[karmakal]

I experience crackings and squeakings of plastics in the dashboard.

It was especially loud and frequent yesterday.
It was a hot day, the car had stayed the whole day in the sun and I returned home with AC cooling on.

It seems like the plastics are reacting loudly to sharp temperature changes.
Anyone else experience this ?

https://youtu.be/ConL8ZsGWqc

[Notechy]

Originally Posted by karmakal

I experience myself crakings and squeakings of plastics in the dashboard.

It was especially loud and frequent yesterday.
It was a hot day, the car had stayed the whole day in the sun and I returned home with AC cooling on.

It seems like the plastics are reacting loudly to sharp temperature changes.
Anyone else experience this ?

Yes, for the first time 2 days ago. Windscreen had been in full sun on first hot day. Happened about 20 seconds after start up, probably coinciding with first strong blast of a/c air. Has been mentioned in other posts.

[nil1]

There are plastic vents embedded in the metal speaker grille behind the iDrive screen. I think it's the plastic vents contracting when the AC is first turned on.

Expanding in the heat + contracting from the initial blast of AC = horrible cracking

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by nil1

There are plastic vents embedded in the metal speaker grille behind the iDrive screen. I think it's the plastic vents contracting when the AC is first turned on.

Expanding in the heat + contracting from the initial blast of AC = horrible cracking

This that's the exact area and sound. It happens as soon as the cool air starts hitting from the ac.

It wasn't even that hot a day for us.

Poor show Bmw for not spotting this.

[MNC8395]

I did try a car without VDC which was an msport. It felt firm but not uncomfortably so. I did not try an SE with VDC until mine arrived. I just wanted the best of both worlds even if the cornering ability was not quite up to msport standards. Everytime i think I should have got an msport I remind myself that I could not have afforded VDC as well being at the top of my budget and below the rip off RFL level. As has been mentioned VDC cannot turn your G30 into a cornering monster, that would be the job of uprated ARB's and springs with different compression rates. What adaptive VDC does do when switched on is just make the car more stable and smooth on normal driving but is not a massive change up when it goes on. Being lighter and smaller 3 series handles better but when it comes to comfort the G30 is streets ahead.

I am going to alter the ac outlet settings to see whether the cracking goes when the air is not pushed through those vents behind the i drive. I think they are connected to the centre (face) setting.

I find the ac absolutely fine (maybe you need to check your centre vent temperature settings in the menu).

[Chuckyarla]

I tried to pop out the metal grill on the dash in front of the idrive to see if i could lube up the air vents and stop the crackling. Using a trim removal tool the front part popped up easily enough but the back part is stuck under the idrive screen itself. Anyone any ideas how to remove the grill without having to take off the idrive screen?

[nsa100]

Originally Posted by Chuckyarla

I tried to pop out the metal grill on the dash in front of the idrive to see if i could lube up the air vents and stop the crackling. Using a trim removal tool the front part popped up easily enough but the back part is stuck under the idrive screen itself. Anyone any ideas how to remove the grill without having to take off the idrive screen?

Not sure if you have seen this?

https://youtu.be/OkB82UXnnto

[Notechy]

Originally Posted by nsa100

Not sure if you have seen this?

https://youtu.be/OkB82UXnnto

Scary!

[Chuckyarla]

No way am I doing that! I reckon I'll live with the crackling.

[Nivarox]

I have not seen G11 7 Series have been a case of affliction by such a pesky noise . They must be better built than G30 5 Series .
Hey Munich , we have got a problem

[RamboUK]

Originally Posted by Chuckyarla

No way am I doing that! I reckon I'll live with the crackling.

Defo mate that video is crazy man. And there is no chance of putting all the stuff back the same way you took it out... lol

I just hope the noise will settle after a little while. Mine is being built at the moment hopefully be here soon

[Chuckyarla]

Just popping the grill up at the front and side and manipulating it and the two plastic vents (squeezing the trim tool between the plastic and the metal) seems to have helped considerably. There was little or no crackling this morning!

[karmakal]

Added a video with sound to original post.
Pls tell me if what you experience is less serious, similar or worse.

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by karmakal

Added a video with sound to original post.
Pls tell me if what you experience is less serious, similar or worse.

Similar. But I think it's from behind the display not the vents in front.

[BiGFather]

Originally Posted by karmakal

I experience crackings and squeakings of plastics in the dashboard.

It was especially loud and frequent yesterday.
It was a hot day, the car had stayed the whole day in the sun and I returned home with AC cooling on.

It seems like the plastics are reacting loudly to sharp temperature changes.
Anyone else experience this ?

https://youtu.be/ConL8ZsGWqc

Oh no.. :-/ but the dash cover in hot weather mb gonna help?

[Hustjo]

Just picked up my 540xi this week, has been standing in sun, doesn't crack like yours.
My G30 comes from the Magna Steyr factory, don't know if that makes a difference...

[babaikram]

Mine has never cracked either. It has sensatec dash with rhombicle aluminium trim. Does that make difference?

[Nivarox]

Originally Posted by babaikram

Mine has never cracked either. It has sensatec dash with rhombicle aluminium trim. Does that make difference?

I asked this before as mine comes with Sensatec leather too and forum members said no because these squeaks and crackings come from air vents .I can't share my experience as my car has yet to arrive ,end of July scheduled.
To sum up if X Drive variants don't crack then built quality of them must be a tad better ,it doesn't make sense but it could make sense given these facts

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by babaikram

Mine has never cracked either. It has sensatec dash with rhombicle aluminium trim. Does that make difference?

Nah I have this combo.

Have you guys put it in hot sun and then turned ac on when starting car? That's the combo.

[r33_RGSport]

Mine does the same. I don't think nothing we can do. It just a normal sound for expanding and contracting plastic.
I was just afraid for that trim piece to explode and throw small sharp pieces.

[Laki021]

I think this is Harman Kardon central metallic grill cracking... Anyone without HK having this issue?

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by Laki021

I think this is Harman Kardon central metallic grill cracking... Anyone without HK having this issue?

Oooooh. I have HK and get this sound. Actually not just a cracking but also kinda sounds like a little ball bearing rattling too.