2008 328xi - huge pot hole and now....!

[RockOn]

So hit a pot hole and roasted the tire. Rim bent good but got a new tire and still holds air.

Now for the fun part,
1 Drove it home no issue from tire place
2 Drove about 10 miles to/from school the next AM no issue
3 Next drive started to hear grinding noise
4 Brake DTC and 4x4 light all on now

So I’m thinking wheel bearing due to the impact of the pot hole and associated grinding noise after some miles eventually let the newly distorted bearing fail. Clicking/grinding noise also speed up as car speed increases.

But would this is mechanical in nature. Would it actually trip the warning lights or just make the noise? Maybe axle.

I searched and found posts on the brake, DTC and 4x4 lights implicating the transfer case gear (plastic) but the noise is not when turning car on/off - it’s while driving.

I plan to pull the wheel off and get in there in a day or two but want to compile some items to look for relative to checking the axles (as I know what to look for from a bearing perspective).

Thanks for the help!





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[RockOn]

Here is the display

I’m thinking wheel bearing and wheel speed sensor maybe....

Appreciate the feedback and insight.



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[bmwdirtracer]

1) There are quite a few good places for straightening wheels. We have 2 in the small town where I work, so you should have a fairly easy search in CT.

2) Looking for wheel-bearing issues is not what it used to be. If you're planning on shaking the wheel, that will not work.

3) You have warning lights. Therefore, step 1 is to read the codes from every computer in the car. Period. THEN go inspect.

[RockOn]

Ok thx. So even wheel bearings got “technical” huh

Will do. Plan to check the codes just haven’t had the chance as I’m out of town.


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[bmwdirtracer]

On cars with "adjustable" wheel bearings, the old-school method is fine. Some Mercedes have used this, even in this century. BMW's, none at all, for many decades.

Three modern tests:

1) put the car on a lift, completely disengage the DSC, by holding the button down for five seconds. (This will still cause codes and warning lights, so it's CRUCIAL you do this ONLY after reading the codes you already have!) Also, that wheel may not turn without stopping the other front tire. WHEN it turns, you use a mechanic's stethoscope to listen to the inside of the wheel carrier (upright) near the hub, and compare it with the opposite side.

2)
Drive the car, and corner gently left, then right. And repeat. Wheel bearing grinding noise usually changes significantly loaded vs. unloaded.

3)
Wheels in the air: Use the side of your fist to hit the tire - HARD - at the top. A bad wheel bearing will cause a metal-to-metal sound, and the other side wheel won't have the same sound.

[RockOn]

Gonna check the codes and bearing. If it ends up being the bearing from hitting the pot hole, is it an easier DIY job to replace the entire knuckle/hub assembly?

I’m only think I’m going to get another 20-30k miles out of the car and really that’s all I need. It’s at 193k.

Seems that maybe a used knuckle assembly off a car with under 100k miles could be an economical and easier (time and complexity) fix.

Comments?


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[MarcoZandrini]

I’d contact the municipality’s government and let them know that you intend to have the government pay for the repairs. Hey, it’s the goverment’s GD pot hole!
This happened to my niece in Washington, DC. Trashed the wheel, the tire and something else (she’s not mechanical at all). The Volvo dealer charged her $1100 to fix it. She paid the bill and then sent a letter demanding that DC pay for the repairs. Her husband called the responsible office DAILY. After a year they received a check for $1100 from DC.

DC=District of Corruption.

[bmwdirtracer]

Damn, and all this time I thought it was "Dickhead Central". (Taxation without Representation)

All that said, I wouldn't do the upright/knuckle, just to fix a bad wheelbearing. Bearings wear, knuckles don't. A new wheelbearing is better than a 100k mile wheelbearing.

[MarcoZandrini]

That too!

Also, in Latin, Driverus Crapatitus.

[RockOn]

Thanks for feedback. I may just be a pain in the a$$ and try something like that.

And yes once I can check it out, if the bearing will focus on that vs the whole knuckle.

Thx


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[RockOn]

So decided to take to a Bosch certified Indy.

Not pot hole related but front drive shaft, which I now see is also something that wears well before my mileage so guess it was time.

He couldn’t answer the question on the DTC and brake lights being and going off before taking it to him.

Indy’s price for a used one with labor was pretty good, but he also said I needed front control arms on both sides and that along with the driveshaft, alignment, etc went well above what I was/willing to pay. If I could get it back for $500-600 was just going to have him do it.

Waiting to hear back, but his initial feedback was that he wouldn’t do the driveshaft without also changing out the control arms due to safety. A good position to take I guess.... and also not for another week and I want it back on the road.

Question: if he comes back and says he won’t do the job, how hard is the front driveshaft replacement? I see a lot of videos for it but just wanted some first hand opinion.

Control arms and ball joints would be a separate project.

Thanks



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[bmwdirtracer]

Well, it's certainly possible that the front driveshaft could have a growl from a u-joint. Personally, though, I doubt that's your issue. Why? The 4x4 and traction lights are on. What caused those?

And the guy said he can't tell you why the lights used to be on, but aren't now? Yeah, that's a bit sketchy. The codes will remain for dozens of restarts. Makes me think he's using an inept diagnostic device. Not so sure about the control arm diag either. Did he mention bushings?

I'm just a broke mechanic, who drives a 17 year old BMW. But you can't allow "what you can afford" to be the primary aspect of the DIAGNOSIS. FIRST, you have to know what, exactly, is wrong....THEN you can start thinking about how you can afford to fix it. Personally, I'd buy a new driveshaft, if indeed you need a driveshaft. But the driveshaft didn't cause the warning lights; nor did the control arms.

[RockOn]

Agree with you on the driveshaft and control arms as I didn’t think something purely mechanical like that would throw the codes.

So, I will push him on the diagnostic codes and see what’s going on with that.

For the control arms, yes the feedback was that the bushings were completely shot. But from what I’m reading, not a total safety issue there but would ultimately affect tracking, alignment, etc.



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[RockOn]

So I will be opening another post on Vanos / P0012/P0015/P1554 codes but to close this one out.

Issue was front drive shaft.
So far gone that the computer was picking up that the shaft was turning but not turning the transfer case I guess.

DTC and brake lights gone, wheel bearing and sensors were fine.

Thanks for the help guys!

Now on to the next fault which coincidently happened within 15 miles of having no DTC warnings

Ugh....


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