# What is this load beeping noise

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** m5, bmw\
**Created:** [November 1, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070 "2010-11-01T17:41:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![haflinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@haflinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haflinger)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/1 "2010-11-01T17:41:14Z")

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Recently while driving my BMW a really loud beeping began (as loud as emergency radio broadcast or smoke detector going off). It was not the radio. There were no emergency lights or signage. It lasted 2 minutes or so. I called the dealership and they did not know what the nosie was. Does anyone know what this means? The car seems fine after this and over the next several days. Thanks

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/2 "2010-11-01T18:34:03Z")

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Look under all the seats. I bet someone dropped a wristwatch or a cell phone and it’s got an alarm that’s going off.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/3 "2010-11-01T18:45:56Z")

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Before I really new what to look for I was test driving a car that had a hidden radar detector, I kept thinking “what is all that beeping” as I drove past the cop with a radar gun.

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**Author:** ![haflinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@haflinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haflinger)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/4 "2010-11-01T19:33:03Z")

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The loud beeping is much louder than watch or cell phone–think cover your ears to think loud like house alarm or smoke detector…still searching for ideas.

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/5 "2010-11-01T19:47:29Z")

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Well, there isn’t a part that came on any BMW ever made that’s designed to make a smoke-detector-volume noise. Therefore, there’s either something weird that someone installed (in which case, we’re unable to help you unless you can give us more details, such as where it was coming from) or it was really coming from outside the car.

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**Author:** ![haflinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@haflinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haflinger)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-load-beeping-noise/57070/6 "2010-11-01T20:18:21Z")

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okay, I’ll stop worrying and assume it might have been outside of the car…nothing has been installed on the car, it has only been worked on for maintenance at BMW dealerships and no electronic equipment is stored in the car…thanks.