Steering noise diagnosed

BMW i3 Forum

Help Support BMW i3 Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DaveM

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
7
Hey guys, just thought I'd post this here in case others find themselves hearing the same thing. Applies to any 2018 i3:

Symptom - noise coming from steering, especially when it's colder outside.

Cause - Faulty front coil spring assembly.

Details: https://www.tsbsearch.com/BMW/SI-B31-01-18

Mine is 2018 i3s w/Range Extender
 
Typical BMW, no mention of check the upper mount.

Yes at this time of year coil springs can break. Corrosion on the spring surface, or a weakness in the spring, then hitting a pothole because the road surface has deteriorated, but one of the major influences is the top bearing is starting to fail.

I changed an i3 top mount last September. Road salt, water and other contaminants are thrown at the bearing which has very little protection resulting in the bearing suffering corrosion, especially if the rubber gaiters are torn. On my example the bearing race had actually broken, which causes friction when turning the steering under load.

With the strut assembly out - this part should be inspected as a matter of course. A little marine grease on the bearing probably gives some extra waterproofing resistance.

Linky: https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17069
 
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll mention this when the parts are received and I take it back for the repair.
 
Back
Top