crack sound

[impee]

Hi all, I have had my M3 for just over a month now and since the past few weeks I hear this really loud crack sound, like some one threw a stone at my windscreen.

This happens even if just unlock my car and just sit in it doing nothing at all, after about 5 mins, and even if I unlock and drive off the same happens. I kid you not, its so loud that even though I am expecting it, it startles me every time!

The only conclusion I could come to is that this sounds is coming from the speaker(s), because no one is following my car around the UK and throwing stones at me when ever I get in the car! Also, I can't think of anything else it could be. It happens in cold or hot weather, so it can't be the windscreen expanding.

I know you are all going to think I am going mad, but kid you not, its is really loud and lasts as long as a stone hitting the windscreen.

Currently this hardly warrants a trip to the Service Station, as I am sure they will everything is fine. Any ideas as to what this might be?

 

[Irata]

You are not going mad, I've had exactly the same thing albeit only a few times. I was also convinced a stone had struck the windscreen, but no sign of anything anywhere. To me, it sounds like it comes from the front right somewhere. I never considered the speakers, I guess it could have been. My other thought was trim snapping into place through heat expansion and cooling, but it did seem too loud for that.

 

[tomorrowman]

I've had something similar that only occurs on occasion when setting off, but it sounds like brake and discs coming unstuck.

 

[Keithgrif]

Me three, loud crack from front right about 30s into a journey. Wondered if it was related to the a/c as the times I hear it are after the car has sat in the sun all day at work. Usually stupidly hot and so cooling is going full blast.

 

[Cloggie]

I have the same issue, also the car/MCU doesn't wake up sometimes requiring multiple reboots. Dropping it off at the S.C. tomorrow after remote diagnostics.
The popping noises seem to come from the A/C slot or the speakers, hard to tell.

 

[Andy718]

I thought it was just me!

Initially, I suffered a crackling sound at the top of the drivers A pillar mainly on eneven road surfaces. Pressing on the speaker grill stopped the sound. Then the loud crack sound started to occur each time I drove the car within the first 60 seconds of the journey. This loud crack noise (which sounds like a stone hitting the screen) also appears to originate from around the top of the drivers A pillar, so I wondered whether it is connected to the crackling sound and was possibly a bad electrical connection to the speaker.

It did occur to me the the trouble only started after I connected a SSD hard drive to the USB C connectors in the centre console, so I unplugged the drive a couple of days ago and so far, so good as there was no cracking sound when I drove the car at the weekend. I'm heading out later today, so will see if the probelm occurs again.

 

[Andy718]

Had the crack sound again today, so no further forward. May have to raise a service request but you just know that the car won’t make the noise during a service visit!

 

[impee]

Had the crack sound again today, so no further forward. May have to raise a service request but you just know that the car won’t make the noise during a service visit!

Strangely, since I wrote this post, it hasn't happened!

I need to keep a diary so I can figure out how long after getting in the car it happens and then once I get the rough timings, then try to record the sound and let the service centre listen to it...but as this sound is random, I think I might struggle.

 

[Nick77]

As an aside someone here says they have narrowed theirs down to the silver plastic trim around the air vent near the A Pillar.

A- pillar, door cracking

anyone else noticed the door cracking /a-pillar crack going over bumps? Mine sounds alot on the driver side but can't locate exactly where it comes from, comes from inside tho

teslamotorsclub.com

Other threads have said it's where the windscreen and A Pillar meet, and it's portly sound deadener around the A Pillar. Probably because the airbag and wiring is under them.

 

[D1939]

I’ve had this too, to me it sounds like the speaker ‘clipping’. I’ve noticed it when I’ve first got in the car but don’t think I’ve had it whilst driving.

 

[Cloggie]

Car back from S.C., they uploaded the latest software again. No popping noises so far.
The crashes of the MCU were due to 'software processess using too much memory', so another software issue.
Let's hope it is fixed or will be fixed with another update (minor bug fix anyone?)

 

[impee]

Car back from S.C., they uploaded the latest software again. No popping noises so far.
The crashes of the MCU were due to 'software processess using too much memory', so another software issue.
Let's hope it is fixed or will be fixed with another update (minor bug fix anyone?)

Thanks for letting us know the outcome. Please do let us know if that popping sound happens again, if all good, then I might book mine in too.

Hopefully you didn't have to leave your car with them and were able to hang around for a few hours while they did that?

 

[Cloggie]

Thanks for letting us know the outcome. Please do let us know if that popping sound happens again, if all good, then I might book mine in too.

Hopefully you didn't have to leave your car with them and were able to hang around for a few hours while they did that?

I did have to leave my car was they weren't sure how long it was going to take. They gave me a M3P loaner without restrictions It was all fixed on the same day though

 

[Andy718]

I did have to leave my car was they weren't sure how long it was going to take. They gave me a M3P loaner without restrictions It was all fixed on the same day though

Hi Cloggie. Just wondered how you are getting on - did the reload of the software sort the issue? If so, I will book my car into the service centre requesting the same.

 

[Cloggie]

Hi Cloggie. Just wondered how you are getting on - did the reload of the software sort the issue? If so, I will book my car into the service centre requesting the same.

Have not been driving much TBH, but so far so good

 

[Andy718]

Thanks Cloggie. I went out yesterday with the family and it made the noise after 60 secs when we were waiting at the traffic lights. It made the better half jump! Time to get it sorted.....

 

[impee]

Thanks Cloggie. I went out yesterday with the family and it made the noise after 60 secs when we were waiting at the traffic lights. It made the better half jump! Time to get it sorted.....

Your other half is not alone, most of the times it scares the living day lights out of me!

 

[Irata]

Anyone know what it actually is?

I haven't had it for a while now, but yes when it does happen it's quite a shock. I can only presume it is from the speakers, but why is it so intermittent.

 

[Cloggie]

When the S.C. looked at it for me, they blamed it on a corrupted software/firmware update and reapplied it. The car also was not waking up properly, black screen and multiple resets. So far it has been good. I have heard some minor cracks/pops, but it has also been ridiculously hot so things might be expanding and settling a bit more when the A/C comes on and I put my fat butt in the chair.