Member
Good day. I have been driving a 2003 530i for about 18 months and have noticed a very peculiar and troubling situation. In most cases, the handling is just superb - minimal body roll, well-managed impacts from expansion joints, etc. - exactly why I wanted a BMW in the first place. Then, everyone now and again, and without any overt action on my part, the suspension reverts to 1992-era Cadillac Brougham handling - the body just bobs as though the shocks are completely blown, expansion joints send a shudder through the entire car, and pothole impacts seem like a wheel is about to simply fly off the car. Then, after surviving the ride home and parking the car for a while - 30 minutes, an hour, overnight - the suspension returns to typical BMW excellence on the next drive. Sometimes the handling even improves during the same ride. Again, I am not making any adjustments in the car or flipping the automatic over into the Sport programming - it just starts to happen, leaving me both sad and nervous as hell.
I am mystified by this bi-polar (perhaps schizophrenic is a better adjective, but I don't want to get involved in a psychoanalysis debate here) behavior. As far as I can find, BMW didn't start installing adaptive suspension for several years after my E39 was built. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Any suggestions about how to diagnose what may be at fault without sending the car (and about $8,000) to my local BMW shop?
Member
Sounds like it just needs new shocks. I would also check to make sure you don't have any broken springs.
Member
Shocks are certainly a possibility. But why would the handling go from "fine" to "spooky"? I would think shocks would behave more consistently - if they're worn and tired, I would think the car should handle poorly all the time, not one drive in 10 or 12.
Member
Maybe your brake caliper sliders are sticking. If they stick it will cause the car to pull to one side which makes it feel oddOriginally Posted by sstratmoen
Apprentice w/#yrs. exp.
You have EDC problems.
Check for suspension components by VIN#
here:https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/index/series/3/NEW/F31N
Member
That is a good point. Would make sense if he does have edc. It would explain the symptoms
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Gentlemen - Thank you for your suggestions. As much as it seemed plausible (even likely) that the EDC module was at the root of this issue, I don't believe my car is so equipped. I used the VIN decoder recommended (thanks MIKYZZ4) and see a breakdown of options that DOESN'T list option S223A.
VIN decoder breakdown.JPG
VIN decoder options.JPG
Further, I found a front axle suspension page from the realoem website that shows that there should be harness components on the top of the shock tower if so equipped with option package S223A.
realoem parts breakdown - front axle suspension.JPG
The picture of my passenger side front shock tower shows that I don't have any electrical harness there.
passenger side front shock tower.jpg
So, I don't believe this is what is going on that makes my handling degrade so severely. Any other ideas?
(I'm sorry if I am posting these images incorrectly; I am hoping these are thumbnail previews and you can just click on them to see them full size).
Member
Good work.. Guess that angle may be a bust.. Wonder if the steering column could cause intermittent issues. Curious if you have taken it into any repair shops to have them diagnose the issue.. I ask because this is one of the illusive problems of which I have had similar issues that repair shops could not find the actual problem in test drives.
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It could possibly be brake fluid related, maybe fluid getting too hot causing effects the abs system can not handle?
Member
Junglenut - Thanks for the reply. I highly doubt it's connected to brake fluid. I commute over relatively long stretches (several miles at a time) without ever even tapping the brakes and this weird suspension defect will still occur, so I don't think that is part of this problem.
Member
This happened again to me driving home from work on July 11 and I took two videos that show the before and after. If you turn the sound up, listen to the video I took at 4:39 p.m. - at the 8-second mark, you can literally hear the shudder through the car after a big bump. Then, the problem resolved itself and at 4:45 p.m. - same day, same commute, even the same road - there isn't that shuddering impact after a similarly big bump. I remain mystified.
4:39 p.m. - shudder at 8-second mark.
4:45 p.m. - no shudder over a similar bump.
Member
With such shudder, it has to be something obvious if you were to look at suspension components.
On vid 1 you were turning, on vid 2 you were traveling straight. I'd start with the easiest - tie rods.
Stupid question: you've checked your wheel lugs recently, right?
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