Baby BMW Forum banner

dreadful exhaust flap rattle .

137K views 1K replies 255 participants last post by  SamM140 
#1 ·
Morning all. Just thought I'd pass on that I took my M140i into Eastern BMW in Edinburgh to get the exhaust flap rattle looked at. I went armed with a video of it rattling. I didn't suggest any particular fix when dropping it off, but just that I was aware this is a known issue with these cars.

I had a call this morning to say that they are replacing the back box with an MPE for free. I said I'd be happy with that :spotman: Particularly impressed as I didn't buy the car from them, TRL having been massively cheaper.

In other news, I requested and got an i3 as a courtesy car, an have been very impressed indeed. Super smooth and surprisingly rapid. Bring on the rumoured i3S!
 
#3 ·
Tricky401 said:
huge result. maybe it's a known issue to that garage so they don't want you back in when the next one rattles
I suspect you're right. Better for BMW to stump up for one MPE than several standard (rattly) ones followed by an MPE. Eastern had their M specialist technician on the job, they said. They even sent me a video of him explaining the problem with the flap rattle, showing my car with the back bumper removed!
 
#6 ·
Tricky401 said:
not sure why the back bumper needs to be removed
That's unrelated to the exhaust. There was also a fault with the reversing camera (water ingress, apparently) so that is being replaced as well.
 
#7 ·
Jamie214 said:
Am I the only one that hopes their exhaust flap rattles to then argue a free MPE?
Exactly! Be sure to catch it on video when it rattles!
 
#9 ·
Bingers said:
Glad you got a good resolution. Mine goes in on Thurs armed with a video and a smile!
Good luck - let us know how it goes!
 
#10 ·
greatnorthroad said:
Bingers said:
Glad you got a good resolution. Mine goes in on Thurs armed with a video and a smile!
Good luck - let us know how it goes!
Thanks, I'll keep my fingers crossed! Out of interest, how have you found the MPE so far? What tips did you get?
 
#11 ·
Mine went in yesterday and I'm currently awaiting a decision from bmw uk about what they're going to do.
Will update here once I know but seems it's a much bigger problem than theyd like to admit as my dealer said mines now the 6th car they're trying to resolve.
 
#13 ·
Bingers said:
greatnorthroad said:
Bingers said:
Glad you got a good resolution. Mine goes in on Thurs armed with a video and a smile!
Good luck - let us know how it goes!
Thanks, I'll keep my fingers crossed! Out of interest, how have you found the MPE so far? What tips did you get?
It hasn't been fitted yet. The parts are arriving tomorrow. Will report back once I've had a chance to sample it properly. I assume it is with the standard stainless tips - I didn't request the carbon ones and they are more expensive so BMW wouldn't have paid for them. I actually prefer the stainless ones anyway.
 
#15 ·
greatnorthroad said:
SkyJawa said:
can someone post a vid of it and does it happen warm or cold?
Here's mine, as provided to the dealer:

It happened warm on mine, or at least it was warm when I noticed it.
 
#16 ·
It's happened once on mine, but not done it since.

The weather was warm but the car was stone cold and the rattle stopped after about 10 seconds.
 
#18 ·
Well, my wife just collected the car and there is no MPE! The service advisor told me on Tuesday that an MPE would be fitted and the technician repeated it in the video they sent me, but the story is now that BMW's warranty department require the back box to be replaced with another standard one first. It is only after the rattle returns for a second time that they will consider fitting an MPE.

Very unimpressed and disappointed. I do not appreciate being misled like that :evil:

I will be monitoring the exhaust very closely from now on to catch the rattle recurring and will be banging on Eastern's door as soon as it does :sterb:
 
#19 ·
Almost then....... mines in currently and have also been told no MPE, std replacement only, still trying but suspect its not going to happen, not sure if i want the hassle of a second rattler to try and get an MPE though :)
 
#20 ·
Shame about the MPE. But it sounds like you will get one should the new OEM one rattle. Seems like a waste of money on BMWs part and a waste of your time going to and from the dealers.

Just dropped mine off so I'll wait and see what happens.
 
#21 ·
Bingers said:
Shame about the MPE. But it sounds like you will get one should the new OEM one rattle. Seems like a waste of money on BMWs part and a waste of your time going to and from the dealers.

Just dropped mine off so I'll wait and see what happens.
Exactly. They know better than anyone that the rattle is highly likely to recur, so they will have to fund a new standard backbox and an MPE instead of just an MPE. Plus they have wasted my time and pissed me off!
 
#22 ·
greatnorthroad said:
Bingers said:
Shame about the MPE. But it sounds like you will get one should the new OEM one rattle. Seems like a waste of money on BMWs part and a waste of your time going to and from the dealers.

Just dropped mine off so I'll wait and see what happens.
Exactly. They know better than anyone that the rattle is highly likely to recur, so they will have to fund a new standard backbox and an MPE instead of just an MPE. Plus they have wasted my time and pissed me off!
Out of curiosity does anyone know the cost of the OEM back box? I might ask BMW if they would split the difference between the two if they want to replace OEM like for like.

EDIT. I would point out to them Cotswolds delivered price not RRP for MPE v OEM.
 
#23 ·
Ok. Up date on the exhaust rattle. Apparently they need to keep the car overnight as they need to hear back from the main BMW diagnostic centre and will likely know what course of action to take tomorrow. Not overly impressed to be honest.
 
#25 ·
Mine has had the back box replaced last week under warranty, but they have had two attempts to fit it straight and failed both times. It is going back in on Monday and I have asked their best technician do the work, as I am not intending to have to come back any more times.

They too confirmed they would need to fit the standard back box. I did state if the rattle comes back I do not want to waste my time having another replacement box and would push for an MPE, as it is wasting my time and theirs.
 
#26 ·
Mine has had the back box replaced last week under warranty, but they have had two attempts to fit it straight and have failed both times. It is going back in on Monday (3rd time) and I have asked that their best technician do the work, not Stevie Wonder like the last two attempts, as I am not intending to have to come back any more times. He did chuckle when I said about Stevie Wonder working in their garage lol.

They too confirmed they would need to fit the standard back box. I did state, if the rattle comes back, I do not want to waste my time having another replacement box and would push for an MPE, as it is wasting my time and theirs.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top