It is never pleasant to find out a sound on your car that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be questioning what to do when you identify a reversing gear noise that continues on your BMW i3? Any gearbox trouble can be severe, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has written this content page to support you eliminate it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on BMW i3, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse BMW i3 noises and some tips to maintain your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my BMW i3 make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult exercise. The noise induced by the reversing of your BMW i3 is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. In fact, 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:
In fact, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the car in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the car is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad practice. In fact, the pressure you will apply on the gears will be enormous and you will generate a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even destroy the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely usual if you find out a reverse noise on your BMW i3 if you shift gear under these conditions.
Diverse BMW i3 reversing noises and their origins
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most excited about in this page, to learn about the origin of reversing noise on BMW i3. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.
I hear a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you find out a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your BMW i3, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Certainly, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations produced 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 circumstance, do not hesitate to read this content page for more information about strut mount noises on BMW i3.
An increased reverse knocking noise on BMW i3X
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your BMW i3 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 solved rather quickly before ruining your entire gearbox. In fact, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will propagate to the rest of the box and damage other gears very fast. Take your car to your auto technician quickly or browse this content about gearbox noise on BMW i3 for more details.
I discover a noise when I go in reverse
Finding out a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and connected to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your BMW i3 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is possible that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
