[atl_1M]

NOTE - The fix to my problem was found to be missing dampers from the factory. I purchased the parts myself for around $120 shipped as my dealer was useless and the dampers corrected the problem. The parts should be numbers 13-15 from this page: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_1503

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Original Issue:

I picked up my new X5 xdrive 40i from the performance center last week, and it was a treat.

All in all, the car is fantastic and I'm happy with the color and options we chose, including the ride on the air suspension on the stock 22" wheels. There is one issue though. Something doesn't seem right with the road noise which appears to be coming from the front suspension. It's hard to describe, but what I'm referring to is the sound the suspension makes as it moves over the constant microbumps that are on pretty much every road except the very smooth ones. It's louder the faster I go, and especially loud on the highway. With every small bumps on the road, it sounds as if someone is playing a hollow drum with their hands. On the highway it's pretty much constant. I know it's not the tire noise b/c I can hear it distinctly as bumps are more frequent. I can hear it as low as 20mph but it's really loud going over 70+. On a smooth road, I don't really hear anything.

Is anyone else experiencing this? It doesn't seem normal unless there's some sort of break in period to the air suspension. No other car (not even my 1M or my wife's old Honda CR-V) is this loud over any bumps. And since the sound is apparently driving on any road but the smoothest, it's hard not to pay attention to it.

Here's a video (note, the sound I'm describing is more evident when playing the video through my cell phone speakers versus laptop speakers for some reason):

[Zethii]

Absolutely not normal. Mine with 25000km (3.0d with airsuspension} is absolutely quiet, whatever the road conditions.. So something is not ok. Sounds like something loose is hanging or laying around.. Should be an easy fix. Good luck and keep on enjoying! The car is brilliant!

[Gtz1wickedest]

Check your tire pressure if you have a lot of air inside from factory might be that I keep my 22s around 37-38 psi mines came with more than 10 psi over

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by Gtz1wickedest

Check your tire pressure if you have a lot of air inside from factory might be that I keep my 22s around 37-38 psi mines came with more than 10 psi over

Just checked and tire pressure is fine...

[wtwo3]

Get it checked out. I have air suspension and it's whisper quiet.

[dream54ing]

could it be your steering wheel vibrating (lane departure warning) when your slightly out of line? I sometimes cant tell if its the car/suspension or steering wheel vibrating

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by dream54ing

could it be your steering wheel vibrating (lane departure warning) when your slightly out of line?

Nah, definitely not.

It's a pretty deep sound coming from the suspension area. It's not an on the surface type rattle or vibration. I heard it almost all the way home on the highway except for the few stretches of perfectly smooth pavement.

I'll try and record a video today and post.

In the meantime going to reach out for an appt with the dealer.

[Gtz1wickedest]

Originally Posted by atl_1M

Just checked and tire pressure is fine...

Ah ok then definitely take it back to the dealer request to give you a X5 loaner with air suspension to see the difference

[atl_1M]

Here's a video with the sound. You can hear what sounds like someone beating a hollow drum over every little micro bump.

[cesimeone]

Odd sound, I have 2 Axle Air in mine and it also is whisper quiet. I'm on the road for work quite a bit and I also tow a motorcycle trailer, auto level is great but have not heard any noises under any circumstance....plenty of other little issues but not that!

Out of curiosity have you tried driving at different "allowable" ride heights to see if bag pressure/level affects the noise? How about in sport+? It does squat a bit when in sport+.

[dbull2]

Wonder if they didn't remove all the stuff and settings they use for transporting on train/truck.

[Auricom]

Sounds like tire harmonics to me and not air suspension. When wide or low profile tires or highly inflated tires at speed roll over multiple road imperfections. But since you've ruled out tire pressure, not sure what it is but I'm the type to refrain from conjecture until diagnosed.

My air suspension is quiet on the road and running run flats.

[atl_1M]

Double checked the tire pressure all around and lowered them by like 2 psi. Also removed the plastic covers on both sides under the hood just in case they were causing the sound. And the sound is still there. Looks like I'm going to take it to the shop. Hopeful they won't take too long to figure out the issue and it's a quick fix.

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Sounds like tire harmonics to me and not air suspension. When wide or low profile tires or highly inflated tires at speed roll over multiple road imperfections. But since you've ruled out tire pressure, not sure what it is but I'm the type to refrain from conjecture until diagnosed.

My air suspension is quiet on the road and running run flats.

Agreed, it really seems like it's coming from the tires but I don't get how I'd be the only one to experience that unless I got bad tires?

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by dbull2

Wonder if they didn't remove all the stuff and settings they use for transporting on train/truck.

Any way I can check for that? Although I picked it up at the performance center so there wasn't a need for it to even get on a truck to begin with.

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by cesimeone

Odd sound, I have 2 Axle Air in mine and it also is whisper quiet. I'm on the road for work quite a bit and I also tow a motorcycle trailer, auto level is great but have not heard any noises under any circumstance....plenty of other little issues but not that!

Out of curiosity have you tried driving at different "allowable" ride heights to see if bag pressure/level affects the noise? How about in sport+? It does squat a bit when in sport+.

Sound is there under all drive heights and settings..

[atl_1M]

Dropped the car off today, and was able to give a ride to the shop foreman so he could hear the sound. He seemed to agree that the sound was abnormally loud, but said he will try and drive another car with the same specs and tires noise is consistent.

I"m almost certain the sound is due to tire acoustics. I received a loaner with stock 21" wheels on Pirelli Pzero run-flats and while there is a very similar sound, it is probably 1/3 to 1/2 of what I'm hearing and certainly bearable. So my non-run flat 22" tires (Conti PremiumContact6) with lower profile tires is 2 to 3x louder than the 21" run flats. Just doesn't seem right.

Are there other factory tire options for the 22" wheels that I could ask for? Not sure what they're going to come back with, but I'm betting they say the sound is normal.

[Ilyam5]

Try mounting 20 inch wheels and see how it works. Dealership should have a bunch on other x5s

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by Ilyam5

Try mounting 20 inch wheels and see how it works. Dealership should have a bunch on other x5s

The dealer has the car now and I'm hopeful they'll test your idea to try and isolate the source of the issue. Although trying a different wheel would only determine whether the issue is or isn't tire/wheel related, which I'm 95% sure it is.

Going through this process (and reading reviews here and there), my guess is that the 22" Continental Premiumcontact6 is just an extremely noisy tire, which if true I'm shocked they'd put on this car. Especially given the run flat 21" Pirelli Pzeros have about a third of the noise I'm complaining about.

Going to ask again, does anyone with stock 22" contis have this same issue with tire noise? I wonder if the stock 22" Pirellis are any better (even though I'm not a fan of the smaller sidewall)?

Here's the review from tirerack describing exactly what I'm hearing:
A quick observation abut this tire and road noise. Our X5 has the acoustic glass option which noticeably reduces wind noise in the cabin, to the point that it really isn't noticeable at speeds up to 80+mph. As a result the tire noise is significantly more obvious and unfortunately quickly becomes annoying with these tires. At highway speeds of 70+mph the expansion joints on the Michigan concrete highways with expansion joints every 20 yards or so cause a continuous chorus of thwack-ring thwack-ring thwack-ring. The noise really does have a ringing echo to it. Layered on that noise is a low frequency rumble, about 35-45 Hz. Either the noise itself or some other characteristic of the ride actually causes a bit of nausea for me at times. I can't blame it on the noise for certain but I have not experienced the sensation in our '10 X6 nor or '14 X5. Aside from that the 2020 X5 is an exceptional vehicle! I will be replacing the tires soon and will update my review accordingly.

[Luminor513]

Your tires are defective and probably have flat spots in them. Had the same problem with a previous car, new tires solved the problem. Was your car sitting on the lot for a while before you purchased?

[atl_1M]

Originally Posted by Luminor513

Your tires are defective and probably have flat spots in them. Had the same problem with a previous car, new tires solved the problem. Was your car sitting on the lot for a while before you purchased?

No, it was built only a week and a half before I picked it up at the Performance Center...

[Ilyam5]

You could also trow a square set up of those on.
I drive on them in the summer on 20 inch wheels and they are quite and perform great.

PILOT SPORT 4 SUV - SIZE: 285/40R22

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...UVXL&tab=Sizes