| position number in the figure | Sign of malfunction | Possible cause | Solution |
| Engine | |||
| 1 | A characteristic high-pitched metallic knock coming from under the engine valve cover | Violation of valve clearances | Adjust the valve clearance (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") |
| Broken (increased wear) supports (support bearings) camshafts | Replace or repair the timing belt components (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| Malfunction of hydraulic compensators | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| Clunking/hissing noise coming from under the front engine cover (front of the engine) | Timing chain tension is reduced (gas distribution mechanism) | Tighten the chain (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| Wear of camshaft drive sprockets | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| Increased wear of the timing chain | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| A loud metallic knock coming from the middle of the engine | Knocking of pistons/piston pins due to increased wear | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| A dull metallic knock coming from the bottom of the engine | Increased crankshaft wear | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| Increased wear of the crankshaft main bearing shells | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| Increased wear of the crankshaft connecting rod journal bearing liners | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | ||
| Note: All the described faults manifest themselves mainly when the engine speed and/or load changes | |||
| A dull, short knock from the bottom of the engine when starting it (two knocks) | Wear of the thrust bearings (half rings) of the crankshaft | Replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| Knocking (clicking) when moving the ignition key to the "START" position | Clicking sounds while the key is in the "START" position are caused by a faulty starter holding winding | In an emergency, you can use a screwdriver with an insulated handle to short-circuit the terminals of the starter holding winding. However, it is still necessary to study the problem in more detail (see chapter "Engine electrical equipment") | |
| A metallic rattling (clunking) noise coming from the fuel injectors (for diesel engines) Note: When this sound occurs on a VSX, black smoke may appear from the exhaust pipe | Malfunction of the injectors and/or the entire engine fuel system. If scale forms on the injector nozzles, fuel may leak, which may result in loss of power and black smoke from the exhaust pipe. | Perform the required maintenance (see chapter "Power supply system") | |
| Squealing, squealing, whistling noise coming from the front of the engine | Wear or reduced tension of the auxiliary equipment drive belt/ belts | Tighten or replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| Accessory drive belt squealing when turning the steering wheel (in some cases, to the limit) | Wear or reduced tension of the auxiliary equipment drive belt/ belts (for vehicles with hydraulic power steering) | Tighten or replace (see chapter "Mechanical part of the engine") | |
| 1 | Steam from under the hood | Engine overheating due to problems with the cooling system Caution: Be extremely careful when opening the hood and unscrewing the radiator cap (see "Safety precautions and rules when working on a vehicle"). | •Stop and let the engine cool down. The reason may be the very high ambient air temperature •Check the cooling system fuses and the fan (see chapter "Actions in emergency situations") |
| Loss of engine power due to engine overheating. Note: The coolant temperature gauge is in the red zone | Insufficient heat dissipation due to clogging of the radiator cells of the cooling system with foreign objects (road debris, leaves) | Clean the radiator using a special brush | |
| Failure of the cooling system fan or problems with the electrical wiring | Check the technical condition and replace (see chapter "Cooling system") | ||
| Mechanical damage to the radiator | Replace (see chapter "Cooling system") | ||
| Coolant leakage through loose hose connections or damage to the radiator, cylinder block or cylinder head | Locate the leak and repair the problem (see chapter "Cooling system") | ||
| Insufficient coolant level in the system | Add liquid to the required level | ||
| Smoke from under the hood. Note: After engine repair at a service station | After an engine overhaul, engine oil often gets onto the block and cylinder head. If it is not removed by wiping it off with a clean rag, then after starting and as the engine warms up, smoke will begin to come out from under the hood - this is due to oil burning. As a rule, it does not pose a danger, but it is still better to turn off the engine and clean the block and cylinder head with a clean rag. | Make sure that after repair the cylinder head and block are cleared of engine oil leaks; if necessary, clean using a rag and solvent | |
| Popping noises in the intake manifold | Shifting the ignition timing to an earlier position Caution: This malfunction can cause serious damage to the intake system and connecting rod and piston assembly. | Make repairs (see chapter "Engine electrical equipment") | |
| 2 | Popping sounds in the exhaust pipe | Shifting the ignition timing to a later position Caution: Failure to repair or correct the problem in a timely manner may result in failure of the catalytic converter. | Make repairs (see chapter "Engine electrical equipment") |
| Transmission | |||
| 3 | Difficulty engaging or shifting gears (for cars with manual transmission) | The clutch is "drag", that is, the clutch does not disengage completely when the pedal is fully pressed. Note: When switching, a characteristic knock from the synchronizers can be heard | •Adjust the clutch pedal travel •Replace the clutch driven disc (see chapter "Clutch") |
| Gearshift drive cable malfunction | Replace the gear shift cable (see chapter "Transmission") | ||
| Loose or worn locking rings and synchronizer cones | Repair the fault or replace parts (see chapter "Gearbox") | ||
| 3 | Difficulty engaging or shifting gears (for cars with manual transmission) | Weakening the synchronizer springs | Replace the synchronizer springs (see chapter "Transmission") |
| The wrong grade of oil was poured in | Fill with the required grade of oil (see chapter "Transmission") | ||
| 4 | A dull, clicking, short-term knocking noise coming from the gearbox when shifting (cars with manual transmission) Note: The knocking sound disappears when you double-press the clutch. | Increased wear of the gearbox synchronizer(s) | Replace (see chapter "Transmission") |
| 5 | A dull knock when shifting gears (manual and automatic transmissions) emanating from the central tunnel. Note: Usually it takes two or three hits. | Increased wear of the cardan shaft crosspieces (typical for all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles) | Replace (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") |
| Imbalance of the driveshaft | Perform balancing (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") | ||
| 6 | Metallic "crunch" and knocking when turning the car. Note: This causes the car to "break away" from the trajectory. | Malfunction of the final drive differential. Note: This is mainly due to jamming of the satellites due to wear or improper adjustment. | Make repairs (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") |
| 7 | A characteristic metallic "crunch" and beating of the balls when turning(all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive vehicles) | Dirt getting into the CV joint (constant velocity joint) due to a torn boot | Replace the boot and clean the CV joint (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") |
| Increased wear of the CV joint | Replace the CV joint (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") | ||
| Caution: Avoid starting and excessive loads when the wheels are fully turned (front-wheel drive cars), since this can damage the CV joints. | |||
| 8 | Whistling sound when pressing the clutch pedal | Lack of lubrication or wear of the clutch release bearing | Replace the release bearing (see chapter "Clutch") |
| 9 | A dull, short knock when pressing the clutch pedal | Wear of the gearbox input shaft bearing (manual transmission) | Replace (see chapter "Transmission") |
| 10 | a "buzzing" sound coming from the final drive gearbox (mostly under load) | Violation of the clearance adjustment in the main gear engagement | Disassemble, check the technical condition and adjust (see chapter "Transmission") |
| Insufficient or no transmission oil in the final drive housing | Add or pour in the required volume of transmission oil (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive"). Note: If there was no transmission oil, it is necessary to identify the cause of the leak and check the technical condition of the main gear; if there is increased wear, replace it with a new one (see chapter "Drive shafts and final drive") | ||
| 10 | Clutch slippage resulting in: • the car does not respond to an increase in engine speed. • inappropriate vehicle speed. • lack of power when driving uphill. Note: This may cause a characteristic odor of friction material. | Inadequate pedal free play | Adjust (see chapter "Clutch") |
| Clutch hydraulic system clogged | Correct the fault or replace the relevant parts with new ones (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Excessive wear of the clutch disc surface | Replace (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Glazing of the clutch disc surface or oil spillage onto the surface | |||
| Damage to the clutch pressure plate or flywheel | |||
| Worn or damaged pressure spring | |||
| 11 | Spontaneous gear shifting | Wear of gear shift forks or breakage of detent springs in the coupling | Replace the fork or retainer (see chapter "Transmission") |
| Increased clearance of the synchronizer clutch on the hub | Replace the hub and synchronizer sleeve (see chapter "Gearbox") | ||
| 12 | Clutch grabbing/vibrating | Oil getting on the surface of the clutch disc or burning | Check the clutch disc (see chapter "Clutch") |
| Clutch pressure plate failure | Replace the clutch basket (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Damage to the diaphragm spring | Replace the clutch basket (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Damage or wear of the clutch disc damper springs | Replace the clutch disc (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Loose engine mount | Fix the problem (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Clutch noise | Damage to the clutch pedal bushings | Replace the clutch pedal bushings with new ones (see chapter "Clutch") | |
| Loose parts in the clutch basket | Fix the problem (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Worn or contaminated release bearing | Replace the release bearing with a new one (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Jamming of the release fork or rods | Fix the problem (see chapter "Clutch") | ||
| Car chassis | |||
| 13 | A dull metallic knock at the top of the shock absorber strut (shock absorber) when hitting road bumps or obstacles | The shock absorber support is broken (upper shock absorber mount). Note: Not to be confused with suspension breakdown when hitting a road obstacle (see "Explanatory Dictionary"). | Replace the shock absorber strut support and check the technical condition of the shock absorber strut (see chapter "Chassis") |
| 14 | Overheating of the wheel disk and wheel hub | Misalignment during installation or increased wear of the wheel hub bearing | Replace, make adjustments (see chapter "Suspension") |
| 15 | A knocking noise coming from the car's suspension | Increased wear of the ball joint of the tie rod end | Replace the tie rod end (see chapter "Steering") To determine wear it is necessary: •Hang up the wheel being checked and place a support under the lower suspension arm. • Grasp the wheel by the front and back parts and swing it horizontally. •If a knocking sound appears, the ball joint is excessively worn and needs to be replaced |
| 15 | A knocking noise coming from the car's suspension | Increased wear of the lower suspension arm ball joint | Replace (see chapter "Suspension") To determine wear it is necessary: •Hang up the wheel being checked and place a support under the lower suspension arm. • Grasp the wheel at the top and bottom and swing it in a vertical plane. •If a knock occurs, ask an assistant to press the brake pedal and repeat the wheel movements. •If the knocking sound does not disappear after pressing the brake pedal, then the ball joint is excessively worn and needs to be replaced. |
| Wheel hub bearing wear | Replace (see chapter "Suspension") To determine wear it is necessary: •Hang up the wheel being checked and place a support under the lower suspension arm. • Grasp the wheel at the top and bottom and swing it in a vertical plane. •If a knock occurs, ask an assistant to press the brake pedal and repeat the wheel movements. •If the knocking noise disappears after pressing the brake pedal, then the wheel hub bearing needs to be replaced | ||
| Wear of anti-roll bar struts | Replace (see chapter "Suspension") | ||
| Wear of anti-roll bar bushings (often manifests itself when turning the car) | Replace (see chapter "Suspension") | ||
| 16 | Vibrations in the steering wheel with increasing driving speed. Note: Vibrations may occur due to poor road conditions | Wheel vibration due to imbalance (with a subsequent increase in speed, impacts are heard in the suspension, and the car may jerk) Warning: May cause very serious damage to the vehicle's chassis and steering | Balance the wheels and, if necessary, check the technical condition of the chassis as a whole. Check the wheel alignment angles |
| • The chassis and/or steering mounting elements have become loose. Caution: Self-locking nuts/bolts or castle nuts with subsequent cotter pins are used to secure chassis and steering components. Be especially careful to ensure the nuts are properly cottered during installation. • Dirt or ice build-up on wheels and/or wheel arches. •The wheel mounting bolts/nuts have come loose. | Tighten all chassis components to the required tightening torque (see chapter "Suspension") | ||
| 17 | Noise when operating the hydraulic power steering | Air entering the system | Make sure that air does not enter through loose connections. Perform the procedure to remove air from the system, to do this: •Place the vehicle in the direction of straight-line movement. •Open the hood and the power steering pump expansion tank cap. •Start the engine and, turning the steering wheel from one extreme position to the other, remove air from the system. The air has been removed if there are no air bubbles in the pump reservoir when turning the steering wheel |
| Increased wear of the working surfaces of the power steering pump | Replace (see chapter "Steering") | ||
| Low working fluid level | Make sure there are no fluid leaks, then top up to the required level (see chapter "Steering") | ||
| Leakage of working fluid due to a violation of the tightness of connections and/or leakage through seals | Eliminate leaks (see chapter "Steering") | ||
| 18 | The car sways when driving on uneven road surfaces | Leaks of working fluid from the shock absorber(s), resulting in loss of damping capacity of the shock absorber | Replace (see chapter "Suspension") |
| Deviation of the vehicle from straight-line movement | Violation of the steering wheel alignment angles | Adjust the installation angles (see chapter "Suspension") Note: This may cause uneven wear on the tires. | |
| Uneven wear of tires | See below "Types of tire tread wear" | ||
| Steering wheel installation errors | Make adjustments (see chapter "Steering") | ||
| Brake pads sticking on one side of the vehicle | You can check by hanging each wheel in turn and turning it by hand. The wheel should rotate freely, without sticking. Note. In this case, smoke may appear from the brake mechanism (combustion of dust and friction material) See chapter "Brake system" | ||
| Violation of geometric parameters of suspension elements (levers, steering knuckle, rods) | Check the geometric parameters on a special stand. If necessary, replace defective parts (see chapter "Suspension") | ||
| Malfunctions of the ABS and ESP passive safety systems (stability control system), ASR (traction control system) | Read fault codes using a special scanner. If necessary, carry out repairs (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| 18 | The car jerks when braking | Warping of the brake disc due to severe overheating | Check the technical condition and replace if necessary (see chapter "Brake system") |
| Uneven wear of brake discs | Replace (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| Brake pad misalignment | Fix the problem (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| Malfunction of the ABS system | Read fault codes using a special scanner. If necessary, carry out repairs (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| • Dirt or ice build-up on wheels and/or wheel arches. • Wheel mounting bolts/nuts have come loose | • Before driving, inspect and clean the wheels and wheel arches from frozen snow • Tighten the mounting bolts to the required tightening torque | ||
| 19 | Loss of braking efficiency (Increased force required to press the brake pedal) | Damage or malfunction of the brake booster | Replace (see chapter "Brake system") |
| Excessive wear of the brake pad friction linings Note: Braking may also be accompanied by a metallic creaking sound. | Replace (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| Brake pad misalignment (installation error) | Replace (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| A leak in one of the brake hydraulic circuits. Note: The brake pedal will fall to approximately half of its travel | Find the leak and repair it (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| Freezing of individual brake components during winter operation | At low speed, press the brake pedal several times to warm up the brakes | ||
| 20 | The brake pedal has sunk, and the car barely slows down | Caution: This is a very dangerous situation, as it could result in a traffic accident. The reason is air in the brake system. Note: In an emergency while driving, if this malfunction occurs, you must press the brake pedal several times in turn and, if necessary, carefully apply the parking brake. | Before each trip, it is necessary to check the technical condition of the brake system (see above) in order to find and fix the problem early. Bleed the brake system (see chapter "Brake system"). |
| Brake fluid leak from the brake hydraulic system | Find and fix the leak (see chapter "Brake system") | ||
| 21 | Extraneous noise from body elements | Loosening the fasteners | Retighten to the specified torque |
| Insufficient clearance between body elements | • If possible, separate the components by loosening and tightening their fasteners to the required tightening torque. • Insulate components using suitable materials such as polyurethane pads, foam pads, felt tape or polyurethane tape | ||
(The website served as the basis for the text BMWman)