Tin can rattle noise rear 2010 M3 coupe

[casa5t]

Hi guys,
My M3 coupe (2010, M-clutch 7spd) with only about 4000mi suddenly has a unusual 'tin can with rocks in it' noise emanating from the rear at low speeds (like 2-3mi/hr) either forward or reverse. I checked everything I could from rocks in brake shields to exhaust to banging and shaking things. Anyone know what could be happening? Frustrated in Hawaii....

[FStop7]

Dude, I wish I knew what it was. It's happened to me and it's happened to several other people on here. It usually lasts a day or two and then goes away. I've only experienced it once, so far. It does not seem to be dependent on rain, temperature, or anything else weather related. I am 99% sure it has to do with rocks getting up somewhere they can't be seen. Perhaps in the metal undertray.

[casa5t]

Damn! Well, thanks for the quick reply FStop7; I have looked at posts on here which state anything from rocks to differential fluid to VANOS to a faulty Solenoid in the exhaust area. Appreciate your post and knowing I am not alone. Tomorrow I take it in to BMW to try and see if they hear it.

[Finnegan]

OP, I seriously doubt anything is wrong. I'd say wait on it awhile and see if it goes away. If the car totally fails, so be it, use BMW assist to have it taken to the dealer. In fact, having things fail catastrophically is probably the easiest way to ensure they actually get fixed.

The general consensus around here is the avoid the dealer unless you absolutely must. What could go wrong? Well, here's an example from today's threads: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395435.

Now, if you take it in (and no, I'm not trying to make light of the situation--I feel the frustration) I'd say based on the things I've seen on the forum over the past several years the dealer is likely to provide one of the following explanations:

1. Could not duplicate
2. Normal operation

I may be very wrong. But again, I'd avoid the dealer if I could. Like Fstop7 says, lots have had similar situations only to find it remedies itself.

[footie]

It's a small stone getting between the rear disc and the shield at the back of the rear disc. Mine suffered it a couple of times when I owned it and the only way I found of getting rid of it was to drive at about 50mph and make a few repeated emergency stops.

Try this and see if it helps.

[casa5t]

@Finnegan....yeah, I know you are right and I should wait to it just breaks, but that damn rattle is driving me nuts! thanks....

[casa5t]

@footie...i guess i will be testing out those breaks very soon! thanks

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by casa5t

@Finnegan....yeah, I know you are right and I should wait to it just breaks, but that damn rattle is driving me nuts! thanks....

I hear ya! Had a rock caught between the pad and rotor on a rented SUV out in the middle of nowhere on a logging road in New Mexico The thing sounded for the world, with it's rhythmic scrape scrape scrape (warped rotor) sound, like a dying wheel bearing. Not something you want to hear 50 miles from anything on a deserted back road. Even though I knew it was a rock it drove me nuts for about 50 miles while I thought every now and then "what if I'm wrong and it is a wheel bearing"? (Stupid thing stopped right when we got back to "civilization") Then poof it was gone (one tough rock I guess). So, I totally get the sound driving you nuts thing, and rattles are the worst.

Maybe it's a piece or pieces of disgruntled "A'a" lava! That stuff is a real SOB--it would be just like it to cause all of this trouble.

Still, I think you've on to something trying Footie's rattle removal method. Can't really hurt (unlike a trip to the dealer) so it's worth a shot. Let us know what happens either way!

[footie]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

I hear ya! Had a rock caught between the pad and rotor on a rented SUV out in the middle of nowhere on a logging road in New Mexico The thing sounded for the world, with it's rhythmic scrape scrape scrape (warped rotor) sound, like a dying wheel bearing. Not something you want to hear 50 miles from anything on a deserted back road. Even though I knew it was a rock it drove me nuts for about 50 miles while I thought every now and then "what if I'm wrong and it is a wheel bearing"? (Stupid thing stopped right when we got back to "civilization") Then poof it was gone (one tough rock I guess). So, I totally get the sound driving you nuts thing, and rattles are the worst.

Maybe it's a piece or pieces of disgruntled "A'a" lava! That stuff is a real SOB--it would be just like it to cause all of this trouble.

Still, I think you've on to something trying Footie's rattle removal method. Can't really hurt (unlike a trip to the dealer) so it's worth a shot. Let us know what happens either way!

This is a method that seemed to work for me and was suggested by one of the mechanics, the other method was to accelerate to about 25~30mph and pull the handbrake but you need to be on a good surface to try this. I believe it's to try and throw out the offending stone which it did do on my occasion though took a couple of goes.

[rmmcdaniel]

I experienced the same thing numerous times so I asked my service advisor about it when I was in swapping out my summer and winter tires last fall.

He immediately asked two questions:

1. "Does it happen all the time or only after you haven't driven the car for awhile?". I told him it was only after I haven't driven it in a while (I travel full-time internationally for work so my car sits not driven for weeks at a time).

2. "What area is it coming from?". I told him it sounded like the rear, driver's side wheel well.

He smiled and said nothing was wrong, that the noise is from the parking brake disengaging once the car starts rolling after releasing the pull handle, and that noise is a result of the break being engaged for a long period of time. He said BMW started using a new mechanism on some models a few years ago that make this noise when engaged for an extended period of time, and they get frequent concerns from customers about it.

This discussion I had with him was last fall and since I have monitored when the noise occurs and it is always after the car has sat for several days at a minimum. If I am driving the car regularly it doesn't make the noise.

I trust he knows what he is talking about as he drives/races an E46 M3 himself (right or wrong, that builds credibility with me!), knew about the M-DCT lag issues and software updates when I showed up with the SIB early last year and was very helpful getting my software updated without hesitation (unlike most other service depts that had no clue about it and treated customers that showed up with the SIB like they were idiots), and has always treated me with respect when I bring in info from this board and others.

I assume this is the same noise all of you are hearing. You might want to ask your service depts about it the next time you are in.

Hope this helps!

[footie]

Originally Posted by rmmcdaniel

I experienced the same thing numerous times so I asked my service advisor about it when I was in swapping out my summer and winter tires last fall.

He immediately asked two questions:

1. "Does it happen all the time or only after you haven't driven the car for awhile?". I told him it was only after I haven't driven it in a while (I travel full-time internationally for work so my car sits not driven for weeks at a time).

2. "What area is it coming from?". I told him it sounded like the rear, driver's side wheel well.

He smiled and said nothing was wrong, that the noise is from the parking brake disengaging once the car starts rolling after releasing the pull handle, and that noise is a result of the break being engaged for a long period of time. He said BMW started using a new mechanism on some models a few years ago that make this noise when engaged for an extended period of time, and they get frequent concerns from customers about it.

This discussion I had with him was last fall and since I have monitored when the noise occurs and it is always after the car has sat for several days at a minimum. If I am driving the car regularly it doesn't make the noise.

I trust he knows what he is talking about as he drives/races an E46 M3 himself (right or wrong, that builds credibility with me!), knew about the M-DCT lag issues and software updates when I showed up with the SIB early last year and was very helpful getting my software updated without hesitation (unlike most other service depts that had no clue about it and treated customers that showed up with the SIB like they were idiots), and has always treated me with respect when I bring in info from this board and others.

I assume this is the same noise all of you are hearing. You might want to ask your service depts about it the next time you are in.

Hope this helps!

In my case it definitely was a stone for two reasons, 1/ I drove a M-DCT and never used the handbrake because it engages 'Park' on switch off and 2/ the first time it happened the dealer removed the stone during the gearbox update.

My guess is if you drive in areas that have gravel like I do then chances are it's a stone caught you know where.

[casa5t]

ok folks...i will try all these methods and more. i just feel like the service advisor thinks i am some idiot when i called to complain about this noise. thanks a lot!

[footie]

Originally Posted by casa5t

ok folks...i will try all these methods and more. i just feel like the service advisor thinks i am some idiot when i called to complain about this noise. thanks a lot!

May I reminded you that these service advisors are the very same ones that told many of us that there wasn't anything wrong with the software of the M-DCT and the lag was perfectly normal.

[casa5t]

i think it was rocks like some of you said. so far-keep my finger crossed-no sounds.

[kpneverdies]

hi, im from hawaii too. and i posted the exactly same subject before.
it's on and off. somedays i have it, somedays i don't.
who was your dealer at bmw of honolulu?
and which service advisor do you go to?

[casa5t]

hmmm...see maybe it IS something else then? yes, my dealer is BMW honolulu and my advisor is bill martin

[casa5t]

this is two issues with my car incl. the stall issue....

[drburton]

Rocks in the rear brake shield for sure. Happens all the time, there are a number of threads on this. If you go forward and reverse at slow speeds a bunch of times, it might come out. I actually got one out that way and found it on my driveway.

On a side note, super embarrasing in a parking garage, it is really loud and sound horrible.

[MonteCarloM3]

Originally Posted by drburton

Rocks in the rear brake shield for sure. Happens all the time, there are a number of threads on this. If you go forward and reverse at slow speeds a bunch of times, it might come out. I actually got one out that way and found it on my driveway.

On a side note, super embarrasing in a parking garage, it is really loud and sound horrible.

[casa5t]

@drburton...thank! yeah, sounded like I had some old clunker rolling outta the garage! lol

[footie]

Originally Posted by drburton

Rocks in the rear brake shield for sure. Happens all the time, there are a number of threads on this. If you go forward and reverse at slow speeds a bunch of times, it might come out. I actually got one out that way and found it on my driveway.

On a side note, super embarrasing in a parking garage, it is really loud and sound horrible.

Seriously embarrassing. But I think the reason why not everyone is suffering the same thing is the typical roads they drive on, if like I you happen the frequent the odd dust gravel lane or driveway then as the saying goes 'shit happens' and the wheels throw up the odd stone which gets caught.

I'm just surprised that more service advisers don't know about it though.

[Matei]

Originally Posted by rmmcdaniel

I experienced the same thing numerous times so I asked my service advisor about it when I was in swapping out my summer and winter tires last fall.

He immediately asked two questions:

1. "Does it happen all the time or only after you haven't driven the car for awhile?". I told him it was only after I haven't driven it in a while (I travel full-time internationally for work so my car sits not driven for weeks at a time).

2. "What area is it coming from?". I told him it sounded like the rear, driver's side wheel well.

He smiled and said nothing was wrong, that the noise is from the parking brake disengaging once the car starts rolling after releasing the pull handle, and that noise is a result of the break being engaged for a long period of time. He said BMW started using a new mechanism on some models a few years ago that make this noise when engaged for an extended period of time, and they get frequent concerns from customers about it.

This discussion I had with him was last fall and since I have monitored when the noise occurs and it is always after the car has sat for several days at a minimum. If I am driving the car regularly it doesn't make the noise.

I trust he knows what he is talking about as he drives/races an E46 M3 himself (right or wrong, that builds credibility with me!), knew about the M-DCT lag issues and software updates when I showed up with the SIB early last year and was very helpful getting my software updated without hesitation (unlike most other service depts that had no clue about it and treated customers that showed up with the SIB like they were idiots), and has always treated me with respect when I bring in info from this board and others.

I assume this is the same noise all of you are hearing. You might want to ask your service depts about it the next time you are in.

Hope this helps!

Hi. This is very interesting that I find out that I'm not the only one who gets this noise. I figured out by now that is a problem with the handbrake. That's how I found this tread searching handbrake problems. So I've seen rmmcdaniel post about the handbrake staying too much pulled. I also travel internationally a lot and my car stays parked in the garage weeks at the time. But now I have a new problem, my handbrake dosen't work well anymore, when the car is parked its fine but when I pull it while the car is rolling dosen't block the rear wheels anymore and only slows the car a little. I'm thinking that the pads insinde the rear drum wear out since I use more the handbrake for drift initiation.