It is never pleasing to hear a sound on your automobile that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wanting to know what to do when you identify a reversing gear noise that lasts on your BMW 3 Series? Any gearbox trouble can be severe, but before making sure, it is better to do a few investigations. Our team has created this document to support you fix it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on BMW 3 Series, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse BMW 3 Series noises and some tips to preserve your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my BMW 3 Series make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult task. The noise induced by the reversing of your BMW 3 Series is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. Indeed, the gears used for conventional speeds (1st to 5th or 6th) are so-called “helical” gears (oblique gears) . The use of such a pinion makes the noise caused by the gears less strong than with spur gears used for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Certainly, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the automobile in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the automobile is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad practice. Indeed, the pressure you will exert on the gears will be monumental and you will produce a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even break the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely common if you hear a reverse noise on your BMW 3 Series if you shift gear under these conditions.
Diverse BMW 3 Series reversing noises and their triggers
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most enthusiastic about in this document, to learn about the source of reversing noise on BMW 3 Series. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I find out a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you hear a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your BMW 3 Series, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. In fact, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations made by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore possible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this case, do not hesitate to check this article for more info about strut mount noises on BMW 3 Series.
An increased reverse knocking noise on BMW 3 SeriesX
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your BMW 3 Series and this noise tends to build up as you gain speed. It is possible that you are dealing with a serious trouble that needs to be fixed as soon as possible before wrecking your entire gearbox. Indeed, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will disperse to the rest of the box and damage other gears very fast. Take your automobile to your auto mechanic quickly or check out this content about gearbox noise on BMW 3 Series for more details.
I find out a noise when I go in reverse
Experiencing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and linked to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your BMW 3 Series reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is possible that filings have been made and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
