rattling out of nowhere

[metalsoul]

So on my 1992 325i Cabby:

Last night on my way home, after starting the car a rattling noise came from the steering column (sounded like it was right behind the wheel.) The noise dissapears when I turn the wheel, and returns when I return the wheel to center, and let the car steer itself.

Here are my other symptoms:

I've had some solid vibrations in the wheel coming from the front end of the car the whole time at any speed, I was thinking due to tierods, and possibly poor alignment, plus it looks like the control arm balljoints look pretty worn. I've also got a little play in the wheel (probably about an inch to either side.) Additionally the PO removed the adjustable spring seat on the front Spings (Eibach Ground controls) and I know that can't be good.

Appreciate any help, thanks!

[E30_fiend]

Since you have a 92 e30, youre car came equipped with an air bag and air bag steering column. The air bag steering columns air in fact a two piece column. They are connected together via a sliding nut on the steering column. This nut is prone to coming loose on air bag e30s. To check if its loose, pull your upper and lower knee bolsters off and find the column. The nut that holds them together is hard to miss. Its a 32mm nut IIRC. Put the correct sized wrench on it or crecent wrench and put the other end of the wrench either on the floor or resting against the tranny tunnel. Now using the steering wheel, turn the wheel hard to the right. If you feel any movement without seeing the wrench move, then your nut was in fact loose. If you get little to no movement, then you have spent no money and you have one less thing to worry about.

Im willling to bet that the nut is your problem.




Taylor

[metalsoul]

Thanks for the suggestion...I checked and the nut was nice and tight, the instance I moved the wheel the wrench went with it.
BUT, is the shaft supposed to have a little bit of play in it or should it be perfectly stiff, unable to wiggle it a little with light force?

[///digitalme]

Thanks for the suggestion...I checked and the nut was nice and tight, the instance I moved the wheel the wrench went with it.
BUT, is the shaft supposed to have a little bit of play in it or should it be perfectly stiff, unable to wiggle it a little with light force?

did you lock the steering wheel? it its not locked then it will move with the nut... my current 318is had the steering nut loose...tighten it and now its tight and steering is better...

[Sagaris]

Fiend, thanks for posting that info, it was extremely helpful for me. Having recently redone my suspension, I still had a noise in the steering over bumps (figuring it was a sloppy rack). I came across this thread, Spent a total of 5 minutes under the dash and have no noise anymore! I was able to tighten the nut around 2 turns.

[E30_fiend]

Fiend, thanks for posting that info, it was extremely helpful for me. Having recently redone my suspension, I still had a noise in the steering over bumps (figuring it was a sloppy rack). I came across this thread, Spent a total of 5 minutes under the dash and have no noise anymore! I was able to tighten the nut around 2 turns.

there you go!!

the airbag cars just had that problem for some reason. The best thing to do with an airbag steering column is to swap in a non airbag column :)

[hyperE30]

did you lock the steering wheel? it its not locked then it will move with the nut... my current 318is had the steering nut loose...tighten it and now its tight and steering is better...

I did this and the end of the column going to the PSR still has play and there is clack noise when ever hitting a bump or turning, even going up on the drive way.. any other ideas...

[izthistaken]

Great info fellas! Just changed my lca's and had this noise, thought that could have been it, well more or less hoped. I'm going to go check this out because this noise is so annoying. Sounds like a hard plastic rattle or something of the sort and I have an airbag car.

[///digitalme]

I did this and the end of the column going to the PSR still has play and there is clack noise when ever hitting a bump or turning, even going up on the drive way.. any other ideas...

if it didnt help then check your steering coupling also check the joint ...i have read it causes the same symptons as a loose nut....

[metalsoul]

Well for sure the bolt is secure, I locked the wheel and the bolt was tight. And I felt around at the coupling and everything feels tight. But the rattle really sounds like it's coming from between the wheel and the guage cluster. If my airbag has been deployed at all would there be something?

[metalsoul]

So when driving last night, it seems that as I turn right the noise goes away, but as I turn left, the noise gets stronger and then goes away the more I turn left.

Could it have anything to do with my steering wheel, I wonder if the airbag was deployed at some point and something is loose??

[metalsoul]

I found it! Took my airbag off and voila, one of the locking nuts was loose. So I tightened it, and decided to tighten everything else back there just to be safe...and of course, I overtightened one and it broke:



I guess I needed an excuse to get an Mtech wheel, so now I have one, and excuse that is!