Z4 3.0SI Power Steering Noise

[miscbrah]

My car just started to make a squeal periodically when turning from a stopped position. Any ideas?

Sounds almost like a power steering pump low on fluid would, but the system is electronic so i'm not sure where to start.

[StickMon]

Main belt slipping due to higher load on the alternator?
Does it sound any different with the headlights on verses off?

[Yapakanichi]

wait hold up, these cars don't come with hydraulic PS (unless you're a nerdy //M owner).

Could be your tires.

[dc_wright]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Main belt slipping due to higher load on the alternator?
Does it sound any different with the headlights on verses off?

It's a si. :-) Doesn't have a power steering pump.

A bearing going bad in the servo motor that drives the power steering in one possibility that comes to mind. Does it only do it first thing in the morning when you're leaving your garage or does it do it at other times when the cars been running for a while?

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by dc_wright

It's a si. :-) Doesn't have a power steering pump.

A bearing going bad in the servo motor that drives the power steering in one possibility that comes to mind. Does it only do it first thing in the morning when you're leaving your garage or does it do it at other times when the cars been running for a while?

Didn't say power steering pump, said alternator.
Although, I haven't heard a belt squeak under high alternator load since the old days of manual tensioning.
(Remember prying on the alternator with one hand while tightening the bolts with the other?)
Your suggestion of the bearings is probably more likely.

[Yapakanichi]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Didn't say power steering pump, said alternator.
Although, I haven't heard a belt squeak under high alternator load since the old days of manual tensioning.
(Remember prying on the alternator with one hand while tightening the bolts with the other?)
Your suggestion of the bearings is probably more likely.

I remember tightening the alternator on my RX7 that way on the side of the road once lol. but yea I hate that old way

[dc_wright]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Didn't say power steering pump, said alternator.
Although, I haven't heard a belt squeak under high alternator load since the old days of manual tensioning.
(Remember prying on the alternator with one hand while tightening the bolts with the other?)
Your suggestion of the bearings is probably more likely.

Sorry! I though you were suggesting the load from the alternator was causing the belt that also drives the PS pump (on the M54/S54) to slip. Belt slippage was pretty much a thing of the past once everyone switched to multi-grooved serpentine belts.

[GuidoK]

My guess is you need to lubricate the steering rods coming out of the rack (so behind the bellows).
So you need to remove the hoseclamp on both bellows (on the rack side), and put a dab of bearing grease on the rod. And preferably reseal it with the crimp style hoseclamps, and not the common jubilee clip (they loose tension when the rubber underneath sets to its form as a jubily clip has no spring tension)

My guess the noise is loudest at the extend of the steering and sounds a bit like a fog horn?

It's quite a common problem.