i looked in search and couldnt find anything that answers my question so, when im parking or turning at a really low speed and i turn the wheel left a clunking/knocking noise comes from the front left of the car. I got an inspection on the car back in feb and they said to look to replace the front left thrust rod bushing in the future. not sure if this is what it is or something else... anyone else have this problem?

 

Can you "feel" the clunk through the steering?

 

i think i have the same problem. it happens every day, first drive of the day. i'm usually backing out and as i'm turning the steering wheel left, i hear a pop/click. it happens once a day, everyday. hard to reproduce because it only happens once a day. i thought it was from the front end, but it seems to be coming from the the steering column. dealership took the car for a night, the head SA heard it, replaced some things in the steering column, but it's still there. they said since it doesn't seem to pose a danger they can't do anything else. would be nice to know what the problem is, good luck finding out!

 

holy cow I posted like three times about this exact problem last month and at the beginning of this month. I have a CPO 04 545 with 47k. The dealership first told me it was the steering box and replaced it with the inner tie rods. The noise went away but not the sensation or feeling of the clunking so I took it back. One week later I got it back ans was it was the steering shaft linkage,(thanks Krozi and a other member who I forgot his/her name, my apoligies for giving me the info to take to the dealer) and the problem is now gone. However it seems to fix the steering linkage is a lot more work than the steering box, ie they didnt the first time. If you have a warrantee or are wealthy have them do both and you should be good. My car feels new now, goodluck

 

I have exactly the same problem. 5 months ago I had the dealer checked it out and they said they just re-torque my suspension links. It didn't work. I still have the same problem. It is hard to replicate the problem. It only seems to knock after the car have been parked for awhile and when backing up. It also happen one time when i jacked up the left front wheel. I don't think it is anywhere in the suspension since it doesn't knock under any road condition. I am not convince it is anywhere in the steering as well since it doesn't knock when turning left. That narrows it down to maybe a body parts loose or body flex. The knocking sound I hear sounds like more of a metal expanding when heated. Let me know if you find any solution.

 

I'm having this same issue. I originally noticed it when backing out of the drive way, but not I think it's more frequent tent. It's very annoying, and I definitely o get in before more damage is done. It's an '06 with 74k miles, and under CPO.

Is this covered under CPO?

 

Probably not under CPO-more a bumper to bumper thing unless you reproduce it easily and it turns out to be something like the steering columun.

I had the exact same problem for like a year before finally taking it in under full warranty for the annoyance again and again and finally the guy literally said he tightened every bolt on my suspension front chassis and inspected the suspension which was all fine---that totally went away after that so maybe one little loose bolt or not even loose but less than spect can cause the sound IMO.

You can also try yourself lubing your drive shaft-there is a DIY of how to remove the drive seat console under the steering wheel to access the drive shaft directly and you can lithium greese it up and that can also be a source of any clunks when turning the wheel-wasnt in mine but have heard similar stories of sounds with a fix by doing that

 

"i looked in search and couldnt find anything that answers my question so, when im parking or turning at a really low speed and i turn the wheel left a clunking/knocking noise comes from the front left of the car. I got an inspection on the car back in feb and they said to look to replace the front left thrust rod bushing in the future. not sure if this is what it is or something else... anyone else have this problem?"

Your mechanic is right. I had the same problem and it required the replacement of left control arm when my car got around 75K miles. Also most BMW bushings need replacement between 50-75K as they begin to wear out.

 

Having this problem now has anyone found a solution to this problem ?