It is never pleasant to notice a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wondering what to do when you find a reversing gear noise that lasts on your BMW X5? Any gearbox trouble can be important, but before making sure, it is better to do a few inspections. Our team has written this content page to support you fix it. First, we will see what the sources and the different gearbox noises can be on BMW X5, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse BMW X5 noises and some tips to preserve your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my BMW X5 make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult exercise. The sound caused by the reversing of your BMW X5 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 important than with spur gears employed for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Indeed, 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 practice. In fact, the pressure you will apply on the gears will be significant and you will produce 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 typical if you notice a reverse noise on your BMW X5 if you shift gear under these conditions.
Diverse BMW X5 reversing noises and their causes
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this article, to learn about the cause of reversing noise on BMW X5. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I listen to a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you notice a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your BMW X5, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Indeed, 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 plausible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to check this document for more information about strut mount noises on BMW X5.
An increased reverse knocking noise on BMW X5X
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your BMW X5 and this noise tends to build up as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are experiencing a serious trouble that needs to be resolved fairly quickly 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 quickly. Take your vehicle to your auto mechanic quickly or check out this document about gearbox noise on BMW X5 for more information.
I perceive a noise when I go in reverse
Listening 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 X5 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is plausible that filings have been made and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
