[ike]

I often hear a buzzing mechanical noise from under the car when I pass thru around 3000 RPM on my '07 QP Auto. I always drive in manual mode and when I slowly wind the engine up or down thru the 3K RPM range I can hear it. I notice it most in 2nd or 3rd gear. It sounds like someone putting their finger in a fan. I'm guessing something in the car likes to resonate at that particular RPM frequency. If you drive in Auto mode you may not notice it because the car tends to quickly pass thru this RPM range or shift without lingering there very long.

My dealer tells me that they heard it on another car they had on the lot and that the noise is "normal for this model". I wasn't too thrilled with that assessment. They apparently contacted Maserati and there is no known fix for it. They tried exchanging the oil filter (huh?) and also checking if the exhaust heat shields were secure.

I suspect this affects a lot of cars but I haven't seen it mentioned in this forum. Does anyone else hear this noise? It's starting to become annoying because I love listening to the engine.

I'm hoping if there are enough people affected we can try to push harder for a remedy.

 

[ike]

Here's a Video of the Buzzing Noise Problem

Since nobody replied I want to share a video to let you hear what it sounds like. Please let me know if your car makes the same sound under the aforementioned conditions.

 

[MCV73]

Did you say warranty?

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

I often hear a buzzing mechanical noise from under the car when I pass thru around 3000 RPM on my '07 QP Auto. I always drive in manual mode and when I slowly wind the engine up or down thru the 3K RPM range I can hear it. I notice it most in 2nd or 3rd gear. It sounds like someone putting their finger in a fan. I'm guessing something in the car likes to resonate at that particular RPM frequency. If you drive in Auto mode you may not notice it because the car tends to quickly pass thru this RPM range or shift without lingering there very long.

My dealer tells me that they heard it on another car they had on the lot and that the noise is "normal for this model". I wasn't too thrilled with that assessment. They apparently contacted Maserati and there is no known fix for it. They tried exchanging the oil filter (huh?) and also checking if the exhaust heat shields were secure.

I suspect this affects a lot of cars but I haven't seen it mentioned in this forum. Does anyone else hear this noise? It's starting to become annoying because I love listening to the engine.

I'm hoping if there are enough people affected we can try to push harder for a remedy.

Buzzing.. Hmmmm

Could be a bunch of things. I know when my CATs broke up it buzzed and rattled on deceleration. Could be that you always drive in 1st gear

Buzz

 

[ike]

Buzz,

What's this about your CATs breaking up? What caused that? Were they stock CATs? How old was the car?

 

[trygve11]

I recall when reading through the shop manuals that the automatics had some issue with regard to aligning the driveshaft properly. You may want to look into this, it may be off and causing vibration and resonance. I think there was a TSB on this...

 

[MaseratiBoy]

I often hear a buzzing mechanical noise from under the car when I pass thru around 3000 RPM on my '07 QP Auto. I always drive in manual mode and when I slowly wind the engine up or down thru the 3K RPM range I can hear it. I notice it most in 2nd or 3rd gear. It sounds like someone putting their finger in a fan. I'm guessing something in the car likes to resonate at that particular RPM frequency. If you drive in Auto mode you may not notice it because the car tends to quickly pass thru this RPM range or shift without lingering there very long.

My dealer tells me that they heard it on another car they had on the lot and that the noise is "normal for this model". I wasn't too thrilled with that assessment. They apparently contacted Maserati and there is no known fix for it. They tried exchanging the oil filter (huh?) and also checking if the exhaust heat shields were secure.

I suspect this affects a lot of cars but I haven't seen it mentioned in this forum. Does anyone else hear this noise? It's starting to become annoying because I love listening to the engine.

I'm hoping if there are enough people affected we can try to push harder for a remedy.

Why would you want to remedy it when you have WARRANTY haha... That's what its there for... flatbed it there for free, tell them to fix it for free, get a rental for free, and have it fixed RIGHT... for free.

 

[ike]

Problem solved under warranty. I'm very happy to report that the string quartet under the hood is no longer getting interrupted by a tuba.

The folks at FMOC tried a number of things before coming up with the solution of changing my oil/filter with Castrol 5W-50 instead of the factory 5W-40. The buzzing sound is no longer. This came right after I bought some 5W-40 QEuro from Jeff at Formula Dynamics in hopes of doing my own oil change. It's interesting because I've seen other posts here that talk about noises going away with certain types of oil.

I was very happy with FMOC's dedication to solving this problem. They checked the exhaust system, alignment and condition of belts, steering pump and whether or not the noise occurred with the climate control on vs. off. On a previous attempt they were focused on heat shields. Nothing made a difference until they changed the oil with a different density.

I believe the change in density of the oil has either moved the resonant frequency of some engine part somewhere outside the operating range or at least given it sufficient damping to where it's no longer noticeable. After getting the car back I tried to reproduce the buzzing sound across a wide RPM range while listening carefully and the problem seems to be solved.

BTW, I was requested to remove the youtube video. I agreed on the condition they solved the problem. Consequently, it is no longer available.

 

[Vincenzo]

BTW, I was requested to remove the youtube video. I agreed on the condition they solved the problem. Consequently, it is no longer available.

The power and influence of the Internet......I find it interesting that you were asked to remove the video as a condition of resolving the issue. Was this MNA or the dealer?

 

[FormulaDynamics]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, I just want to clarify the followings points for my own understanding.

This noise did not happen with the QEuro 5W-40. Instead, this problem occured with the oil that was in the car previously. However, you were about to change the oil with the QEuro 5W-40.

In order to resolve the problem Maserati used Castrol 5W-50 and the problem disappeared.

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, I just want to clarify the followings points for my own understanding.

This noise did not happen with the QEuro 5W-40. Instead, this problem occured with the oil that was in the car previously. However, you were about to change the oil with the QEuro 5W-40.

In order to resolve the problem Maserati used Castrol 5W-50 and the problem disappeared.

I don't understand the thought process of some Maserati dealers. Park Place tried to make my noisy lifter go away by using 5W-50. The thicker oil (when cold) increases oil pressure and masks the sound. Boardwalk spent the time to diagnose the problem and ultimately fix it. I'll bet as your car heats up or as the oil breaks down the sound comes back. The oil is a bandaid.

 

[sdscardino]

BTW, I was requested to remove the youtube video. I agreed on the condition they solved the problem. Consequently, it is no longer available.

Ha! Good for you man. Nothing like good friendly world wide video leverage to make the issue more "focussed"...that being said BUZZ's bandaid fix advice is one I would sure pay close heed to were I fortunate enough to still be driving under warranty.

 

[ike]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, I just want to clarify the followings points for my own understanding.

This noise did not happen with the QEuro 5W-40. Instead, this problem occured with the oil that was in the car previously. However, you were about to change the oil with the QEuro 5W-40.

In order to resolve the problem Maserati used Castrol 5W-50 and the problem disappeared.

That's right Jeff. This was the first oil change. I didn't get the chance to put in QEuro 5W-40. It simply went from the original oil that came with the car to the Castrol 5W-50. I have no clue what oil came from the factory.

 

[ike]

I don't understand the thought process of some Maserati dealers. Park Place tried to make my noisy lifter go away by using 5W-50. The thicker oil (when cold) increases oil pressure and masks the sound. Boardwalk spent the time to diagnose the problem and ultimately fix it. I'll bet as your car heats up or as the oil breaks down the sound comes back. The oil is a bandaid.

I agree that the oil change is a bandaid. However, since my car is only an '07 I think I'll have another chance at getting it fixed under warranty if it rears its ugly head up again. Besides, it's hard to complain about a zero-cost oil change right around the time you need one.

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

I agree that the oil change is a bandaid. However, since my car is only an '07 I think I'll have another chance at getting it fixed under warranty if it rears its ugly head up again. Besides, it's hard to complain about a zero-cost oil change right around the time you need one.

LOL! I'm with you on that one ike!!