Rear Diff already being replaced after 200 miles

[/// M sa]

WTF.. so drove to lunch and back, nothing major speeding wise just playing around with shifting down to hear the pop of the exhaust... Pull in to my office garage and all of the sudden this strange sound is coming from the back as if there is seomthing in the break pads and it wont go away... I will be so pissed if this car is going to break down on me with 200 miles on it after 4 days.


Update: rear dif is bad, they drained it and it was dark gray like the color of my m3. They don't even have the part number and have to contact Germany!! No car for me for a while. F me 200 miles in after 3 days of owning the car!

[ben1233]

I've had a small pebble or rock get stuck in the rear brakes on my e92 M. That'd be my first guess based on what you describe.

[onatuesday]

Ruh roh...

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by trinim3

Ruh roh...

I remember watching the video about it and how I thought it was cool to have a cooler in that section... Never had a car that had to get fixed up after 200 miles!! I hope this is the last of the issues

[E90Fleet]

Pretty useless dealer if they dont even have the diff part number

Its "33 10 2 289 970" for M3/M4 from April 2014 Production. Earlier cars have another number (770)

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by //M sa

WTF.. so drove to lunch and back, nothing major speeding wise just playing around with shifting down to hear the pop of the exhaust... Pull in to my office garage and all of the sudden this strange sound is coming from the back as if there is seomthing in the break pads and it wont go away... I will be so pissed if this car is going to break down on me with 200 miles on it after 4 days.


Update: rear dif is bad, they drained it and it was dark gray like the color of my m3. They don't even have the part number and have to contact Germany!! No car for me for a while. F me 200 miles in after 3 days of owning the car!

IIRC, they don't use the regular diff fluid in the newly produced cars. Did they open the diff to troubleshoot? I feel like it's possible that nothing may be wrong at all.

Pebbles or small rocks in the dust covers always caused weird sounds on my e92.

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by jc05e46m3

IIRC, they don't use the regular diff fluid in the newly produced cars. Did they open the diff to troubleshoot? I feel like it's possible that nothing may be wrong at all.

Pebbles or small rocks in the dust covers always caused weird sounds on my e92.

He only drained it, did not open it but there was a BMW rep there that said the liquid needs to be light color and dark after 200 miles. They said they will call me today with an update.

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Pretty useless dealer if they dont even have the diff part number

Its "33 10 2 289 970" for M3/M4 from April 2014 Production. Earlier cars have another number (770)

Amazing that you have it lol they said it's not even in their catalog lol

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by //M sa

He only drained it, did not open it but there was a BMW rep there that said the liquid needs to be light color and dark after 200 miles. They said they will call me today with an update.

I am always skeptical on initial impressions. Wait for your update, but dont freak yet. I'd like to hear what they tell you later.

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by jc05e46m3

IIRC, they don't use the regular diff fluid in the newly produced cars. Did they open the diff to troubleshoot? I feel like it's possible that nothing may be wrong at all.

Pebbles or small rocks in the dust covers always caused weird sounds on my e92.

Dealers are not allowed to troubleshoot or rebuild the Differential. They have to replace it as soon as getting approval from BMWNA

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by //M sa

Amazing that you have it lol they said it's not even in their catalog lol

It was released in June, so they haven't updated their parts catalog for a while.

[JoeFromPA]

Ummm, diff fluid on a brand new diff during break-in is going to be dark.

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Dealers are not allowed to troubleshoot or rebuild the Differential. They have to replace it as soon as getting approval from BMWNA

Why is that? The tech sounded really sure he said it's 99.99 percent is the rear diff... Who knows. I ll update this thread as I hear from the dealer.

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Ummm, diff fluid on a brand new diff during break-in is going to be dark.

I am lost at this point lol

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Dealers are not allowed to troubleshoot or rebuild the Differential. They have to replace it as soon as getting approval from BMWNA

I'm looking into that right now.

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Ummm, diff fluid on a brand new diff during break-in is going to be dark.

My thoughts exactly.

[/// M sa]

The tech was asking if I was pushing the car, I have kept it at 5500 rpm max here and there.

[JoeFromPA]

Sorry let me add something: You don't diagnose a bad diff by the color of the oil during a drain. That's stupid. That's like diagnosing an engine problem that way.

You diagnose a bad diff because you rotate the axles (both) and noise comes out of the diff, or it won't rotate, or some other way to say "This isn't rotating smoothly and normally".

A diff is just a gear box with some clutches in our case as well. You do not diagnose it by smell or oil color

[JoeFromPA]

Originally Posted by //M sa

The tech was asking if I was pushing the car, I have kept it at 5500 rpm max here and there.

Ask the tech why the diff is thought to be bad? Did he find a broken tooth? Is it no longer rotating?

Because unless he's taken it apart, OR a gear tooth came out in the drain, he actually has no idea why it's broken.

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Sorry let me add something: You don't diagnose a bad diff by the color of the oil during a drain. That's stupid. That's like diagnosing an engine problem that way.

You diagnose a bad diff because you rotate the axles (both) and noise comes out of the diff, or it won't rotate, or some other way to say "This isn't rotating smoothly and normally".

A diff is just a gear box with some clutches in our case as well. You do not diagnose it by smell or oil color

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Ask the tech why the diff is thought to be bad? Did he find a broken tooth? Is it no longer rotating?

Because unless he's taken it apart, OR a gear tooth came out in the drain, he actually has no idea why it's broken.

I agree.

OP, was there any noticeble vibration or irregular noise while accelerating?

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Ask the tech why the diff is thought to be bad? Did he find a broken tooth? Is it no longer rotating?

Because unless he's taken it apart, OR a gear tooth came out in the drain, he actually has no idea why it's broken.

I placed a call and left a message thank

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

A diff is just a gear box with some clutches in our case as well. You do not diagnose it by smell or oil color

This one also has a electronic motor than changes the lock points as required for different circumstances and has its own testing and adjustment system for this feature.

[Andrew115]

Originally Posted by //M sa

Amazing that you have it lol they said it's not even in their catalog lol

Hence the problems with catalogs or anything in print these days. Maybe you can fax this to them for future reference, they can even staple it in the catalog.