Bag of spanners in the boot (trunk to the US folks)

Darren M

Senior member
 Devon
Okay, I may have posted something about this before. My car has a little rear diff noise which is normal of the ///M diff so I've been told. BMW offered an additive for the diff which cures the noise although I declined this as it seems this will make the diff less efficient. The noise is a kind of rubbing noise, and occassional clashing of the ceramic disks inside the diff. I just live with it now as I only really notice it with the windows open.

The only reason I mention the above is because the diff is at the back of the car. I'm also hearing an occassional sound as if there are a bag of spanners in the boot. Going over bumps it can sound like a metal bar is either hitting the underside of the car, or it's in the boot 'clanging' against other metal. Has anyone else experienced this sensation? it really does sound a bit like someone has a bag of spanners and are shaking the bag up and down resulting in a 'clang' when I go over bumps\potholes.

I've had a poke around underneath the battery cover in the boot and all looks secured. I've also lifted the easily removably boot cover and apart from finding some loose money that has found it's way under there(a few 5 pence pieces - my gigilo earnings), nothing else was found. I may try and remove the boot side covers this weekend to see if there's anything under there knocking about although doing that looks a little more complex.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the same thing and found a fix? I thought a rear spring had gone (was sure of it) but two investigations over the last 3 or 4 months has revealed the springs are just fine. What else could the bag of spanners in the boot/underside or passenger side of the car be? Sounds like it's rear passenger side.
It's not getting any worse, and driving on smooth roads is fine but on crappy roads (with potholes thrown in) I hear this 'clang', like someone shaking a bag of large spanners or a bar knocking against the body of the car.
 
Don't know about the Ms but the 3.0Si literally has a bad of spanners in the boot. They're in a roll-up bag by the battery.
 
Smokin said:
Don't know about the Ms but the 3.0Si literally has a bad of spanners in the boot. They're in a roll-up bag by the battery.
Yes the M has those too, but it's not that, those are small tools. The sound is more like heavy duty spanners/thick bar(s) clanging against something.
 
secure the tool bag very well wrap it with something so you assure yourself the noise is not from the tool set. If it continues I would go to the dealer and have him drive it to resolve the issue.

This issue came up before, in fact I took a picture for the fellow of my tool kit. In doing so I shorted out my trunk light, the light still does not work. So if you play around in the trunk (boot to you) be careful not to disturb any of the loose wires or you may loose your boot light as well :) :)
 
Darren, I know you have said the rear springs have been checked but a quick visual without the wheel off may not reveal a broken spring. It's normally the bottom coil that snaps and which then settles into the bottom mounting of the spring – visually it looks OK but you need to look into the mounting to recover the broken section. All the symptoms you describe suggest a broken spring.
 
Yep, rear spring. Stick your hand in there and you'll feel a loose bit. Not always easy to feel but I bet it's that.
 
Darren,

I know what you mean, I had the same issue about 4 months ago, lasted 2 weeks but it doesn't do it anymore.
 
Springs do seem okay to me, but wheels need to come off again to check. I have no time to get the car looked at, at the moment so just driving it.
I think the diff is about to fall out soon :rofl:
Not hearing the bag of spanners so much recently although that noise is still there, but still hearing the scraping noise I reported before (like ceramic plates rubbing). Occassionally under braking it just stops after it has of course become quite loud first, but the noise comes back after a short while. Actually the scraping noise doesn't seem so bad now, but now as I'm driving along at about 40mph I'm hearing the occasional 'bang' when the windows are open, as if something is kind of rotating and getting stuck until some force builds up and it snaps free.

The Z4 M is great.....but I think mine is possessed by the devil :evil: :driving: :evil:

Warranty has of course expired but hopefully if it does turn out to be an expensive issue BMW will cover the cost as it's already been reported as an issue before. Am tempted to renew the warranty this one time just in case (as it's only just expired a few weeks back) but I don't like paying for extended warranties usually as only the rare few gain from them.

Could be rear bakes, but I think all of the weird noises are related (the bag of spanners sound, the scraping, the occassional low 'bang' I'm now hearing). Sod the diff additive they wanted me to use, me thinks the diff will be buggered by next service. If both front windows are open, the noise sometimes appears from drivers side or at other times the passenger side..

The devil wears interlagos blue fenders :cry:
 
Eeeeek.. I'd be back in the dealer shouting, not because it's that bad but because it has all the earmarks of something serious popping later on.

Iirc - you cant renew the warranty the day after it expires - i ended up doing it at like 529pm on the last day and they seemed pretty strict. For peace of mind I'd at least keep the £80pm one up just in case it pops next week.
 
daz05 said:
Darren,

I know what you mean, I had the same issue about 4 months ago, lasted 2 weeks but it doesn't do it anymore.

Further to my post I found that my 2 rear springs were snapped!! I suggest you check yours.
 
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