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I have a 2002 E39 BMW.

The car gives a rattling noise when rolling at low rpm with the clutch engaged in any gear.

The noise goes away if I add a little gas or depress the clutch any idea what could be causing this?

Thanks!

Fred Wilson
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Balázs Vincze
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2 Answers2

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Sounds like it's possibly involved with the transmission and/or clutch.

But first, I would check all the heat shielding on the car to make sure that's not a factor. When the transmission is engaged (when the clutch is not depressed) it can cause some NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) that will cause nearby heat shields to rattle and make it sound like a transmission problem. Once you've confirmed your Catalytic converter or exhaust heat shields are secured and/or not rattling, there are a few things that could be the case.

  • Throwout Bearing Failure
  • Clutch release fork is loose/worn out/misadjusted
  • Clutch diaphragm springs damaged/worn/bent/loose
  • Clutch hub springs loose/worn/damaged/broken (I don't think the E39 has these but I wanted to cover this for other readers who may have the same question)

The important thing is to isolate the sound to exactly your transmission. Loose heatshields and other motive parts can cause sounds and NVH can make it sound like it's coming from a different location.

Good luck!

Jeep Cherokee Rescue Society
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The noise goes away if I add a little gas or depress the clutch

This is a classic symptom of a bad throwout bearing.

Zaid
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