BBB Accredited Business

What are the Signs of Front Strut Bushing Failure in BMW?

Your BMW’s suspension relies heavily on the front strut bushings in order to remain stable and secure going over bumps, road imperfections, and providing an overall smooth ride for the driver. When the bushings fail, it can take a serious toll on the other significant parts of your suspension and lower the quality of the driving experience. In this article, we’ll go over how the front strut bushings function in your car’s suspension and how to spot the signs of failure in your BMW.

BMW Steering Wheel

What do the front strut bushings do for your BMW?

The front strut bushings take a majority of the impact each time you go over a bump or road imperfection. They are comprised of a rubber material blended with other compounds in order to absorb impact effectively. They protect important suspension components like the front struts and various steering joints. Over time, these bushings begin to wear out and accumulate damage. This adds strain to the other suspension parts, causing them to prematurely wear and often require replacement.

Warning signs of bushing failure

Although BMW suspensions are known for their durability and resilience, the front strut bushings can wear out depending on a few factors, including:

  • age of the car
  • accumulated mileage
  • common driving conditions
  • and the driver’s own habits

It’s important to stay vigilant of how your BMW performs regularly. Noticing symptoms and attending to them early-on can improve the quality of your driving experience, save you money in preventable repairs, and retain your car’s value. These are the most common indications that your BMW’s front strut bushings require servicing or replacement:

Rattling or shaking sounds

The strut bushings are designed to keep the suspension components tightly bound together to restrict movement and better stabilize the vehicle. When the bushings become worn, there is more room for the parts to move around, which can create rattling or shaking noises.

Vibration going over bumps

Along with a rattling or shaking noise, you will also likely experience vibration in the cabin when going over bumps or road imperfections. This is due to the parts colliding with one another without the appropriate cushion (bushing part) between.

Handling and steering problems

Since the front struts are a major source of structural support for your BMW’s suspension, it can have a significant impact on the drivability of the car. It can negatively affect tire wear patterns and can cause other suspension components to warp or become damaged over time, creating handling and steering issues.

Important first steps to take

If you begin to notice any of the aforementioned issues in your BMW’s suspension, there could be an issue with your front strut bushings, or another suspension component that requires servicing. The first steps you take will lay the foundation for your car’s health moving forward, so it’s important to feel confident about the choices you make. Here are a few important first steps to take in order to restore your BMW’s functioning and quality:

Hiring a shop that specializes in BMW cars is an important first step, as it provides you with a solid foundation for any maintenance or repair work moving forward. Furthermore, a BMW specialist will be better equipped with extensive knowledge and experience to perform a differential diagnosis to rule-out any other possible causes for the troublesome symptoms. Finally, by helping you stay on top of your BMW’s routine maintenance tasks, your automotive specialists will save you thousands of dollars in unnecessary repair work over the life of your vehicle.

BMW Engine

At Ultimate Bimmer Service, we have over 3 decades of experience providing the cities of Carrolton and Dallas, TX, with specialized, expert BMW care. As the leading independent BMW repair and service center in the area, we make our client’s safety and driving experience the main priorities. We pride ourselves on our integrity and honesty—two qualities that can be tough to find in a repair shop. If you’ve run into any of the symptoms related to front strut bushing failure, please call our shop right away to restore your BMW to its optimal level of performance.

* BMW Steering Wheel image credit goes to: Nickbeer.

Latest Posts

Archives

Tags

Call Now!