[skimo]

Purchased car new in October. 335i e93

The ticking happens even when the engine is off, but the ignition must be on. The ticking is in sync with a clock, but at 2x the speed. SO every other tick is a second. It is very noticeable even while driving. I searched the heck out of the car and just cannot pinpoint where its coming from...but seems towards the back of the cabin

tick tock tick tock.....

boom?

[ww007]

I have the same car and same year (2011). I have not heard the ticking noise you are talking about, but the car does have a surprising number of annoying squeaks and creaks (all occur when going over your usual bumps in the road). Seems the build quality is not what you would expect from a $60k car. Case in point: push on the center dash area (right above the temperature display area). See how much give it has, and how much it creaks when you push on it? This was true of all the brand new 3 series I checked out at the dealer. The same creaking occurs when going over bumps (at least it did in my car).

So your ticking noise is coming from the rear seat area? And it occurs very regularly, like a clock? How loud is it? If all else fails, I would take it back to the dealer to have it checked out. I've already had mine back to take care of that creaking issue I described; they said they put some felt tape behind the console to decrease the give. It still creaks when you push it but at least I don't notice it as much when going over bumps now. I could go into detail describing various other annoying noises the car makes, but I'll probably just start a new thread about it.

Sorry to digress... I just had to rant a bit.

[Potty_Pants]

turn blower to vents off... ?

are you sure its from inside the cabin and not engine compartment ?

does it happen when the car is cold, hot , or all the time ?

please remove CD and nav disc if you have both and see if it continues.

and i must ask... are you sure your turn signal isnt on ... LOL

ppp

[ajeffrey]

Interesting. I have a 2011 335is and I have no creaking, squeaking, ticking, etc. I'm thrilled with the build quality, across the board. I wonder if it has something to do with convertible vs hardtop....

[ww007]

Originally Posted by ajeffrey

Interesting. I have a 2011 335is and I have no creaking, squeaking, ticking, etc. I'm thrilled with the build quality, across the board. I wonder if it has something to do with convertible vs hardtop....

Maybe...or maybe it's just the luck of the draw. Mind you the noises I hear are rather subtle and I can rather easily drown them out by turning up the stereo system to even moderate levels. So have you turned off the radio and really listened to the car, especially on bumpy roads?

[ajeffrey]

Originally Posted by ww007

Maybe...or maybe it's just the luck of the draw. Mind you the noises I hear are rather subtle and I can rather easily drown them out by turning up the stereo system to even moderate levels. So have you turned off the radio and really listened to the car, especially on bumpy roads?

Yeah. Probably build variability. I drive my car with the stereo off quite a bit as I LOVE the exhaust note. It's addictive. I detect no squeaking or creaking whatsoever, and I'm quite sensitive to such things....

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by ww007

I have the same car and same year (2011). I have not heard the ticking noise you are talking about, but the car does have a surprising number of annoying squeaks and creaks (all occur when going over your usual bumps in the road). Seems the build quality is not what you would expect from a $60k car. Case in point: push on the center dash area (right above the temperature display area). See how much give it has, and how much it creaks when you push on it? This was true of all the brand new 3 series I checked out at the dealer. The same creaking occurs when going over bumps (at least it did in my car).

So your ticking noise is coming from the rear seat area? And it occurs very regularly, like a clock? How loud is it? If all else fails, I would take it back to the dealer to have it checked out. I've already had mine back to take care of that creaking issue I described; they said they put some felt tape behind the console to decrease the give. It still creaks when you push it but at least I don't notice it as much when going over bumps now. I could go into detail describing various other annoying noises the car makes, but I'll probably just start a new thread about it.

Sorry to digress... I just had to rant a bit.

It's actually a $40,000 car with $20,000 in options. Very important detail. The convertible option does not make the quality better.

[ww007]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

It's actually a $40,000 car with $20,000 in options. Very important detail. The convertible option does not make the quality better.

Hmm... according the Edmunds.com, the convertible's MSRP for the 335i starts at $51,700. The MRSP for my car was around $64,000, so I guess the options added up to around $13,000. MSRP for a base 328i sedan is $33,650, so if you count everything else as "options," then that's around $31,000 worth of "options."

In any case, point taken. At its heart it's a 3 series, so I guess one should expect 3 series build quality, whatever that is. Still, it's a BMW, and I would expect build quality for a BMW to be very high. If you do a search, you'll see many posts about various creaks and squeaks and such and the extreme measures that people will go through to get rid of them. I would like to think that this is just a vocal minority, and that this is just the result of variations in build quality.

Luckily, I may be in the "high build quality" camp. I just took my car for a late night spin, and lo and behold she seems to be essentially free of any significant unwanted noises. The main noise that was there was a creaking noise that seemed to be emanating from the right rear passenger seating area. Well, I removed everything from my trunk, and the noise seems to be gone now (knock on wood).

Sorry to have gone a bit off topic skimo, but based on my experience, I think you should do the following:

1. Since you mentioned the noise was coming from the rear of the cabin, sit in the back seat to try and localize the sound.

2. Remove EVERYTHING from your rear seats and trunk. Check underneath the trunk to make sure there aren't any loose items lying around.

3. Now check for the noise again.

You mentioned that the noise was tied to your ignition, so it's less likely that something in the trunk was causing it. Still, it's worth a shot. Who knows, you might find a clock lying around back there

If all else fails, just take it back to the dealer. Since the noise is easily reproducible, they shouldn't have any trouble figuring out what it is.

EDIT: Sorry, I just realized you mentioned you already checked your car thoroughly. Try removing all the stuff if you haven't already done so; can't hurt. Also, has this sound been there since you bought the vehicle?

[rag133]

I had a horribly annoying rear deck creak that has been posted here before by some people. I would hear a ticking, creaking, or whatever noise you want to call it coming from the rear deck. Over and over. Warm or cold. Flat road or bumps. It was driving me insane. I jammed some 5/16" vacuum tubing into the crease of the rear window and the deck, really jammed in in there good with a flathead screwdriver, NOISE GONE!

[hipnotic]

normal

[Dvdman]

Its probably the HPFP.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by ww007

Hmm... according the Edmunds.com, the convertible's MSRP for the 335i starts at $51,700. The MRSP for my car was around $64,000, so I guess the options added up to around $13,000. MSRP for a base 328i sedan is $33,650, so if you count everything else as "options," then that's around $31,000 worth of "options."

In any case, point taken. At its heart it's a 3 series, so I guess one should expect 3 series build quality, whatever that is. Still, it's a BMW, and I would expect build quality for a BMW to be very high. If you do a search, you'll see many posts about various creaks and squeaks and such and the extreme measures that people will go through to get rid of them. I would like to think that this is just a vocal minority, and that this is just the result of variations in build quality.

Luckily, I may be in the "high build quality" camp. I just took my car for a late night spin, and lo and behold she seems to be essentially free of any significant unwanted noises. The main noise that was there was a creaking noise that seemed to be emanating from the right rear passenger seating area. Well, I removed everything from my trunk, and the noise seems to be gone now (knock on wood).

Sorry to have gone a bit off topic skimo, but based on my experience, I think you should do the following:

1. Since you mentioned the noise was coming from the rear of the cabin, sit in the back seat to try and localize the sound.

2. Remove EVERYTHING from your rear seats and trunk. Check underneath the trunk to make sure there aren't any loose items lying around.

3. Now check for the noise again.

You mentioned that the noise was tied to your ignition, so it's less likely that something in the trunk was causing it. Still, it's worth a shot. Who knows, you might find a clock lying around back there

If all else fails, just take it back to the dealer. Since the noise is easily reproducible, they shouldn't have any trouble figuring out what it is.

EDIT: Sorry, I just realized you mentioned you already checked your car thoroughly. Try removing all the stuff if you haven't already done so; can't hurt. Also, has this sound been there since you bought the vehicle?

MSRP stands for Manufacturer's SUGGESTED Retail Price.

It does not have to indicate the base price for a model. It provides a number as to what an average consumer would want in the model.....basics. Such as power windows or seats etc. Yes I know....nowadays these "features" are standard. But they are still options. These are common options people choose and this is what determines an MSRP value.

[Edward]

Um. Convertibles always have a lot of creaks and more so as they age. So many moving parts and seams that all move with every flex of the chassis. My car has not a single squeek or creak. But I'm only at 8k miles so far.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by ww007

Hmm... according the Edmunds.com, the convertible's MSRP for the 335i starts at $51,700. The MRSP for my car was around $64,000, so I guess the options added up to around $13,000. MSRP for a base 328i sedan is $33,650, so if you count everything else as "options," then that's around $31,000 worth of "options."

In any case, point taken. At its heart it's a 3 series, so I guess one should expect 3 series build quality, whatever that is. Still, it's a BMW, and I would expect build quality for a BMW to be very high. If you do a search, you'll see many posts about various creaks and squeaks and such and the extreme measures that people will go through to get rid of them. I would like to think that this is just a vocal minority, and that this is just the result of variations in build quality.

Luckily, I may be in the "high build quality" camp. I just took my car for a late night spin, and lo and behold she seems to be essentially free of any significant unwanted noises. The main noise that was there was a creaking noise that seemed to be emanating from the right rear passenger seating area. Well, I removed everything from my trunk, and the noise seems to be gone now (knock on wood).

Sorry to have gone a bit off topic skimo, but based on my experience, I think you should do the following:

1. Since you mentioned the noise was coming from the rear of the cabin, sit in the back seat to try and localize the sound.

2. Remove EVERYTHING from your rear seats and trunk. Check underneath the trunk to make sure there aren't any loose items lying around.

3. Now check for the noise again.

You mentioned that the noise was tied to your ignition, so it's less likely that something in the trunk was causing it. Still, it's worth a shot. Who knows, you might find a clock lying around back there

If all else fails, just take it back to the dealer. Since the noise is easily reproducible, they shouldn't have any trouble figuring out what it is.

EDIT: Sorry, I just realized you mentioned you already checked your car thoroughly. Try removing all the stuff if you haven't already done so; can't hurt. Also, has this sound been there since you bought the vehicle?

Correct. Even a 335i coupe is still essentially a 328i. My point to you is that spending nearly twice as much to make it a 335i, load it with options, and a convertible doesn't do anything to improve the basic shell, major interior components, ride quality, etc.

[BayMoWe335]

A base 5 series would be nicer than a loaded 3 series, for example....and cheaper.

[Potty_Pants]

a base 7 series would be better then a loaded 5 series... for example... and cheaper.


so ?

[skimo]

Just to clarify...

the sound is not a "squeeking or cracking' or any sound related to loose parts..its a very mechanical and persistent sound. Sounds EXACTLY like a clock ticking...

I honestly thought someone left a watch or something behind, but since it only happens when the car has power, I am guessing its part of the vehicle. This is very strange its going at the pace of a real clock.

I will continue to search for it.

[Ari E93]

i can relate to these posts, unfortunatly, i have a unbeleivable annoying noise when the top is down and the rear drivers side windows makes an annoying creeking sound, it goes away when u put the window down. brought it to service twice and they still dont know how to get rid of it. i really was expecting better build, but the SA told me to expect some sounds being that it was a convertible and advised me to take advantage of the harmon kardon system i have and tune up the stereo. lol

[ww007]

Originally Posted by skimo

Just to clarify...

the sound is not a "squeeking or cracking' or any sound related to loose parts..its a very mechanical and persistent sound. Sounds EXACTLY like a clock ticking...

I honestly thought someone left a watch or something behind, but since it only happens when the car has power, I am guessing its part of the vehicle. This is very strange its going at the pace of a real clock.

I will continue to search for it.

Just take it back to the service center (any service center, doesn't have to be the one you bought your car from). Sounds like some electronic thing going off when you turn on the ignition. They should be able to diagnose it pretty easily.

[ww007]

Originally Posted by Ari E93

i can relate to these posts, unfortunatly, i have a unbeleivable annoying noise when the top is down and the rear drivers side windows makes an annoying creeking sound, it goes away when u put the window down. brought it to service twice and they still dont know how to get rid of it. i really was expecting better build, but the SA told me to expect some sounds being that it was a convertible and advised me to take advantage of the harmon kardon system i have and tune up the stereo. lol

So they know what's causing it and still can't get rid of it? Sounds unacceptable to me. Maybe try doing what one of the above posters did and just jam something soft in between the creases (don't know if this would be a good idea for a convertible though).

[stressdoc]

Get out of your car -- NOW!!!

[gunsekun]

Ops... It was supposed to detonate Jan 01 2011 at 12:01am..may it was set to 2012?