BMW 130i M-Sport of death

Ovr

Ovr

Ovr

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Joined
16 Dec 2004
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469
Location
Leicestershire
So I drive to work this morning and all is well, nothing new or interesting.

I get into the car to come home... HOLY MOLY it is an *utter* death trap! Sideways with no throttle, turning the wheel feels as if the front tyres are turning physically horizontal under the car whilst the back end snaps out - seriously dangerous! Just got home and taken it up to the local garage to check the tyre pressures and all is fine, reset the pressure sensors to see if magically the TC was playing up but to no avail.

Has anyone ever heard of anything so random? The car still feels comfortable in a straight line and there are no audible creaks or rattles from anything (even bounced on each corner to see if there was something broken like a shock) BUT even though I know it's easy to light up the rears I can feel them spinning up when pulling away from 10mph in third.

Any help or suggestions on what to check would be ace guys as I've just booked my wedding and it's typical for something expensive to come along and bankrupt me!

Oh and the road was bone dry and the tyres whilst not new have plenty of tread on (passed MOT a month back.)

Thanks, a worried Matt :(
 
Tried turning the ESP off and it's no different, just more lethal (if possible.)

Don't think it can be a front brake seized as i'd driven 4 miles to get to the garage and the wheels weren't hot at all when checking pressures :/
 
How long was your journey? Sounds a lot like diesel on the road which has subsequently affected the tires for a bit.

Driving on diesel is imo more slippery than ice.
 
MeEsH BaKkA said:
How long was your journey? Sounds a lot like diesel on the road which has subsequently affected the tires for a bit.

Driving on diesel is imo more slippery than ice.
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Journey was about 20 miles, would diesel stay on tyres that long? Being completely honest when it first happened I said to myself in my head that there must have been diesel spilled on the roundabout but then though it couldn't be 20 miles later...?
 
Perhaps not diesel then, Although the symptoms sound very similar assuming you drove the car to work with no issues?

Diesel affects the rubber of the tires and can last a while although 20 miles seems a bit much, unless you followed the route of a vehicle with a diesel leak.
The effect is very very similar to driving on ice.
 
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Ovr said:
Tried turning the ESP off and it's no different, just more lethal (if possible.)
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Tried both off settings? Pressing it once will enable the DTC mode, pressing and holding DTC button for a few seconds will completely disable the whole system.
 
If its really as bad as you say, call BMW, get them to recover it and let them road test it. As it will definetely do the same on them.

I am amazed how it could be wheel spinning on a dry road in 3rd gear though if you were pull away at 10mph, thats only going to happen if your on snow, ice or diesel.

All I can think of is check your lower trailing arms to the rear, the rear shocks and the springs, hence best get BMW to look it over.
 
Gibbo said:
If its really as bad as you say, call BMW, get them to recover it and let them road test it. As it will definetely do the same on them.

I am amazed how it could be wheel spinning on a dry road in 3rd gear though if you were pull away at 10mph, thats only going to happen if your on snow, ice or diesel.

All I can think of is check your lower trailing arms to the rear, the rear shocks and the springs, hence best get BMW to look it over.
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That's what's really confusing me as to get it to spin up in 3rd usually have to be on a track (!) and about 70mph in very wet conditions.

Wouldn't mind getting them to come road test it but as the cars not under warranty I'm guessing I'll have to pay for the recovery fee plus work done on it at the garage, rather than me limping it there in the morning?
 
Gibbo said:
If its really as bad as you say, call BMW, get them to recover it and let them road test it. As it will definetely do the same on them.

I am amazed how it could be wheel spinning on a dry road in 3rd gear though if you were pull away at 10mph, thats only going to happen if your on snow, ice or diesel.

All I can think of is check your lower trailing arms to the rear, the rear shocks and the springs, hence best get BMW to look it over.
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He mentions severe understeer as well which would not be caused by the rear trailing arms/suspension, I vote diesel.

BMW is a good call, although if it was my car I would be tempted to light up the driven wheels and see if grip returns but obvously not many people have the space to try this. i.e not on public roads

Edit: he didnt mention uundersteer I read the op wrong, sorry.
 
MeEsH BaKkA said:
He mentions severe understeer as well which would not be caused by the rear trailing arms/suspension, I vote diesel.

BMW is a good call, although if it was my car I would be tempted to light up the driven wheels and see if grip returns but obvously not many people have the space to try this. i.e not on public roads

Edit: he didnt mention uundersteer I read the op wrong, sorry.
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Had the TC fully off and live in the country so lots of long open areas where I've lit them up to no avail - feels now though as if when I turn in left the wheel has that instant feeling of understeer snapping to extreme oversteer but it's that quick to happen you don't actually get the understeer....very odd. Gotta be honest I'm a bit weary about driving it to work tomorrow morning!
 
burns said:
The what now?
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Cars with an ESP program have a steering sensor to work out what the driver wants to do. If it's wrong and the car thinks you're trying to steer but the G sensor/gyro says you're not, it will brake the wheels to try and steer the car. But the OPs recents posts suggest this is not the problem.
 
feels now though as if when I turn in left the wheel has that instant feeling of understeer snapping to extreme oversteer but it's that quick to happen you don't actually get the understeer
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That, sounds like broken front suspension.

BUT even though I know it's easy to light up the rears I can feel them spinning up when pulling away from 10mph in third.
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That, sounds like diesel.

Either way probably best to get a garage to check your car over as something is not right.

I doubt it is a sensor problem as sensors should not be able to remove mechanical grip or cause severe steering problems.
 
Ring work tomorrow and tell them you're going to be in late because your car is dangerous to drive at the minute. Then limp to the nearest garage and see what they say. For the love of God don't go tearing down the motorway until you know what it is for sure.
 
Worthy said:
Ring work tomorrow and tell them you're going to be in late because your car is dangerous to drive at the minute. Then limp to the nearest garage and see what they say. For the love of God don't go tearing down the motorway until you know what it is for sure.
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Absolutely Worthy, already sent a message to my boss to let him know that somethings royally wrong with the car and I'll be taking it to be looked at.

Thing is I've been noticing it more and more lairy recently but I've put it down to the bad weather and greasy roads; maybe it's been a developing problem for a while. I'm gonna check the tyres over thoroughly tomorrow morning when it's light but when I've felt the centre grooves there's at least 5-6mm of tread left.

Sigh, just as I was thinking of getting rid of the thing too =)
 
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