It is never pleasing to perceive a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be questioning what to do when you notice a reversing gear noise that continues on your BMW X4? Any gearbox trouble can be serious, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has written this paper to help you resolve it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on BMW X4, and second, what are the solutions available to you.reverse-gear-noise-bmw-x4

Classical reverse BMW X4 noises and some tips to preserve your gearbox

Why does the reversing of my BMW X4 make a different noise from my other speeds?

De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult task. The sound induced by the reversing of your BMW X4 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 chosen for the reverse gear.

Tips to limit 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 vehicle in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions.

  • Never reverse while the vehicle is in motion or vice versa:
    Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad idea. In fact, the pressure you will put in on the gears will be significant and you will generate 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 experience a reverse noise on your BMW X4 if you shift gear under these conditions.

Different BMW X4 reversing noises and their triggers

Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most excited about in this page, to find out about the cause of reversing noise on BMW X4. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.

I listen to a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear

If you perceive a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your BMW X4, 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 produced by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore plausible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to consult this article for more details about strut mount noises on BMW X4.

An increased reverse knocking noise on BMW X4X

If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your BMW X4 and this noise tends to amplify as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are experiencing a serious trouble that needs to be fixed as soon as possible before destroying your entire gearbox. In fact, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will spread to the rest of the box and damage other gears in short order. Take your vehicle to your auto technician quickly or read this article about gearbox noise on BMW X4 for more data.

I perceive a noise when I go in reverse

Finding out a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and related to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your BMW X4 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is plausible that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.