F80 M3 - weird sound

[JMN]

I have around 350 miles on the car now and I have hear this weird sound 3 times now. Only consistency seems to be it only happens when you're driving slowly in 1/2 gear.

It sounds you just drove over a plastic bottle, like plastic crumbling sounds and then little screech, like the bottle got stuck underneath the car and then it just goes away and I can't reproduce it, I can't see anything stuck under the car. Also now when I think about it it seems like it happened every time over very slight ground elevation change. Car seems to be fine thou and no warnings etc. just weird.

I'll get it checked out when I take it to 1200 mile service but I was just curious if anyone has experienced similar thing? Could it be carbon drive shaft? Diff?

PS. Absolutely love this car...

[Rude Boy]

I heard the same exact noise about 5 times now.... just did my break-in(1300mi lil late) mentioned it they told me to come back during the week when their foreman is in to look at it and drive dont know if he's gonna get to hear it cuz its so random ....but yea only at low speeds like you mentioned so ill let you know when i bring her back

[stressdoc]

This is the primary finding of the thread on early problems. It occurs in both manual and DCT cars. Might be pebble inside brake shield.

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1019339

[F82_SID]

I have heard this too... I would describe the sound that I have heard as if I drove fast over a puddle and the water sprayed really hard into the wheel well. I dont know what it is but it is definitely not a pebble.

[JMN]

That's exactly it.... Thanks!

[DocWeatherington]

+1 2200miles, mine makes the same sounds during 1st and 2nd gear, I have noticed it will do it randomly and application of the brakes/turning seems to have no effect on it happening or not.

I wonder what it is....

[dclowd9901]

If it's anything like any clutch I've ever driven, it's just the sound of the gears working away in the transmission. Have you people never driven a performance car before? They make sounds >_>

[Andrew115]

I think its the diff. I heard it a few times for a sec or two, hasnt happened to me after 1000miles. To me it sounded like I was dragging aluminum cans down the road for a second.

[JMN]

Originally Posted by dclowd9901

If it's anything like any clutch I've ever driven, it's just the sound of the gears working away in the transmission. Have you people never driven a performance car before? They make sounds >_>

Clutch makes it's own sounds but this is definitely not the clutch, happens when you're just driving around not necessarily when you're shifting.

[L3x]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

I think its the diff. I heard it a few times for a sec or two, hasnt happened to me after 1000miles. To me it sounded like I was dragging aluminum cans down the road for a second.

I heard the sounds just as you discribed it, my first thought was diff aswell. Cars like these make noises you don't hear luxury cars make. Tho, many performance cars make alot more weird noises!

[86style]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

I think its the diff. I heard it a few times for a sec or two, hasnt happened to me after 1000miles. To me it sounded like I was dragging aluminum cans down the road for a second.

I have already heard this exact same noise a couple times and I have about 200 miles....

[purdyawesome]

I have 40 miles on my car. I've noticed a sound that sounds as though a handful of gravel is caught between the wheel well and the tire on the front driver's-side. I chalked it up to just that- pebbles on the road. Has happened twice, but both times I thought it strange since the tarmac appeared fresh and clean with no visible gravel. Does this sound like what you guys are experiencing? -or are you all hearing these sounds more from the rear differential area?

[86style]

Originally Posted by purdyawesome

I have 40 miles on my car. I've noticed a sound that sounds as though a handful of gravel is caught between the wheel well and the tire on the front driver's-side. I chalked it up to just that- pebbles on the road. Has happened twice, but both times I thought it strange since the tarmac appeared fresh and clean with no visible gravel. Does this sound like what you guys are experiencing? -or are you all hearing these sounds more from the rear differential area?

In 200 miles I have heard both...the sound that you are describing a couple times and the one above like a can scraping on the pavement briefly...

[dmk08]

I have not had other BMW or M cars but both of my E9x Ms made noises all the damn time. There was huge thread about normal noises etc. IMO the car is under warranty. Enjoy it and worry if it actually breaks.

[Andrew115]

Originally Posted by 86style

I have already heard this exact same noise a couple times and I have about 200 miles....

All occasions for me were within the first few hundred miles.

[egalley]

I've heard it as well on mine. Not too sure what it can be, but it's pretty loud.

[curehead]

I have now driven over 4,000km and I would describe it also as a "metal can briefly scraping the ground" noise and have heard it 4-5 times now. I don't think its caused by stones in the break rotors but I really don't know what it is. Yes, it only occurs at slow speeds.

[slalomfever]

I really wish I can record every time this happens or have someone from BMW witness it. People think I'm crazy.

[stressdoc]

Seriously there are so many of us that have experienced this that it is odd that BMW has not figured out what is going on. There seem to be two distinct issues. One is a 10+ second screech; probably brake related. The other is the 5 sec can scraping on the ground sound. The only solid evidence is a couple examples of wheels being scratched on the inside, evidently by pebble caught by brake shield. But maybe there is something odd going on with the differential at low speeds -- <25 mph. Nothing bad has yet emerged from this, and many folks report it went away after 1k miles or so.

[A418t81]

The "tin can" sound is turning into a very common complaint. Mine does it, another guy with a brand new M3 here locally does it, and it seems to be pervasive here as well. Of course BMW has no idea what is causing it.

[NorCal f80]

"F80 M3 - weird sound"

- That's just the exhaust note.

[JMN]

Only consistency seems to be the low speed - can't reproduce it on command. Well, who knows if it happens on higher speeds but at least one can't hear it. So it seems like it's the diff according to the issues thread, interesting...