Tramlining caused by faulty control arm bushing.

[macfly]

tramlining is caused by the wider tires which tend to be influenced by the road imperfections and start to follow the the car along its track. The ball joint I think was the problem and there is no recall no.. I was led to believe that you just replace the whole control arm.

Symtoms as follow:

When hitting a bump or tramlining the steering wheel would pull hard in one direction and not stop pulling until turning the wheel in the opposite direction. After turning in the opposite direction a gentle pull would occur in that direction. Any bump would cause a very sudden and significant steering pull. In acceleration no directional pull but under braking a sudden noticable pull in one direction or the other necessitating deligence on the steering wheel during braking. Car never seemed to want to track straight unless road absolutely perfect. With the new control arm these symptoms have been remedied. Z8 is acting like it is no longer possessed.

Originally posted on Roadfly by Z8canuk

[Z8Cookie]

Interesting what you say about tramlining as I have asked my dealer to look into exactly the same problem twice on my car. Each time they have said the tyres were under inflated! & Yes afterwards it seamed OK but I have found the symptom comes & goes, it will be OK for ages then it will start again. It feels like an invisible hand has hold of the wheel playing a joke! When you had the problem was it all the time or when it felt like it?
Hope you can help.
Colin (Z8cookie)

[macfly]

I would suggest that you print out the previous post, and take it to you dealer, as it could well be the cause. If you can make it happen with any degree of consistency it will be easier to get it fixed, but if it is very intermittent it may be harder.

Here in the US there have been several problems with 'lazy' service folks at the less than exemplary dealers, so if you think you may have a really good dealer, ring BMW UK Customer Relations line, as well as the BMW UK Owners Club, for more help and advice.

Good luck with it, and please let us know the eventual fix.

[Z8Cookie]

I have just had a new set of tires fitted (the old ones were well worn!) & I have got to say so far not a hint of tramlining etc, so I am hopeful that?s the end of my problem. I will let you know if it happens again! On another note has anybody else had problems with the following items I have had to have fixed?
Window sensor switch catching, low oil light sensor faulty (yellow oil light would come on), moisture in rear lights (side & high stop light), seat backs falling off, Battery condition indicator colour never 'green', car rolls a little after applying the hand break & The heater fan stopped working for a few days now it's fine? Steering wheel on the wrong side/ the roads are rubbish/too many other cars on my roads (That's just a British thing I expect). Other than that it's fantastic! PS have you seen the new Italian job movie yet? It?s not out here yet, is it any good?
Good bye for now from Crewe, Cheshire, England.
Colin.

[macfly]

Here is what I know of the other issues;

Window sensor switch catching....not heard of this, so can't suggest a fix.

Low oil light sensor faulty (yellow oil light would come on)....have heard of this, it is a software fix at the dealer.

Moisture in rear lights (side & high stop light)....I have seen how easily water can creep into these areas when washing the car. The draining channels for the boot lid are terrible, and pool water inside the rim of the trunk. I would suggest keep it in a warm garage!

Seat backs falling off.....yep, plenty of folks had this, just use a really good adhesive to put it back on.

Battery condition indicator color never 'green'....never even knew there was one!

Car rolls a little after applying the hand break.....yep, it's not the strongest brake, I always leave it in gear too.

The heater fan stopped working for a few days now it's fine?.......have heard some people complain about the system, it's a dealer fix.

Steering wheel on the wrong side/ the roads are rubbish/too many other cars on my roads (That's just a British thing I expect)....OK, take the A44, go all the way west to mid Wales, then head north past the dams up to Snowdonia. It will cure the congestion blues. If that isn't enough take the 'green' scenic roads (using the Michelin Road Maps, and the Chateau Relais Guide) from Cherbourg to Bordeaux, stay off the motorways, and enjoy! ( PS. send me some Chateau Brion when you arrive!) Return via Provence, the Haut Alpes, Switzerland, the Ardennes, etc. If all that seems to much just take the roads that skirt Salisbury Plain, they?re fun too.

Other than that it's fantastic! PS have you seen the new Italian job movie yet? It?s not out here yet, is it any good?......Haven't seen it, but I hear it's fun. For soulful beauty see Whalerider, and for in your face action, see City of God, an incredible film from Brazil.

[Z8Cookie]

Hi Macfly, Thanks for your reply.

The 'Window sensor switch catching' thing was what the dealer said was causing a 'Clunking' noise when I lowered the window! They have changed it & it's OK now.

The Low oil light sensor faulty, again they said the sensor needed changing, no mention of software.

Seat backs falling off... they have ordered new backs!

'Battery condition indicator colour never 'green'.... Never even knew there was one!'.... It's on the Battery, a little glass 'bubble'.

Moisture in rear lights.... They replaced them a year back, never had the problem since.

Thanks for the route guides & Film tips!

Oh, and last weekend I gave the car a good once over & discovered the dealer had dented the sill guard when working on the window/door & another dint under the car had appeared where they had tried to slide a jack under, that was too high!

One last thing..the yellow engine warning light came on for 2/3 minutes. I was overtaking when the car kind of 'coughed' (felt a bit like the rev-limiter had cut in) & the odd thing was the exhaust note afterwards sounded a bit deeper? (That?s when the light came on) the handbook refers to exhaust emissions as the problem. My dealer thinks it may have been the oxygen sensor. I will get it looked into when I take it in next time.

Colin, in a wet, grey cloudy UK.

[macfly]

One last thing..the yellow engine warning light came on for 2/3 minutes. I was overtaking when the car kind of 'coughed' (felt a bit like the rev-limiter had cut in)

I have had this happen twice, but only at the track, on very very hot days. It is the software thinking that the motor is in danger, and putting it into 'limp home'. It cuts out one bank of cylinders, thus the engine note gets much deeper, but the car also looses power.

Both times I have experienced this it seemed to be in some way related to running the AC during the time we were waiting for our session to begin in pit row. Once the session begins you have to roll the windows down, and within two or three laps the cut out and the oragne light come on, and I'm limping round the track.

It takes a quick off/on with the ignition to 'reboot' the system, and then it seems fine again, well I hope it is atleast!