Scirocco noise generator

[peter-h]

We have a 140D and a 170D, delivered July and Sep 2012 respectively.

The 140D does not have one.

The 170D does. Removing it dramatically reduces the cabin noise at low RPM (e.g. pulling away from lights). Well worth doing.

I am uploading some pics of the noise generator here
http://s101.beta.photobucket.com/user/p ... y/Scirocco" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Contrary to what has been stated elsewhere, this is NOT a unit which listens on the CAN bus for data packets carrying engine RPM data. It is a simple 10 ohm loudspeaker! There are no electronics inside. It's obviously driven from a dedicated power amplifier, and I think it needs a fair bit of power. There is no aperture on the moulded casing so the sound comes out via the plastic face.

It would not suprise me if there is a CAN controller option to select what this does, or to disable it altogether.

[RW1]

The unit you refer to as a separate "amplifier" is coupled to the CAN-bus (Orange/brown, Orange/Black wires) which runs throughout the car as a twisted wire pair databus. There are others on the car just hooked up but don't report as a Controller, eg. the Battery Monitor. Passively listening/transmitting, behaving like the accessory plug-in dash data displays. VCDS cannot access them.

C.

[Sootchucker]

So RW1, I'll ask the obvious question, what the hell is it for if it just makes the cabin louder ? Never heard of anything like this before ?

[mat]

It's to give the engine a sporty tone.

The BMW m3/m5's have a similar system (through the stereo).

It is purely to make the engine (which is quiet) into something it isn't!

Think of it as a noise enhancer - "audio tuning" for the driver.

[Whinters]

These have been around a while (commonly known as a "Soundaktor") and are present on many Audi / VW / BMWs, etc.

The commonly seen reasoning from the manufacturer seems to be that the latest models have that good cabin soundproofing, that the driver is no longer feeling "connected" to the car - therefore they are now inserting additional noise into the cabin to alleviate this problem.

This has previousy been achieved with "noise pipes" which fed actual engine noise into the cabin, but are now being replaced by these sound devices instead.

[RW1]

So RW1, I'll ask the obvious question, what the hell is it for if it just makes the cabin louder ? Never heard of anything like this before ?

Previously had a tube off the inlet manifold into the dash to do the same thing. So ain't new! Just the updated version is in electronic form. As Peter has found, only fitted to 170PS diesel, TSi 210PS Wk45/09 onwards, and R.

Why fitted, kidology for spending your extra dosh? More like what Whinters says....
I get mine out of the real thing - VR6.

Can't say I would want it on my 1.4, mines just become a rattle free zone after a campaign to stop them all just before Christmas. bellissimo!

C.

[peter-h]

I think this extra noise is completely stupid.

The Scirocco is not a £100k luxury car which is so quiet you can't hear it.

There is plenty of noise inside to make you pretty tired after driving for a couple of hours. So why add more noise?

Also why add noise in the 170 GT and not in the 140? Their engines are very similar and the cars drive very similarly.

Having driven both and comparing before/after, it also seems to me that the most obvious noise being added is at low engine revs and high torque e.g. giving somebody a burnup from traffic lights. So VW must have decided this noise is desirable to make somebody pay another £5k or whatever for the "GT" label. This is completely stupid. I am in my 50s and got the boy racer phase out of my system in the early 1980s with an XR3i, and don't need this kind of crap now.

[whiteDevil_170]

No hate but you still going on about this lol?!

[Cuprabob]

He's at that age that he repeats himself:-)

[dstill]

Bit harsh!

[Cuprabob]

I'm around the same age :-)

Also, Peter does seem to have a personal vendetta against this device

[dstill]

Well I have to admit, I've only got another ten years.......let's hope these devices are abolished under European Law by the time I reach half a century

Its a shame they made a device that generates an annoying sound, sure they could have done better!!!

[Cuprabob]

To be perfectly honest the device doesn't bother me at all.

My previous car was a MK5 R32, which had a lovely V6 to generate the noise as well as emptying your waller :-)

[Mark V]

I have not driven a Roc TDI without one so am in blisfull ignorance!

[jimma1983]

Same for me, I have even had a few people comment that my car "has a good sound to it"

[whiteDevil_170]

[Marv_rocco]

I have a 140d dsg GT and have just replaced my BMW 1 series , I've found the scirocco is a lot louder in the cabin than the BMW , could anyone confirm that the 140D does not have this silly device ??

[Cuprabob]

The 140 doesn't have the device

[chris_tsi]

Where exactly in the cabin is this device fitted?

[RW1]

Its in under the plastic covers at the bottom of the windscreen where the wiper motor and mechanism is. Not on the 160PS. As I wrote above only the 170PS diesel, TSi 210PS Wk45/09 onwards and the R models have it.

C.