[jaxdtw2196]

Hello all, first time posting here. Recently took delivery of a brand new 540i m-sport with 19 inch wheels. Continental a/s run flats on this car. At approximately 400 miles I began noticing a vibration in the body of the vehicle at highway speed (approx 72-85 mph), no real feedback in the steering wheel, just the body. I had all four wheels balanced (road force), and everything checked out fine. Wheels and tires are not an issue here.

I've attached the most recent NVH app graph, the attached run was completed after the wheels were road forced and checked out perfectly. The app still indicates a T1 speed related tire vibration, but could it be a brake?

I don't know if it's related, but at slow (under 15 mph) speeds over rough surfaces I get a metal on metal noise from the back end when the brakes are *not* applied.

I see that there have been quite a few reports of similar issues on the same model car on these forums and I would like to get to the bottom of it.

[AP]

Won't the dealership sort this out for you? It'll be under warranty?

[CnSky]

Ask them to check brake runout.

Is it worse in wet conditions by any chance?

Could be warped brakes if the proper run in procedure wasn't done by BMW or followed by yourself. But BMW should have done it.

Any hard or emergency braking in the first 400Miles?

How many miles on the car when you picked it up?

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by AP

Won't the dealership sort this out for you? It'll be under warranty?

You guys are gonna laugh, but this is the second car I'm driving with the exact same issue. I had a '21 on 18 inch wheels that they had at the dealer for several months and couldn't figure it out. BMW and the dealer graciously provided me another car, which it turns out has the same problem. The dealer and BMW NA have been excellent through all of this, but I am starting to think theres some sort of manufacturing defect at play here (both cars are Graz-built).

I took it on a very long road trip (~800 plus miles) over smooth and rough highway alike and definitely validated that this new vehicle has a problem as well.

No hard emergency braking. No driving out of the ordinary. I know enough to not thrash brand new cars.

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by CnSky

Ask them to check brake runout.

Is it worse in wet conditions by any chance?

Could be warped brakes if the proper run in procedure wasn't done by BMW or followed by yourself. But BMW should have done it.

Any hard or emergency braking in the first 400Miles?

How many miles on the car when you picked it up?

The car hasn't been driven in wet conditions yet, it's that new.

No hard braking.

I got the car with less than 10 miles on it.

[CnSky]

Maybe they didn't do the brake bedding in procedure and now you have warped discs. There is a process during PDI from what I understand.

Worth asking them to check run out and pad condition as your under warranty.

I ask regards rain as the drying cycle for the brakes brings the pads close to the discs when raining and can cause more vibration if they are warped while driving in the rain.

The metallic noise could be your brake disc heat shield, maybe it got slightly bent when the wheels were removed during the RFB. (Very common)

Try manually pushing back the brake disc heat shields with your hand through the alloy spokes, it's easily bent back a little this may get rid of the metallic noise at least so your not linking that to the vibrations.

[CnSky]

Is the car X drive?

And do you have same size tyres front and back? If X drive I assume you do.

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by CnSky

Is the car X drive?

And do you have same size tyres front and back? If X drive I assume you do.

Vehicle is *not* x-drive. RWD only. Tires are same size front and back.

[CnSky]

Then your NVH results are weird as the App can't differentiate between front and rear vibration if the wheels are the same size.

Did the app have T1 and T2 overlapping each other showing the vibrations?

I use this app extensively and also spoke to the designer about this.

[SctsOut06]

Exact same problem at the exact same speeds on an 18 M550.

[Haradrim]

I have exact same issue for 5.20i. Speed areas are: 130-145km/h

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by CnSky

Then your NVH results are weird as the App can't differentiate between front and rear vibration if the wheels are the same size.

Did the app have T1 and T2 overlapping each other showing the vibrations?

I use this app extensively and also spoke to the designer about this.

There were no T2 vibrations noted in the test I posted. 681 T1 vibrations with average g of 0.007. Had 4 3rd order engine vibrations with average g of 0.008. The record length was 3m47s.

[CnSky]

.007 is really tiny I was getting that when my variable damper system was broken as it wasn't dampening minor vibration like it should.

Do you have VDC?

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by CnSky

.007 is really tiny I was getting that when my variable damper system was broken as it wasn't dampening minor vibration like it should.

Do you have VDC?

I dont believe I do - standard M-sport 540i with the three modes.

The shake is definitely noticable. Like extremely irritating where items in the car vibrate, the passenger side seatback shakes pretty good...etc.

[CnSky]

So no button with adaptive on it beside the three mode switches?

In that case it has to be a brake issue if the RFB was ok.

Or a bad arm or busing somewhere.

Doubt it's the guibo or drive shaft although there have been drive shafts bad from factory.

[CnSky]

Also ask the BMW garage to swap wheels for you and see if it goes away to 100% be sure it's not wheel related.

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by CnSky

Also ask the BMW garage to swap wheels for you and see if it goes away to 100% be sure it's not wheel related.

Thanks for all the insight, I'd be shocked if that was the issue because it was exactly the same on the 21 with 18 inch wheels. Two cars with two different sets of tires/wheels exhibiting the exact same symptoms?

It has to be brake or drivetrain related, methinks?

[CnSky]

These cars are super sensitive to any wheel or tyre imperfections.

Even more so on 19 inch alloys up.

[jaxdtw2196]

I've been in touch with the dealer - they have been absolutely fantastic the entire time. We are going to get the vehicle to them tomorrow for diagnosis. I've mentioned the concerns we've discussed here. Will report back when I hear from them later in the week.

[CnSky]

Keep us informed of the outcome fingers crossed it's something simple.

[BMW012]

these vibrations are apparent on MB and BMWs starting a few years back. unless yours is much worse, it just seems to be the norm now. some say switching to NFTS helps, highly doubt a dealership will fix it. they will just say its normal/they dont feel what you are talking about. after looking into this for many years, i believe it might be have something to do with the way they are laying down the new highways now. visually the roads look like the cars should drive through it like a hot knife on butter, but i think they started to repave the roads with different/cheaper material or in a different manner which creates these odd vibrations. once you feel these vibrations - i dont think there is anything you can do that will fix it 100%. unfortunately, once you look for it - it will always be there. but good luck!!! let us know if you find a solution.

[jaxdtw2196]

Originally Posted by BMW012

these vibrations are apparent on MB and BMWs starting a few years back. unless yours is much worse, it just seems to be the norm now. some say switching to NFTS helps, highly doubt a dealership will fix it. they will just say its normal/they dont feel what you are talking about. after looking into this for many years, i believe it might be have something to do with the way they are laying down the new highways now. visually the roads look like the cars should drive through it like a hot knife on butter, but i think they started to repave the roads with different/cheaper material or in a different manner which creates these odd vibrations. once you feel these vibrations - i dont think there is anything you can do that will fix it 100%. unfortunately, once you look for it - it will always be there. but good luck!!! let us know if you find a solution.

Dealership porter picked up the car this morning. The vibration is very rhythmic and exists on asphalt the same as it exists on concrete so I don't really buy that argument. Over the course of a roughly 800 mile road trip I was able to drive long stretches on both surfaces at highway speed. During the process with the other vehicle, I was given a plain-ol-vanilla '21 330 loaner car that drove as smooth as silk on the same roads I was having issues with on with the 540.

We shall see.