Help: E92 M3 making humming/buzzing noise at speed

tokic_o · 03-28-2014, 08:14 AM

Need help diagnosing this issue.

So recently I suddenly started hearing a humming/buzzing noise once my car speed goes over 55, 60km/h (thats ~ 35mph). BTW car is at 80k KM (~49,500miles)

The sound has gotten really annoying and on my nerves and I can't figure out what is causing it.

I've tried going to speed and then stepping on the clutch so my exhaust sound goes away completely and the engine revs drop to the minimal, but the humming/buzzing noise is still present. So this leads me to believe its not something wrong with my engine?

I cruise on the highway on my daily commute and my steering wheel does not shake or vibrate at high speeds and my car is going straight still so I don't think its an alignment issue.

Not sure if its my tires that are causing this noise? I'm still rolling on my winter tires (Dunlop Wintermax 3D or whatever) and when I put them on at the beginning of the winter last Nov they had approx 50% life left (not sure if they are basically done by now)

If anyone has had a similar issue or know what the potential culprit is please help

Thanks all~

mdefalco25 · 03-28-2014, 08:38 AM

While it is next to impossible to diagnose a sound on a forum based on words perhaps you can assist us in stating where this sound is coming from? First thing that is coming to my mind based on humming is may be a wheel bearing? I know the transmissions also make a humming/whinning noise as well which is from what I gathered typical for these cars, but without knowing where it is coming from it is hard to say.

tokic_o · 03-28-2014, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdefalco25

While it is next to impossible to diagnose a sound on a forum based on words perhaps you can assist us in stating where this sound is coming from? First thing that is coming to my mind based on humming is may be a wheel bearing? I know the transmissions also make a humming/whinning noise as well which is from what I gathered typical for these cars, but without knowing where it is coming from it is hard to say.

it sounds like it is coming from the rear, more specifically the driver side rear?

My transmission does make a bit of a noise (nothing nearly as annoying/apparent) but that is only when I am stopped and not stepping on the clutch. This transmission noise seems to be normal for these cars as I read on this forum and heard the same noise while sitting in other E9X M3s.

However, the noise I'm talking about only starts when I reach/surpass a certain speed ~60km/h

Stuck · 03-28-2014, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdefalco25

While it is next to impossible to diagnose a sound on a forum based on words perhaps you can assist us in stating where this sound is coming from? First thing that is coming to my mind based on humming is may be a wheel bearing?

That'd be my guess. You will usually have a slight vibration if this is indeed the culprit

e92zero · 03-28-2014, 01:12 PM

Agree with the above posters. Usually if front wheel bearings are going, you will feel a vibration through the steering wheel. If it's the rear wheel bearing, it's hard to tell. What I had done in the past is go to an open area and just drive the car in circle in both direction. You can narrow down which side the bearing is going pretty easily that way. The humming sound will be louder for the bad bearing side when it's under load. But if one side bearing is going bad, I would replace both on the same axle though. Good luck.

03-28-2014, 08:14 AM	#1
tokic_o First Lieutenant 35 Rep 397 Posts Drives: F87 M2 / F36 430i / E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	Help: E92 M3 making humming/buzzing noise at speed Need help diagnosing this issue. So recently I suddenly started hearing a humming/buzzing noise once my car speed goes over 55, 60km/h (thats ~ 35mph). BTW car is at 80k KM (~49,500miles) The sound has gotten really annoying and on my nerves and I can't figure out what is causing it. I've tried going to speed and then stepping on the clutch so my exhaust sound goes away completely and the engine revs drop to the minimal, but the humming/buzzing noise is still present. So this leads me to believe its not something wrong with my engine? I cruise on the highway on my daily commute and my steering wheel does not shake or vibrate at high speeds and my car is going straight still so I don't think its an alignment issue. Not sure if its my tires that are causing this noise? I'm still rolling on my winter tires (Dunlop Wintermax 3D or whatever) and when I put them on at the beginning of the winter last Nov they had approx 50% life left (not sure if they are basically done by now) If anyone has had a similar issue or know what the potential culprit is please help Thanks all~
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03-28-2014, 08:38 AM	#2
mdefalco25 Captain 197 Rep 710 Posts Drives: 03 E46 M3 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Normal, IL iTrader: (3)	While it is next to impossible to diagnose a sound on a forum based on words perhaps you can assist us in stating where this sound is coming from? First thing that is coming to my mind based on humming is may be a wheel bearing? I know the transmissions also make a humming/whinning noise as well which is from what I gathered typical for these cars, but without knowing where it is coming from it is hard to say.
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03-28-2014, 01:12 PM	#5
e92zero Captain 212 Rep 875 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 BW Join Date: May 2010 Location: somewhere in US iTrader: (1)	Agree with the above posters. Usually if front wheel bearings are going, you will feel a vibration through the steering wheel. If it's the rear wheel bearing, it's hard to tell. What I had done in the past is go to an open area and just drive the car in circle in both direction. You can narrow down which side the bearing is going pretty easily that way. The humming sound will be louder for the bad bearing side when it's under load. But if one side bearing is going bad, I would replace both on the same axle though. Good luck.
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