Funny noise?

[DavidH]

Do not repair, the noises are construction-related and normal. There is no parts damage.

if the noise is construction related than why do only some cars make that noise?????????????????????????????

Are you so sure they don't all make the noise?

It only happens if you drive it like a diesel. I wasn't so familiar with it on mine (i had heard it) as i don't make a habit of loading the engine at those revs. I just used to notice it at certain corners where the speed drops to those revs in 2nd gear. I'm familiar with the noise now, since people pointed it out, it's whenever you load the engine between 2 and 3k revs (seems to be right around 2.5-3K). If you accelerate throught hat point you'll hardly hear it, because it lasts a split second, but if you're waiting on the throttle at those revs then boot it it's very noticeable and lasts around a second.

I don't mind it personally, can't think who's going to hear it apart from us, unless you use the boost around town at low speeds which i'd probably better not comment on, exept to say that's not my style, i keep the engine quiet around town.

[Cooper1981]

Just to posting to say mine does it too.

[frenki]

as far as i know ~30% of the cars are effected...

[cotsios]

Mines does it too..
I noticed that when i start the engine in the morning or any other time of the day and wait 1-2 minutes before i start moving AND same thing when i stop the car 1-2 minutes before switching off the engine..the ratling happens much less and most of the times doesn't do it at all..

[rhcp128]

Can anyone post a video or a recording of what it sounds like?

Thanks

[frenki]

I found this on another forum...maybe this is the solution?

"At low RPMs and while driving on rough pavement, my roc has had this annoying plastic rattling sound. The sound came from the front passenger side of the car. Oddly the rattle happened only when the car was warm.

Today, while cleaning the car, I finally found out what the source was: In the passenger side footwell on the side of the center console the lower most plastic trim panel was not attached correctly. In the middle of the panel, two of the attachment clips were not in place.

I solved the issue by undoing the Thorx screw deep in the footwell and removing the panel completely, then carefully aligned up all the attachment points and pushed it into place. Had to use one hand on the inside of the panel to guide all the parts in their right positions. Fastened the Thorx screw, and finally there was no rattle anymore."

[Evil Derboy]

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[DavidH]

as far as i know ~30% of the cars are effected...

How could you possibly know that?

[stickyroc]

as far as i know ~30% of the cars are effected...

How could you possibly know that?

Yeh, right, where does 30% come from...........Im on the Scirroco.net aswell and there are loads of affected cars on there too.....I estimate about 20 people have said about this problem so what percentage of R.O.C. (Rattley Old Crap) owners are on forums out of the total sold???

[langley182]

Does anyone have an after market exhaust or cat or downpipe, inlet pipes etc fitted. And has that affected the noise or got rid of it? As many people have already suggested it could be gas pressure building up etc making a rattle/rasp somewhere in the system. Surely aftermarket parts would alter this noise due to more free gas flow If it is infact a gas flow related issue!? I'm sure you get the general gist of what I'm getting at.
So All you aftermarket boys should give us some feedback.
Cheers.

[stickyroc]

Went into Dealer today, (car was taken to Milton Keynes VW UK head office), VW now say it could...(as in they dont know???), be the flexible downpipe joint but still say the noise is "part of the character" of the car. The dealer have passed on my letter to VW head office giving them 14 days to cure the fault or i will be rejecting the car so at least they might take things seriously now. The part will be fitted on thursday.
I underlined the fact that i would not be accepting the car back if this doesn't cure the problem and also there are about 20 other owners that want to know what the problem is.

I also mentioned the forum reports about the "wastegate actuator rod" being the problem as it was on the old RS Escort turbo's years ago. Both mechanic and the service manager shrugged their shoulders.....Im not sure if they didnt know what an RS Turbo was or what a wastegate is ??????

[langley182]

Right guys. Just been out to my roc. Opened the bonnet, while approaching from the vehicles left hand side of the engine bay there is a gap in which you will be able to see the down pipe. You will also see the braided section. If you reach your hand down there and follow the pipe to were it dissappears under the body, then tap upwards onto the heat shield between the pipe and the body you should hear a rattle/ metallic tinny sound. Well mine does anyway. I suspect this is resonating at certain rev range. The car would need to be on ramps or propperly jacked up to take a propper look at this tho. Could people please tell me if this is the case with their cars? It's easy enough to check, just make sure your engine is cold before u do it!!
Cheers

[DavidH]

Mine makes the noise and the heatshield doesn't rattle when you tap on it there, just sounds like me tapping on the heatshield.

Sounds to me more like a resonance inside the turbo system, rather than an external metallic rattle occuring at a particular resonance.


I really don't see the problem, rejecting a car you like over a turbo noise like this would be maddness IMO. Doubt you'd be successful anyway, cars make noise (especially turbos) , it doesn't make them unfit for purpose. I don't think you can reject a car on the grounds that it's not silent.

Good job you never bought a clio 197, they kangaroo hop when cold and the gearbox (or the diff maybe) has tons of backlash making it noisy as hell on a trailing throttle. All cars have 'characteristics of the model' issues like this. In this case i consider it to be not a problem, ie turbos make noises, you bought a turbocharged car, and this noise is one of the characteristic noises of this particular engine. Christ, i wouldn't want to not own the Scirocco over this, it's such a minor issue IMO.

[langley182]

Fair enough, if that's the noise the tsi engine and turbo system makes, I've just bought a 25k car that sounds stupid between 2000 - 3000rpm. And makes people ask me why my 25k car sounds stupid between 2000-3000 rpm! My last car had a 3litre TWIN TURBO charged engine with twice the gubbins of the tsi and managed to sound absolutely splendid, and that was 19 years old with 87k on the clock. That noise just made people say wow. So I hope people can understand that roc owners shouldn't really have to settle for a riduculous noise, be it right or wrong.

[DavidH]

You should hear the early 1.6 FSI engines at start up, they genuinely sound like a diesel. That's just how they sound.

Anyways, i hear the noise, i just think it's a non-issue personally, it doesn't bother me. it just sounds like a resonance of some kind under load at low revs, it's not rattly sounding on mine, sounds like air resonating somewhere in the turbo system..

So here's a thought, maybe on some of them there's something rattling in sympathy with the resonance, making it sound worse. On mine i don't think it's worth worrying about, it's just the metallic resonance, rather than a rattle, and that heat shield you were talking about definately doesn't rattle when you tap on it.

If they all sound the same as mine though i think you lot are fussing over nothing. Sorry

[Evil Derboy]

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[langley182]

Yep and what I think is that it sounds rubbish!! And it just so happens that a majority of people agree.
High standards surely can't be a bad thing? Otherwise we wouldn't be reading this thread now.

[Evil Derboy]

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[stickyroc]

Yep and what I think is that it sounds rubbish!! And it just so happens that a majority of people agree.
High standards surely can't be a bad thing? Otherwise we wouldn't be reading this thread now.

Basically you are moaning becuase the car makes a noise that you don't like but the manufacturer has said that it's supossed to do that. What would you have them do? Change the design to suit you? If you're that unhappy with it sell the car. It's a Volkswagen not a Ferrari.

Thats the whole point, its a VW so its supposed to be decent quality and not sound like its going to fall apart like an old Cavalier on unleaded . If the cars are supposed to make the noise then why do only some of them make it and why has changing the turbo on mine made it worse??? If the noise is supposed to be there then why doesn't it say in the sales brochure something like "WARNING, DRIVING A SCIROCCO WILL MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU, NOT BECAUSE THE CAR LOOKS GOOD BUT BECAUSE THEY THINK THE EXHAUST IS DRAGGING THE ROAD" .

As for the comment about selling the car, if another dealer took it out to check it they would think something is wrong with it.

I wish i'd bought a diesel, at least there is a reason for the rattle!!!!

[langley182]

Agreed Stickyroc.
Quality, not excuses.
It appears to be inconsistant across a variety of tsi's, yet is being fobbed off as a unique selling point by people who clearly cannot pinpoint how or why it does this. If the bloke who designs tsi's turns around and gives a scientific reason as to why the noise is produced at this certain rpm, and it cannot be avoided in this engine, I'll gladly drive around in the safe knowledge that science made my car sound weird after 2000rpm.
A pal has got a TT with practically the same engine...but science is on his side. So something still doesn't quite add up. As general rule of thumb I try not to be a mug..so therefore I'm not gonna let vw fill me with crap.
Anyhows, loving the debates on here, haven't really done forums before but is quite fun!!
Will prob have a tinker at the weekend and let those know who are interested
adios.