a real uphill battle with BMW. Imagine if they didn't have such a strong brand image, and if their cars weren't pleasurable to drive?

[HiredGun]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Too bad you can't match the freq data against RPM (calculating in gear ratios to determine driveshaft speed). That one spike at almost 1,400 may indicate something or than the diff.

Since it's in the drivetrain, the pitch is independent of RPM. If I put the transmission in sport or manual mode, the whine is consistent (even between shifts if the speed of the car does not change.) I'd like to have a real sound pressure meter that could give me the sound level at specific frequency ranges.

Originally Posted by John 070

Imagine if they didn't have such a strong brand image, and if their cars weren't pleasurable to drive?

They would not be in business today, IMHO.

[HiredGun]

Originally Posted by infbp22

...This is not a new issue by any means; it started with the E90 platform....

I don't see large numbers of complaints about this issue, does anyone know how extensive this problem is? Is this issue exclusive to the E90?

BTW, I've officially submitted the first volley in the Florida Lemon Law process. If anyone is interested, I'll keep the forum posted as this progresses. I just don't see any other recourse here and the car is getting older by the day/mile.

[Express]

i thought you had to have the car repaired x times in a certain time frame.

sorry to hear about your troubles and i hope they get resolved. ill be following this thread.

[HiredGun]

Originally Posted by express705

i thought you had to have the car repaired x times in a certain time frame.

sorry to hear about your troubles and i hope they get resolved. ill be following this thread.

In Florida, you have to have three repair attempts. While they have not repaired the vehicle on every visit that I've made, they have had three attempts to repair. (The one when they replaced the diff and then two more when they said it was a normal condition). According to a lemon law representative, the two service visits where they refused to make a repair count toward the three attempts.

[megaladon]

Just listened to that whine, wow, that would drive me insane. I have a 2011 328i E90 with MT, lots of noise from the stone like RFT, but nothing like that whine.

Hope you are able to get this resolved, definitely not normal

[HiredGun]

Here is another example of the whine from my drive home today. This one has some speaking and a turn signal for reference. I think this is the loudest that I've heard it...

[Juiced46]

Are you positive this is coming from the differential?

Could very well be from the transmission or transfercase (if you have an XI)

What the dealer needs to do is test drive the vehicle with a set of chassis ears on different components like the diff, trans etc to pinpoint the noise. I can believe a reman diff making the same noise. If its not setup properly, it will make noise for sure.

[HiredGun]

The lemon law process has begun on my car for this problem. I received notice from BMWNA that they declined to make a final repair attempt on the car (they have a statutory right to make one).