Car Creaks like CRAZY

[paulywally]

My 2009 E90 has a developed a strange short rattle sound that only happens with engine revving pass around 3500 rpm. I know it only happens when the car is moving, since I cannot just reproduce it when car is in parked position. It comes to me that it is coming from somewhere around center console/iDrive knob. Has anyone heard the similar rattle? I want to hear the melodic engine sound, but I don't want to hear this rattle as I go thru the gears!

Hopefully my dealer can fix it...

[mrkbbd]

mine rattles when it is cold on the inside, when it warms up it generally goes away unless it's a pretty big bump

[Limey]

I have a lot of creaking from the back seats area of my E90 when I pull into a driveway for example or anything that places horizontal torsional stress on the chassis. Doesn't really bother me but it would drive me nuts if it was constant and I could hear it over my annoyingly loud exhaust.

My previous sedan never creaked or rattled in the three years I had it. I have no doubt that modding suspension and exhaust systems etc causes more rattles/creaks because of the additional vibrations through the car. Just not sure if its causing the creaking I'm experiencing.

Would love to hear from anyone with the same noise that fixed it tho.

[piloto]

The creaking noise seems to be mostly from the plastic front fender, and some from the b-pillar external plastic. The fenders makes that exact noise if you push on it. It's just the way they move when the chassis flexes when going over speed bumps or entering/exiting driveways.

[Limey]

Originally Posted by piloto

The creaking noise seems to be mostly from the plastic front fender, and some from the b-pillar external plastic. The fenders makes that exact noise if you push on it. It's just the way they move when the chassis flexes when going over speed bumps or entering/exiting driveways.

Mine is coming from the rear beyond the b-pillar.

[Legion5]

I'm having the same issue with torsion creaking. Anyone found a solution?

[Detroit M3]

My buddies e90 has 15k miles on it and that things creaaakss!

[bimdo]

as an earlier poster said,making sure the rubber door seals are lubed can cut down on creaking

[AshyLarryMP]

My e92 2011 17k miles doesn't creak at all.

The passenger side window seal just developed a small air leak at 80+ mph. After reading these posts, I believe this is caused by the 50 degree air at night. The rubber seal, as well as the entire car, must have contracted a small bit due to cold. Another factor may be due to the higher density of the cold air. I imagine cold dense air would suck the window off the car with more force than hot sparse air.

Hopefully it goes away tomorrow afternoon when it warms up to ~65.

[RudyP]

Originally Posted by Echo M3

Seriously, you're complaining about LA roads being bumpy? I was there a few weeks ago, the bumpiest roads in compton were smoother than our best road (west side highway) in NYC.

But back on topic, yeah I the rattles are nuts. I just try to ignore them now, and consider them part of the experience. I accidentally ended up on 2nd ave a few weeks ago (those of you in the city will know what I'm talking about) and I felt like I was stuck in an old barnhouse. If you figure out where they're coming from and how to fix them, let us know!

California dudes often live in a bit of a bubble. I bet he thinks his cost of living is higher than yours too.

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by Raustin

I got 20K miles on my 09 Sedan and not one rattle or unwanted noise.

Mine has 36k and also tight as a button (the sunroof did explode, however ).

But sorry to hear some are having this issue as it can be exasperating.

[ufgtrs2007]

Apply dressing to the door/ window seals. I had terrible creaking until I applied the dressing to the rubber. When it's dry the inner door trim rubs up against the shadow line trim causing a lot of creaking

[jacobbmw]

I had the door creaking all BMWs develop. The dealer fixed it by applying silicone tape to the door jambs. This is a factory fix. It worked perfectly on my E90 M3. Just go to the dealer.
Whatever you do dont apply lubes to the door seals it will make it worse.

[Reznick]

2008 with 40+K miles. I had a few creaks in the dash but a little digging around and some electrical tape did the trick. If you can find the source its usually an easy fix , but sometimes its like trying to find a cricket in your house...it will drive you insane.

[Tally Ho]

Oops - sorry. No rattles in mine at all (UK car) unless the cup holder is out

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by FLOSS M

I just think it is part of the "M" experience.

Ha! If I have to live with some rattles to drive a car like this, I think that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make... Still obnoxious, though.

[M3PO]

Mine rattles and creaks like crazy. As it has cooled off it's gotten worse. It's pretty embarrassing to give people a ride. It has the same amount of creaks and rattles that my '84 E30 has. Sad.

[LucWerkz]

Just a word of advice to everyone, make sure there aren't any rocks stuck between the oil pan and belly pan. I had a bunch of creaks and then the dealer found out that it was from a rock and the creaks would be from the chassis flexing.

[Ricfutures]

39k on my '08 and I have been able to resolve all creaks by firmly pressing onto some panels to make sure that they are secure. Had a little bit of a bass rattle coming from the rear deck and it turned out to be the brake light housing at the top of the rear window. Firm press and it went away.

[Lagunae92]

A lot of my torsional stress creak was relieved when I removed the C pillar trim. Take those off and see if it continues. If not, felt tape the hell our of that piece and hope it works. Did for me. I even removed the rear deck and felted the plastic vent and that helped 95% of any creak go away. Now, when it is hot or the car has been sitting in the sun, it will creak more until the pressure/heat in the cabin levels.

[KmndntKlink]

Originally Posted by Alex1911

I have a pretty annoying rattle coming from the driver's side door/window area, when I hit bumps or rough'ish road, wind noise as well from the driver's side window and maybe front the front window... It's pretty annoying. I have other's that come and go. Been meaning to have the dealer look at the driver's door, but I'm leery to let them mess with it. I threw some of that 1Z gummi flage (sp?) stick stuff on my seals, but no improvement.

Mine creeks as well when going into driveways, worse when I go in at an angle (which I have to do some places to prevent scraping).

I have a small area of fairly deep scratches (in different directions) on the left rear corner of my sunroof, they haven't gotten worse, but I've yet to figure out how they got there.

I get this exact same issue. I hear it coming from the B pillar on my e92. I had them look at ti while they put winters on and they replaced & reseated a vacuum pump. This did not solve the issue, the rattle just sounds different now. Just like other people here, it gets less and less pronounced when it warms up but you can still hear it sometimes if you listen carefuly and turn sharply/pull some g's on a highway ramp for example.

[RS-MAD]

2008 with 32,000 km , creaks a little from the dash on bad roads ...