Love my new m5... BUT steering vibration!!!

[sdf10m5]

I had this issue the day I bought mine, noticed it while driving it home. I had the dealer look at it and they replaced all 4 rotors/pads, however the problem persisted. I then got the front wheels re-balanced, and it instanty smoothed out everything as it should be, at any speed with no more steering vibration under accelerating or cruising. The tire shop said they were off by quite a bit..
I do get a very slight pulsation in the steering wheel at times only when braking at 50ish mph, but it is intermittent and hardly noticeable.

[ChrisNich117]

Originally Posted by coolting

I have a 12 F10 M5, and only recently did I take it for a long drive > 3hrs.

I never googled this issue as I never noticed it on short drives, but boy after 3 hrs ... my hands tinggled with numbness. The car has already more than 15k miles on it so I'm thinking this is not mileage related. I have not brought it in for balancing etc but its happening at very very slow speeds ... even at idle but its just not that prominent.

I'm wondering whether changing those gaskets, bushings etc is going to help.

It won't help. Its a swervtronic whatever steering issue. Mostly software related. When I had my 13 M5 I could notice this when I kept the car in the default setting when I turned it on after a day in the garage and never touched any of the M buttons or any performance settings. When I took it on the highway it was all good. Soon as you take it in and out of M mode once or twice... BAM! the vibration starts and you can feel the steering wheel vibrate like crazy from 60 or 70 mph and upwards. My 14 LCI ZCP, no issues, the breaks squeak though where my 13's did not so that's kinda strange but not a deal breaker. The vibration is a software issue and nothing more and BMW simply doesn't care enough to fix it. Give my experiment a little try and leave it in the default settings for a while even on the highway and make sure you don't use any performance buttons or M settings then switch back and forth and you'll notice the change. I couldn't stand it!!!! And there is no fix.

[coolting]

Thanks ChrisNich,

Tried observing the symptom that you described but couldnt notice any discernible difference whether or not the M button was activated. The vibration was equally pronounced ...

It never gets really bad over an hours drive, but I presume it was only after 3 hrs of continuous driving that it became obvious.

I'll still bring it in for one balancing and alignment. But if it stays there, I'll just have to live with it, or get rid of the car !!

[Carrerra RS]

Any resolution on this issue?

I have a 2016 M6 GC with exactly the same problems.

[naiza3k]

any update/solution on this issue guys? I have a 2013 M5 (03/13 build) and experiencing this issue as well...

[F10M5SoccerDad]

Originally Posted by naiza3k

any update/solution on this issue guys? I have a 2013 M5 (03/13 build) and experiencing this issue as well...

I have a 2014 M5 and it has the same issue. Constant vibration. Took it to the dealer they used a hunter road force balance machine and it helps a bit but vibration was still there. Still not sure what the issue is. Since it's still under warranty I will take it back to the dealership again when I have time to see if they can have another look. I also had the chance to drive a brand new M5 and there was a little vibration with is too. As of now, part of me is thinking that it's just bc of the BMW design flaw.

[naiza3k]

thanks F10M5SoccerDad, the problem with the lane departure and steering wheel vibration is that I can't tell when i'm on the lanes if my steering wheel is vibrating or not anymore...

[smoorebmw]

Hey Guys, my steeringwheel is still vibrating (14k miles) and my SA told me that it's "normal" compared to other vehicles. They didn't deny the fact there was something there but said they took out another f10 and it performed the same rendering the issue basically "my problem" this is NOT a reasonable response to this issue. Not for a car that has 14k miles and is fully under warranty. Anybody have any advice on how to approach?

[smoorebmw]

Perhaps we could start a petition that we could forward to BMWNA with this issue. A lot of us are coming out of warranty soon and should bring this up to BMW before we are out of warranty. I don't see this problem fixing itself (2nd law of thermodynamics proves me right on this)

[BMWM5NYC]

What tire pressures are you running? I have found that both the E and F series M cars have been very sensitive to tire pressures when it comes to vibrations at high speed. If I run 34-37psi I get slight vibrations at 90mph -95 mph. If I raise it to 38-40 psi, they pretty much go away. But of course ride is slightly harsher at those pressures. I keep my F10 M5 at 38-40psi.


I posted this a few days ago on the M6 board after the dealer basically almost took apart the whole front end looking for the cause of the M6 vibration. Check your tire pressures. These cars are VERY sensitve to it.

[DingolfingLove]

Not sure that tyre pressure is relevant - I have run my F10 M5 2015 with anything from 30 to 38 psi front & rear & have never had any vibration issues since the car was new.

This problem sounds mechanical in origin - if wheels are fully balanced, the issue must be with the unsprung mass - possibly a manufacturing defect - best collate details of which VIN no's are affected to see if there is a pattern in a batch of manufacturing

[BMWM5NYC]

Check this thread out>>>>>>> http://www.6post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1296088

[ConsumerFanatics]

Originally Posted by BMWM5NYC

Check this thread out>>>>>>> http://www.6post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1296088

Maybe the vibrations also happen more when the tires / outside and road temp are cold. Just a thought.

[IM6]

Guys I feel for those who are suffering from this vibration, I too have had this issue since ownership of 6-7 months. Luckily my local dealer is very determined and has changed an awful lot of things to eliminate one by one process.

They even had a loaner M6 from UK HQ off, swapped the wheels off of that vehicle, problem persisted.
Sunday just gone I noticed the tire pressure has been very low for this entire period of agony, propped it up to 38-40 as suggested by M5NYC and the vibration is 95% gone. the rest is I think the feedback from a rough road surface I suspect.

[naiza3k]

I just got the tires filled up to 35 yesterday, will try 38-40 and let everyone know if this fixes my issue.
Another problem I'm dealing with is the lane departure warning. Because the steering wheel has so much vibration, I purposely run over lanes and can't tell if the lane departure warning is vibrating the steering wheel or not...

[frenchi]

my friend got the same problem on his 2012 M5 and after multiple dealer visits they replaced the rear driveshaft and problem was totally solved...

[LI-M5]

i have a 13 for 3.5 years w 36 tire pressure all round and have had 0 i MEEEEN 0 vibration from 0 all the way upto 160mph

even the lane departure vibration was very noticeable when activated , if you have any vibration atall there is def a problem

[djseto]

Just found this thread after posting my own. I've been doing longer road trips and it's really noticable. Going to call the dealer on Monday but I was hoping someone found the right fix for this..?

[AntDX316]

If you have a problem, you have to film it!!!! With audio and different angles of the problem when the problem is happening. People are trying to figure it out with just words. A video is way more sensible but doesn't beat seeing and experiecing it in real-life and because we cannot experience it in real-life a video is best.

Everyone should film theirs so we have something to work with. Some people could think they have the same problem but it's not. A video would be great to see. Someone start then the rest follow. Use youtube to upload and drop the link here. It's like saying you have a leg problem and everyone thinking it's the foot, or the knee, or the hip, or the spine. You cannot fix someone who has a knee issue with everyone else who doesn't but this is how some of the systems work in the world. Some people trust the experts and a single expert, the doctor they are dealing with for the help and if they aren't giving correct information (usually experimental) the problem will never be solved. It feels good to follow expert advice even if it isn't correct but if you are on the side that has the "pain" then

[HXS]

Originally Posted by AntDX316

If you have a problem, you have to film it!!!! With audio and different angles of the problem when the problem is happening. People are trying to figure it out with just words. A video is way more sensible but doesn't beat seeing and experiecing it in real-life and because we cannot experience it in real-life a video is best.

Everyone should film theirs so we have something to work with. Some people could think they have the same problem but it's not. A video would be great to see. Someone start then the rest follow. Use youtube to upload and drop the link here. It's like saying you have a leg problem and everyone thinking it's the foot, or the knee, or the hip, or the spine. You cannot fix someone who has a knee issue with everyone else who doesn't but this is how some of the systems work in the world. Some people trust the experts and a single expert, the doctor they are dealing with for the help and if they aren't giving correct information (usually experimental) the problem will never be solved. It feels good to follow expert advice even if it isn't correct but if you are on the side that has the "pain" then

You can't film it because you can't see it. The vibration is like a tuning fork, it's a really fine vibration. You don't really feel it until you take long road trips since you hands are constantly fixed in one spot on the steering wheel. When you stop to rest or get gas, your hands and fingertips feel numb or have a tingling sensation.

So you can't film it, you just have to experience it.

[AntDX316]

Originally Posted by HXS

You can't film it because you can't see it. The vibration is like a tuning fork, it's a really fine vibration. You don't really feel it until you take long road trips since you hands are constantly fixed in one spot on the steering wheel. When you stop to rest or get gas, your hands and fingertips feel numb or have a tingling sensation.

So you can't film it, you just have to experience it.

I could imagine. Something must be wrong.

[HXS]

Originally Posted by AntDX316

I could imagine. Something must be wrong.

Honestly, it ain't that bad since it only happens on long trips for me. Like trips to Napa or Vegas from LA. So maybe 3 times a year max. And when it does happen, the tingling senasation or numbness goes away after a few minutes.