Screeching Noise upon Engine Startup

campinoboi · 10-06-2013, 04:56 PM

Hi Everyone!

Hope all goes well! I was hoping I could get some advice from some people here. I am getting this screeching noise some of the time when I start my car up. I also hear a similar but muffled version of this noise whenever I accelerate my car under normal conditions and it passes about the 20 km/h mark.

It is a 335i xdrive with about 15,000 kms and I've had for about 3 months. I have brought it back to the dealership twice for unrelated issues, however I have asked them to check on this noise too, however both times there were unable to duplicate the noise. Just seeing if anybody else here has run into a similar problem.

Below is a link to a sound file to the noise upon engine startup.. I turn the car on and off three times, each time following the engine startup, you can hear a screeching noise.

http://yourlisten.com/campinoboi/vn-20131005-193729

Thanks everyone for their help!

Ray

gomichaelkgo · 10-06-2013, 08:02 PM

I saw a thread with a similar noise. It turned out to be the electric exhaust flap actuator near the mufflers.

campinoboi · 10-07-2013, 10:54 AM

Thanks! Is it normal for the car to have this noise? I'll point this out next time I bring it in for service again to ask them too.

SomeRandomer123 · 10-07-2013, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomichaelkgo

I saw a thread with a similar noise. It turned out to be the electric exhaust flap actuator near the mufflers.

Yep, exhaust flap.

I should add, it should be audible from outside the car but not to that extent. A bit sticky perhaps?

CKau · 10-07-2013, 02:43 PM

Yes thats the exhaust actuator flap issue that i had. The replaced the part and no more issues since then.

Not a serious problem but embarrassing when you are crawling around carparks. Ppl stare at you wondering wtf

campinoboi · 10-07-2013, 03:15 PM

Awesome, thanks for all the input everyone! Hopefully I can get this fixed on my next go-around for service!

campinoboi · 10-29-2013, 05:37 PM

oh man.. so i'm on my third visit to the service department and they tell me that this noise is normal.......

Dgrohl · 10-30-2013, 12:57 PM

This is the EXACT issue I've been having!!

I was also told it was normal.

However, I highly doubt BMW would make a car that makes this noise ALL the time. It happens so often with my car (every time I take my foot off the gas, or when the car changes gears from 1-3rd) it's annoying and embarassing at the same time.

Does anyone know for certain it's an issue? My thought is, if it were normal - you'd hear every 3 series making this noise everywhere.

campinoboi · 10-30-2013, 02:01 PM

I asked two service agents to listen to this clip and they both were like.. yeah, the exhause flap should make an audible noise, but not to this extent, but the shop foreman and technician said they can't find any fault..

the service agent said as soon as I hear it again.. come back right away to the service center and get a technician to listen to it..

its definitely not normal.. i've had 3 loaners and none of them made this noise..

i have the same issue too, sometimes when i ease off the gas, i hear and almost always when my car hits 20 km/h regardlass of gear change

campinoboi · 02-25-2014, 04:47 PM

So, I finally got a service technician to listen with me while I start the engine at the shop. He confirmed that there was a 'rattle' at the exhaust area. Its been about 3 days and so far they have had to replace the entire muffler and they still hear a rattle..

hopefully they can get this issue squared away!

campinoboi · 02-27-2014, 09:35 AM

So they still heard a rattle after replacing the muffler and had to replace the entire exhaust system? *shrugs* sounds kind of crazy, but at least theres no noise anymore.. yay!

NordicBob · 02-27-2014, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campinoboi

Hi Everyone!

Hope all goes well! I was hoping I could get some advice from some people here. I am getting this screeching noise some of the time when I start my car up. I also hear a similar but muffled version of this noise whenever I accelerate my car under normal conditions and it passes about the 20 km/h mark.

Ray

Thanks Ray. I have the exact same sound when starting my 2013 335i M Sport. Both my wife and I hear it. I just brought my car to the dealer for the famous "limp mode" but forgot to mention this sound. Now that I know the cause I will try to get it fixed on my next visit to the dealer.

Bob

campinoboi · 03-01-2014, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NordicBob

Thanks Ray. I have the exact same sound when starting my 2013 335i M Sport. Both my wife and I hear it. I just brought my car to the dealer for the famous "limp mode" but forgot to mention this sound. Now that I know the cause I will try to get it fixed on my next visit to the dealer.

Bob

That's unfortunate news on the limp mode and exhaust noise issue. Hopefully its smooth sailing for you thereafter so you can finally enjoy your car to the fullest potential! Best of luck! =)

steamintofu · 01-08-2015, 12:18 PM

i've had the same problem. they've replaced my muffler twice and im still having that issue. going in for the third time..

Fronzdan · 01-08-2015, 12:31 PM

It's only normal in the sense that many of us have that noise. Although the OP's is a LOT worse than mine. Mine only occurs from a cold start...and not necessarily cold ambient temps. It's single digits now and my car isn't doing it at all. Maybe it's TOO cold. But during the Fall it would briefly rattle like that only on the first start of the morning, or after sitting all day. And then, it would only do that sometimes.

There was a thread about this before. People say it's either the flap, or there are some compartment walls inside the muffler that are loose and rattle or there's a heat shield that vibrates like that, despite being attached securely.

10-06-2013, 04:56 PM	#1
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Screeching Noise upon Engine Startup Hi Everyone! Hope all goes well! I was hoping I could get some advice from some people here. I am getting this screeching noise some of the time when I start my car up. I also hear a similar but muffled version of this noise whenever I accelerate my car under normal conditions and it passes about the 20 km/h mark. It is a 335i xdrive with about 15,000 kms and I've had for about 3 months. I have brought it back to the dealership twice for unrelated issues, however I have asked them to check on this noise too, however both times there were unable to duplicate the noise. Just seeing if anybody else here has run into a similar problem. Below is a link to a sound file to the noise upon engine startup.. I turn the car on and off three times, each time following the engine startup, you can hear a screeching noise. http://yourlisten.com/campinoboi/vn-20131005-193729 Thanks everyone for their help! Ray
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10-06-2013, 08:02 PM	#2
gomichaelkgo Second Lieutenant 22 Rep 209 Posts Drives: 2014 335i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	I saw a thread with a similar noise. It turned out to be the electric exhaust flap actuator near the mufflers.
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10-07-2013, 10:54 AM	#3
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Thanks! Is it normal for the car to have this noise? I'll point this out next time I bring it in for service again to ask them too.
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10-07-2013, 02:43 PM	#5
CKau First Lieutenant 33 Rep 391 Posts Drives: G01 X3 Xdrive30i M sport Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: sydney, australia iTrader: (0)	Yes thats the exhaust actuator flap issue that i had. The replaced the part and no more issues since then. Not a serious problem but embarrassing when you are crawling around carparks. Ppl stare at you wondering wtf __________________ 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport [sold]2013 BMW X3 xDrive30d [Sold] 2013 F30 328i
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10-07-2013, 03:15 PM	#6
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Awesome, thanks for all the input everyone! Hopefully I can get this fixed on my next go-around for service!
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10-29-2013, 05:37 PM	#7
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	oh man.. so i'm on my third visit to the service department and they tell me that this noise is normal.......
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10-30-2013, 12:57 PM	#8
Dgrohl Enlisted Member 18 Rep 45 Posts Drives: F30 328i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	This is the EXACT issue I've been having!! I was also told it was normal. However, I highly doubt BMW would make a car that makes this noise ALL the time. It happens so often with my car (every time I take my foot off the gas, or when the car changes gears from 1-3rd) it's annoying and embarassing at the same time. Does anyone know for certain it's an issue? My thought is, if it were normal - you'd hear every 3 series making this noise everywhere.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-30-2013, 02:01 PM	#9
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	I asked two service agents to listen to this clip and they both were like.. yeah, the exhause flap should make an audible noise, but not to this extent, but the shop foreman and technician said they can't find any fault.. the service agent said as soon as I hear it again.. come back right away to the service center and get a technician to listen to it.. its definitely not normal.. i've had 3 loaners and none of them made this noise.. i have the same issue too, sometimes when i ease off the gas, i hear and almost always when my car hits 20 km/h regardlass of gear change
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-25-2014, 04:47 PM	#10
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	So, I finally got a service technician to listen with me while I start the engine at the shop. He confirmed that there was a 'rattle' at the exhaust area. Its been about 3 days and so far they have had to replace the entire muffler and they still hear a rattle.. hopefully they can get this issue squared away!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-27-2014, 09:35 AM	#11
campinoboi Enlisted Member 7 Rep 40 Posts Drives: '13 335i xDrive Join Date: May 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	So they still heard a rattle after replacing the muffler and had to replace the entire exhaust system? shrugs sounds kind of crazy, but at least theres no noise anymore.. yay!
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01-08-2015, 12:18 PM	#14
steamintofu New Member 1 Rep 13 Posts Drives: e90 335 lci m-sport Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	i've had the same problem. they've replaced my muffler twice and im still having that issue. going in for the third time..
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01-08-2015, 12:31 PM	#15
Fronzdan Lieutenant Colonel 304 Rep 1,739 Posts Drives: '24 M240 xDrive Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	It's only normal in the sense that many of us have that noise. Although the OP's is a LOT worse than mine. Mine only occurs from a cold start...and not necessarily cold ambient temps. It's single digits now and my car isn't doing it at all. Maybe it's TOO cold. But during the Fall it would briefly rattle like that only on the first start of the morning, or after sitting all day. And then, it would only do that sometimes. There was a thread about this before. People say it's either the flap, or there are some compartment walls inside the muffler that are loose and rattle or there's a heat shield that vibrates like that, despite being attached securely.
	Appreciate 0 Quote