I have heard a "clunking" sound coming from what I thought was the passenger side area of the dash, and it sounded like something was loose (almost as if I had a door that wasn't shut). I have noticed it a couple times when going over bumps.

I read the service bulletin and thought "great, I'll go fix it myself." I then went out to my garage and realized that there are about 5 layers of plastic, weatherstripping and other stuff on top of the area where those two cross members connect (not quite as easy as the picture would lead you to believe).

I guess I'll just have to head over to the dealer and let them look at it.

 

FYI: Taking the cluster out is really easy - just two torx screws at the top and it slides out. Moving the steering wheel out and down as far as it can go makes it easier.There's a bound group of wires going to the cluster, but that's it for connections.

I'm surprised that there's so much room between the cluster and the dash that it's rattling - the tolerances seem pretty tight. If a quarter stops the rattling, I doubt you'd be able to get both pieces of velcro in there - perhaps a piece of felt would be better.

 

I am appalled at how these cars react to cold weather; you'd think they were deisgned and built in Nicaruagua. The windows, dashboards, doors and those damned hydraulic steering and anti-sway suspension warnings on cold mornings are really beyond the pale in a car of this caliber. My iDrive warnings are more cold sensitive than previous 2 winters; are those Progman updates making the car more "sensitive?" Not that "sensitive" is a bad thing.....

Ray Hull

 

On my 06 330, the dealer took out my radio, climate control cluster and the top dash center speaker and then test drove. Still the dash creak, and sounds like it's coming from the center of the dash. Felt around inside the dash and reports all seems to be tight. Said the next step is to take out the dash! Before they do that, I want them to look into my struts to see if my 330 has the same problem the e60s do. And also reinstall my instrument cluster with felt.

If all that fails, I'll ok the dash removal. And if that fails, I'll push for a BMW buy back. Will BMW buy back for a incurable dash noise? My last straw is to unload it for a new 535, however with the F10 on the way, I am hoping to wait it out.

Any ideas guys?

 

Got the same issue...only noticeable on bumpy roads. I'm somewhat disappointed or annoyed that this would occur at all in a fine automobile and since it is occuring in others, it's some sort of defect.

 

I was going to just post "Nope", but instead I'll say "I really, really doubt it". Buybacks are usually for mechanical issues that affect the safety or drivability of the car - rattles are neither.

I sympathize, though - I'm really noise sensitive and rattles drive me crazy.

 

Thanks I saw the two screws that hold the cluster but just been to lazy to fix it And the tolerance of the cluster and the bottom of the dash is pretty tight and that may be the problem since it only mounts from the top and allows the bottom to move freely thus you have that darn squeek of plastic on plastic. The bottom of the dash kinda gives that is why I am able to squeeze a quarter in there hell i think i just found the elusive coin holder