Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Weird noise when driving, 1994 540i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    1994 540i, 1985 318i

    Weird noise when driving, 1994 540i

    Hi guys, today I was driving around, and there was a big noise coming from underneath the car or the front part of it, like something was breaking. First of all I thought I ran on something, but nothing, or I thought something was loose underneath the car and I was just dragging it. Nothing, car has nothing, no warning lights or anything, and now the noise is way softer than before, but it sounds like I am dragging a cable or something on the road.
    Anyone had a similar experience?
    Thank!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Capital City of Salt, UT
    Posts
    162
    My Cars
    1994 540i/6, 1992 325ic
    wheel bearing? fender liner?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    1994 540i, 1985 318i
    Quote Originally Posted by summitp View Post
    wheel bearing? fender liner?
    I thought about the liner too, but nope. Could be the wheel bearing, going to look it over the weekend.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Macon, GA
    Posts
    1,224
    My Cars
    '94 530iT/A|'95 540iT/6
    Does this sound come and go at certain speeds or when riding behind other cars on the highway?

    This may not be your issue, but I'll share my experience:

    A few months after buying my wife's touring, we noticed this really odd sound on the highway, like there was a belt or some kind of wires dangling under the car or in the engine bay, just knocking around? I looked forever after every road trip for a year and never saw any signs of anything out of place. Car ran perfectly fine. Eventually, we noticed a pattern where it would come and go when riding behind a car on the highway.

    Then one day, on anther road trip, we noticed that we were not hearing the sound, which at this point we had almost gotten used to. When we eventually pulled in for gas, we noticed that the passenger side windshield trim had come loose around the top of the windshield and was pointing straight up in the air. After thinking back, I remembered that part of the trim along the a-pillar didn't sit perfectly flush like our other touring, due to a few broken clips. I bought some clear gorilla tape and taped the trim down for the remainder of the trip. Once home, I fixed the trim with some adhesive, waiting for the day to fix it properly if the windshield ever needs to be replaced (still waiting).

    I have never heard the sound again since that day.

    TLDR;
    Is your windshield trim loose?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    1994 540i, 1985 318i
    I did checked the windshield trim, but nope, it is good. Actually what scared the shxx out of me, was the first noise, I swear it was like steel breaking or something really hard getting broken, and after that the dragging noise, that was really lous. After a couple of miles getting home, just a "cable dragging" noise. I didn't get to drive the car again. And I am going to be away for a couple of weeks, so I am anxious about that, I want to know if it is something to be worried or if it is something light.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sir Montalbon View Post
    Does this sound come and go at certain speeds or when riding behind other cars on the highway?

    This may not be your issue, but I'll share my experience:

    A few months after buying my wife's touring, we noticed this really odd sound on the highway, like there was a belt or some kind of wires dangling under the car or in the engine bay, just knocking around? I looked forever after every road trip for a year and never saw any signs of anything out of place. Car ran perfectly fine. Eventually, we noticed a pattern where it would come and go when riding behind a car on the highway.

    Then one day, on anther road trip, we noticed that we were not hearing the sound, which at this point we had almost gotten used to. When we eventually pulled in for gas, we noticed that the passenger side windshield trim had come loose around the top of the windshield and was pointing straight up in the air. After thinking back, I remembered that part of the trim along the a-pillar didn't sit perfectly flush like our other touring, due to a few broken clips. I bought some clear gorilla tape and taped the trim down for the remainder of the trip. Once home, I fixed the trim with some adhesive, waiting for the day to fix it properly if the windshield ever needs to be replaced (still waiting).

    I have never heard the sound again since that day.

    TLDR;
    Is your windshield trim loose?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    5,614
    My Cars
    E34 540i 6sp 1995-03-28
    I recently somehow picked up a length of some kind of overhead power cable.. About a three foot length of solid core almost an inch in diameter jacketed cable that may have fallen from a power line along a street... it was caught up in the headers until I pulled into a ditch when the right wheel dipped and it got somewhat dislodged and I saw it next stop hanging down... it may have been hitting the crank pulley creating sparks a driver behind me was flashing his high beams and I just thought he was being a jerk.

    Check the Flex Disk connecting the transmission output to the driveshaft.
    Last edited by jehu; 05-23-2019 at 11:56 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Vallejo, CA
    Posts
    2,459
    My Cars
    '95 540iA
    Something in the way of auxiliary fan blades?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    60
    My Cars
    530iT
    Check to see if one of the calipers came loose on one end and is dragging on the inside of the rim.

Similar Threads

  1. Weird noises while driving
    By GoodFella93 in forum 1988 - 1996 (E34)
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 09-09-2010, 10:23 PM
  2. weird noise while driving.
    By Matt Nigro in forum 1996 - 2003 (E39)
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 09-29-2009, 12:24 AM
  3. E30 Weird noise from drive shaft...
    By Trendy in forum 1983 - 1991 (E30)
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11-09-2008, 10:17 AM
  4. weird noise from the drive train
    By eurrofreak in forum General BMW Mechanical Help sponsored by RM European Auto Parts
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 08-27-2007, 10:54 PM
  5. 1994 540i Interface Noise
    By sachmo12345 in forum Car Audio & Electronics sponsored by Bavsound
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 12-16-2006, 02:32 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •