skyetripper

Anybody got any top tips for curing the squeaky door syndrome? I thought this would be a thing of the past with the e60 models, but apparently not.

Thanks

KAF

If under warranty, take it back, there are 'improved' seals that are supposed to fix it.

having said that mine have been replaced twice.

It is generally thought that getting polish on the seals causes a problem, ensure any polish on them is cleaned off with a good solvent.

dawi

My April 2006 model had the same problem but the new seals were used on E60s some time before this. I kept using silcone spray but squeaks kept coming back. Finally took back to dealer who I thought would replace the seals but used the remedy of clear tape around the slam lines where the felt door rubbers meet the bodywork.

Seems to be an official BMW fix for vehicles produced after Jan 2005. It does seem to work so far and the tape if of a good quality and well applied in that it took me a week before I noticed it when washing the car.

Attached is the BMW line on this problem, hope it helps:

SI B 51 02 05
Body Equipment December 2006
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes S.I. B51 02 05 dated October 2006.

SUBJECT
Squeaking Noise From Door Frame Area While Driving

MODEL
E60, E61 (5 Series)

SITUATION
Some customers may complain of hearing squeaking or creaking noises coming from the door frame area when driving on rough roads.

CAUSE
Movement between the flocking material (felt-like material indicated by the arrows) on the upper door seal and the surrounding roof panel may produce squeaking or creaking noises.
These noises may be amplified by contamination or cleaner residue on the door opening.

CORRECTION
In case of a customer complaint, refer to the procedure outlined below to replace the seals with improved parts and/or apply the specified transparent Teflon tape.

The flocking material was changed in 01/2005 to an improved material with exceptional rigidity, strength, and low moisture absorption.

The new and improved parts may not have any unique identifying stamps or markings. Therefore, the production date should be used to identify the new seals.

Updated seals will have a date stamp on the back of the part reading later than January 3, 2005 (3.1.2005).

PROCEDURE
Depending on the status of the vehicle, perform the applicable procedure described below.

Vehicles produced up to 01/2005, first complaint:

Replace all 4 upper door seals with the improved parts.

Follow Repair Instruction RA 51 21 360 to replace the front upper door seals.

Follow Repair Instruction RA 51 22 360 to replace the rear upper door seals.

Thoroughly clean the upper door seal's mating surface on the body of the vehicle with a silicone remover such as 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner or Wurth Silicone Remover.

Do not apply "Carbaflo" on these door seals.

Vehicles produced from 01/2005, and vehicles that have previously had the improved seals installed.

Thoroughly clean the upper door seal's flocking material, as well as the mating surface on the body of the vehicle with a silicone remover such as 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner or Wurth Silicone Remover.

Apply a continuous length of Teflon tape
(PN 9 407 798) to the contact area of the flocking material (1) on the body of the vehicle.
The area where the tape should be applied to spans from the middle of the a-pillar to the rear-most point on the rear door opening as indicated by the arrows.


Notes:
The tape should be applied slowly and very carefully to avoid trapping air bubbles under the tape.
To eliminate visibility of the tape when the door is closed and ensure proper contact with the flocking surface, the upper edge of the tape (1) should line up evenly with the top of the door seal (2) for the entire length of the applied area.
The tape should be applied in its full width (16mm), not be cut down to a narrower width.

C. Vehicles produced up to 01/2005, which are in for a repeat complaint, and have the original seals installed

Replace all 4 upper door seals as per procedure A.

Apply Teflon tape as per procedure B.

PARTS INFORMATION
Part Number
Description
Quantity

51 21 7 057 507
Left front door seal
1

51 21 7 057 508
Right front door seal
1

51 22 7 057 509
Left rear door seal
1

51 22 7 057 510
Right rear door seal
1

83 19 9 407 798
Teflon adhesive tape
1

3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner may be used for this procedure.

For more information on this product, please visit http://www.3m.com/.

Wurth Silicone Remover may also be used for this procedure.

For more information on this product, please visit http://www.wurthusa.com/.

WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Defect Code
Refer to KSD

Labor Operation:
Refer to KSD

Labor Allowance:
Refer to KSD

An additional work allowance of 3 FRUs may be added for the surface preparation and installation of the Teflon tape to the body of the vehicle, claimed under labor operation 51 99 000.

[ Copyright ? 2006 BMW of North America, LLC ]

Ricracing

Do not wax the sealings nor use any silicone or solvants etc!

picosp

Leather cleaner wipes did the trick for me. its been 3 months and not much sqeaking has returned. i got this solution from searching the forums on this site.

skyetripper

"Thoroughly clean the upper door seal's flocking material, as well as the mating surface on the body of the vehicle with a silicone remover such as 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner or Wurth Silicone Remover.

Apply a continuous length of Teflon tape
(PN 9 407 798) to the contact area of the flocking material (1) on the body of the vehicle.
The area where the tape should be applied to spans from the middle of the a-pillar to the rear-most point on the rear door opening as indicated by the arrows."

Any ideas where to get the teflon tape??

dawi

Don't know I'm afraid as it was done by my dealer? It's a free BMW official fix and so I would book it in rather than attempting it yourself.

skyetripper

Thanks for that - will speak to the dealer tomorrow

aybeesea

Remember that the SIBs published on here are typically applicable to the US market and whilst they are great guidance, and acknowledgment by BMW that a problem exists, there may be local BMW policies as to why the fixes given in the SIBs are not applicable in other territories.

ABC

dawi

I am guessing that Skyetripper is from the UK by the RHD photo of his car and the local time on the profile. This is applicable for the UK as when I booked it in to my dealer they accepted that it was a known problem to BMW UK and therefore a "free fix".

If anyone gets told otherwise by their dealer then I suggest they fight it hard as this issue is so well publicised it would be difficult for them to wriggle out of it, in whatever country (they are, after all, a global company!).

I would have thought it should be quite an embarrassment for BMW to have this problem on such an expensive premium model especially as there was a design change in Jan 2005 and yet they still squeak in many cases. :thumbsdown:

I might be imagining this but I thought I read somewhere that this also had been a problem on the E39!