Strange occasional vibration at acceleration

[CrazyIsland]

I have a 2001 330xi (98k miles) and it starts vibrating all of a sudden without any notice while I am driving and it will go away after some time (5 -15 minutes) automatically. It shudders only when I press the gas paddle. When it happens it happens even at lower speed but the intensity of the vibration depends on how much I my pressing the gas paddle. Some times the shudder is very intense (feels like I am driving with a flat tire) and sometime it will be mild. If I am not pressing the gas paddle there is no vibration at all.

The car will run fine for 2/3 days then all of a sudden the shudder starts while I am driving. Recently I am experiencing this problem more frequently.

I took it to the dealer twice and had one of the mechanics drive the car for half an hour on both occasions but unfortunately the car ran smoothly the whole time so we couldn’t recreate the problem.


I have brand new 4 tires and they are all balanced. Initially I thought it's a tire issue (balance or air pressure) but after few weeks I am certain it's not a tire problem since it does not happen all the time. It's not spark plugs since the car is very smooth at idle and again it does not happen all the time.

Is it some kind of sensor problem that is sending wrong measurements?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Hootie]

Has the car stalled at all yet? Are you noticing a drop in power or a greater consumption of fuel?

[PR bimmer]

I ma having very similar problems. I posted a description and I hope someone knows what the heck is going on. I already went to the dealer and described them the issue and they have no clue what it could be.

[wayne_0]

I am having a similar problem with vibrations durring acceraltion only, it appears there some play in my drive shaft where it attatches to the cv (constant velocity) joint.

[441tech]

I was plagued for a couple years with a vibration on acceleration...FINALLY figured out it was the driveshaft. This was after I replaced the rear wheel bearings, shocks, CV driveshafts, center driveshaft support bearing, and the guibo coupler at the trans. Talked to a GREAT company out of Portland, OR called Driveline Service of Portland. These guys were awsome, and I had a new driveshaft ready to bolt on shipped all the way to me in Ohio for about $400. And, they have a better warranty than BMW.

Took out the old, installed the new, vibration GONE.

Check them out here:

Driveline Service - Driveshaft Specialists