Driveshaft or differential squeak on decel

BimmerDKT · 10-02-2018, 08:55 AM

Searched many threads but could not find the same symptoms.

E90 M3 - 6MT
Recently developed a squeak on low speed decel. Mostly happens when car is in gear, and acceleration is released. Cannot replicate sound under braking. It is a single squeak/chirp and is repeatable while driving at city speeds. Basically happens everytime I take my foot off the accelerator and the car is still in gear. Squeak is relatively low sounding, as in you cannot hear it with music turned on, or under hard acceleration. Sound is coming from the rear seat area, but hard to tell if it's from the driveshaft or the differential.

I crawled under the car and there is no play in the diff or the halfshafts. Driveshaft rotates freely without noise. Tried accelerating and lifting with the wheels in the air, but wasn't able to replicate the squeak. IOW it only squeaks when the car is under load.

Anyone fixed a similar issue? Car is probably due for transmission and diff fluid change, so I will replace both fluids and see if that helps.

BimmerDKT · 10-07-2018, 03:14 PM

Figured it out. Diff bolt loosened up. Found bolt only hand tight. Tightened down bolt and no more squeak.

Guess I can save the transmission and differential fluid swap for another weekend.

10-02-2018, 08:55 AM	#1
BimmerDKT New Member 9 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 M3 / 1998 E36 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Driveshaft or differential squeak on decel Searched many threads but could not find the same symptoms. E90 M3 - 6MT Recently developed a squeak on low speed decel. Mostly happens when car is in gear, and acceleration is released. Cannot replicate sound under braking. It is a single squeak/chirp and is repeatable while driving at city speeds. Basically happens everytime I take my foot off the accelerator and the car is still in gear. Squeak is relatively low sounding, as in you cannot hear it with music turned on, or under hard acceleration. Sound is coming from the rear seat area, but hard to tell if it's from the driveshaft or the differential. I crawled under the car and there is no play in the diff or the halfshafts. Driveshaft rotates freely without noise. Tried accelerating and lifting with the wheels in the air, but wasn't able to replicate the squeak. IOW it only squeaks when the car is under load. Anyone fixed a similar issue? Car is probably due for transmission and diff fluid change, so I will replace both fluids and see if that helps.
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10-07-2018, 03:14 PM	#2
BimmerDKT New Member 9 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 M3 / 1998 E36 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Figured it out. Diff bolt loosened up. Found bolt only hand tight. Tightened down bolt and no more squeak. Guess I can save the transmission and differential fluid swap for another weekend.
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