knocking sound from dashboard area

[nightyard]

every now and then when turning or going over a bump i'll hear like a knocking noise coming from the dashboard area but NO idea what the hell it is, sometimes when I turn the engine on i'll hear it on start up (its nothing to do with the engine.)

 

[Machine monkey]

Engine mount maybe????

 

[srhutch]

More likely the Strut braces where they connect to the firewall.

 

[nightyard]

More likely the Strut braces where they connect to the firewall.

i popped the bonnet earlier and tried to move them but they appeared solid.

 

[fatmikey]

i had a similar noise a while back, came from the centre of the dash, I just nipped the bolts up that mount the strut braces to the bulkhead, worked for me & no harm trying to tighten a couple of bolts up

 

[inkey$]

i had a similar noise a while back, came from the centre of the dash, I just nipped the bolts up that mount the strut braces to the bulkhead, worked for me & no harm trying to tighten a couple of bolts up

+1 this would seem the most likely cause. Worth trying first.

 

[Mr Whippy]

More likely the Strut braces where they connect to the firewall.

i popped the bonnet earlier and tried to move them but they appeared solid.

They will be unless you get a lever on them to really apply some big forces.

Well worth just putting a ring spanner on them and giving them a quick nip up. Will take 2 mins and if it doesn't go away you can move on to more serious stuff


Dave

 

[MoneyFor]

I had the same problem, it only happend when turning the steering wheel, after tightening the strut braces it never appears again.

 

[Bing]

Me too, tightening the braces at the firewall worked for me. They felt solid, but each bolt took a quarter turn at least.

 

[SUUNTOBOB]

I have the same problem, i will check strutt brace tonight.

 

[andy6409]

I have this myself occasionally on bumpy roads
Strut braces are tight so I was going to check the front suspension bushes next

 

[MoneyFor]

I have this myself occasionally on bumpy roads
Strut braces are tight so I was going to check the front suspension bushes next

How many miles/km on the car ? i had a problem with the suspension bushes on my E46 328Ci on 30K ( km's ) that gives a simelar sound indeed, now the E85 adapted the E46 suspension bushes if i'm correct.

 

[markeg]

Engine mount maybe????

Thought you would have suggested mice
(link)

 

[andy6409]

How many miles/km on the car ? i had a problem with the suspension bushes on my E46 328Ci on 30K ( km's ) that gives a simelar sound indeed, now the E85 adapted the E46 suspension bushes if i'm correct.

83k miles and don't think any have been changed before

 

[Ewazix]

Tightening the strut mountings sorted my creak, but take care, anything more than a 1/4 turn beyond the torque setting seriously risks breaking off the thread (as others have suffered before). I can't for the life of me find the correct torque setting on my TIS now but a previous post suggested the torque settings are 35nm / 28f/lb, anyone confirm this to help avoid someone breaking off?

 

[Dreamer]

http://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43895&hilit=bushes#p624937

May help

 

[wantanM]

pretty sure re-torquing the bolts where your struts meet the firewall will cure this. IIRC 35Nm

 

[Dreamer]

Dont be so sure wantan, it didnt solve the problem on my old 3.0.
Could be a steering rack problem or top mounts

 

[Swiftly]

Re torquing the struts didn't sort mine either, I have still got the knocking noise which appears from time to time depending on the road surface conditions.

 

[wegras]

Tightening the strut mountings sorted my creak, but take care, anything more than a 1/4 turn beyond the torque setting seriously risks breaking off the thread (as others have suffered before). I can't for the life of me find the correct torque setting on my TIS now but a previous post suggested the torque settings are 35nm / 28f/lb, anyone confirm this to help avoid someone breaking off?

There was an earlier post about a year ago and IIRC there is a torque setting and an additional turn but can't remember detail
and also i believe the recommendation is to use new nuts as the breaking of the studs is usually from just torquing up the old ones

I will trawl for original comment and somewhere I have a print of it as I used to replace mine which certainly sorted the "cracking "noise