X3 Drivetrain Clunk

[Dewd]

Hey all.

Just bought my second BMW ever. A brilliantly clean 2005 X3 2.0D. It has 225 000km on the clock, which I know is high, but I bought it from a mate who has owned it since new and it has a full BMW service history. I got the car for an absolute steal. I paid R80K, which is what Audi were prepared to offer him as a trade in because of the mileage.

I know the risk of high mileage diesels, but am prepared to take the risk. Personally I believe that South Africans in general are scared of high mileage - unnecessarily so.

The car is immaculate though. 1 fastidious accountant owner without kids, so the interior is still like new - no kids to try see just how many footprints they can leave all over the car you see!

The one thing I have noticed is a mysterious "clunk" noise when driving slowly - particularly in parking lots. You travel straight and then turn into a space and you sometimes get it. Happens to both left and right. It sounds like it comes from the rear of the car. It seems to be sporadic - I can't seem to reproduce the symptom at will, or I have not yet realised the exact conditions under which they occur.

Does this sound like the "famous" transfer case failure? I imagine the transfer case sits pretty much under the driver, and this noise seems to come from the back - rear diff?

Hope to come the bottom of this.

 

[Richard H]

I have the exact same problem. Heard that it's from the rear diff something about the gears in the diff. Starting get it at about 175000km now on 225 000km nothing has fallen off.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Dewd]

Thanks Richard.

Where did you hear that from? Have you had a quote to repair / replace?

Des

 

[Blue Shirt]

The transfer case failure on my wife's X3 sounded like a worn wheelbearing with grinding noises from the front, especially when turning. No clunking noises though.

 

[gerhardvdberg]

Hi Dewd, did you find out what the problem was? My X3 (same model as yours, same kilos) are doing the same. Did you have it repaired?

 

[Dewd]

Haven't done anything. I'm now on 250 000km and it is no worse. Still looking for a solution though.

 

[nevmax]

Try rotating your tires front to back. If the clunk goes away its because the tire circumfernce is not equal front to back. BMW has some ridiculously small allowable difference.

 

[Wilkie]

Hi Guys. Have nothing happened about this clunk noise problem???

 

[Jacques19]

I have the same clunking sound when i stop or drive in slow traffic. I chnaged the tyres and a slight improvement but still when i stop the noise is there. I even plugged out the actuator.