E83 X3 N52 Noises... Help identify.

[WELSCH325i]

I know this is going to be very vague, but just wanted to see if anybody else had this happen to them.

A little while ago, I heard a little clunk while driving then it followed by a moderate vibration that won't go away. So me and my father stated going over and under the car. We checked all the mounts and u-joints and can't find the source of it. It seems like it's coming from the front drivers side of the car. The car runs and drives like normal just a vibration. I even pushed the car and drove it hard to see if it'd worsen but it stayed the same.

Another problem occurred on my way to work this morning, which is why I'm posting this today. I was sitting completely still in traffic at a red light. I was in drive as well. Then a loud clunk came out of nowhere, and scared the shit out of me. To me it sounded as if a spring let go or popped out. Nervously I continued to drive it another 7-10 miles all the way to work with no problems. At lunch I just checked all the springs and climbed under the car to search for anything out of sorts, but all seems normal.

Anybody have any similar experiences???

[Ken Rada]

My x3 that I had a very short time would clunk between gears when accelerating hard. I heard that it could be the tires. I got new tires as we needed them anyway and it did get a little better but the clunk went away completely after changing out the transfer case oil.

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[WELSCH325i]

I have that clunk as well. I'll have to change the oil in that case as well then, but unfortunately that's not the sound I heard. Thinking about it a little more, I just had the splash off looking for the vibration I've been feeling, and when I put it back on it might have been a little off. So that loud clunk might have been the splash shield shifting. I don't know though, so I'm going to lift her up on the weekend and check and tighten all of the chassis and suspension bolts.

Thanks for the advice about the gear oil, that was driving me nuts as well.

[WELSCH325i]

Found out what that loud clunk was.
IMG_2011.JPG

Still trying to find out what that vibration is though.

[executechs]

Hello, newbie here. I've Been working endlessly lately on my 2007 X3 e83 3.0si w/122K I never had that loud cluck but have a vibration and feel it in the seat. I understand that there is a Bearing on the rear drive shaft which connects to a flex plate to the transfer case that goes bad. Also, vibrations can be caused by bad motor mounts. If your still having the vibration check wheel alignment and tires too. Good luck-
Currently I'm having a rattling noise in the center bottom of my vehicle right by the transfer case but only at a certain rpm's (1100-1400) and that happens in park, drive, reverse etc.. I hope it's not the Transmission, T case, Torque Converter or Cat. It sound like marbles or bearing rattling around in there. I changed my brake fluid today and was under the truck and had a friend give it some gas, it sounded real loud. I never heard it like that from just driving it. Thought it was a loose heat shield and was going to fix it today...lol If anyone had or has this problem please post back. Thanks in advance and good luck.

[WELSCH325i]

Hello, newbie here. I've Been working endlessly lately on my 2007 X3 e83 3.0si w/122K I never had that loud cluck but have a vibration and feel it in the seat. I understand that there is a Bearing on the rear drive shaft which connects to a flex plate to the transfer case that goes bad. Also, vibrations can be caused by bad motor mounts. If your still having the vibration check wheel alignment and tires too. Good luck-
Currently I'm having a rattling noise in the center bottom of my vehicle right by the transfer case but only at a certain rpm's (1100-1400) and that happens in park, drive, reverse etc.. I hope it's not the Transmission, T case, Torque Converter or Cat. It sound like marbles or bearing rattling around in there. I changed my brake fluid today and was under the truck and had a friend give it some gas, it sounded real loud. I never heard it like that from just driving it. Thought it was a loose heat shield and was going to fix it today...lol If anyone had or has this problem please post back. Thanks in advance and good luck.

Thanks for the reply. Found out what that bad vibration was in the summer. All four bolts on the drivers side motor mount sheared and the motor was sitting on top of the front case. It was fun fixing that, but it was actually pretty easy, just time consuming and the sheared bolts backed out easily with bolt extractor set.

Just had an issue with the abs system and it turned out being the tone ring corroded and swelled to the point where it was rubbing on the sensor. Took it to the dealership cause I had no clue what was wrong with it, but they threw on a new axle and sensor and it s kinda good now. They also told me the other side was going to be doing the same thing fairly soon and also that the transfer case is throwing multiple fault codes. So just patiently waiting for those to go bad now.

I'm also the owner of a high mileage x3 with 146,000 miles on the clock. I bought it cause this thing has almost no rust on it, just surface rust on the rear subframe. Kind of regret it now though.