Hate my S3!!!!(I LOVE it really)

[fran-s3]

Bloddy thing is driving me crazy, I'm thinking about selling it now! Raaaaaaaaaaaaar!

Had this annoying knocking coming from the front offside while going over rough road surfaces... it's not constant. Tried to ignore it but it's got to a point that i can't now! So far replaced front anti roll bar, and bushes. (After I inspected my roll bar and found massive cracks in it, so it was my analysis) And yep sound still there still there! Took it to a specialist Audi/VW dealer who said it actually looked fine under the car but did see some slight play on the top mount he admited he wasn't sure it would cure it. So he replaced them today and guess what... it still knocks! I suspected my shock absorber but he said my shocks looked fine, not leaking and I've done a shock test by bouncing it up and down and no creaks at all. SO ANNOYED!!!

He's now suspecting steering rack and the gaiter or something? What's that? I don't even know what a steering rack it, is it susspension? Isn't it supposed to whine or something on full lock if it's the steering rack I'm sure I've read somehwere? Well mine doesn't and the steering seems fine. So ****** annoyed with it just can't afford to keep it now.

 

[Sandip]

Fran my shocks looked fine when i had my knock too, it was the last thing i changed, when i did get them changed the stupid knock finally went, i would still say its your shocks bud, the oem shocks are quite poor anyway so changing them would only make your car handle and ride alot better than it does now.

 

[fran-s3]

Thanks for the reply. Hmmmm really? Dam it I just forked out on a top mount. I don't get a crashy ride or anything though. raaaaaaaaar and you have to do them in pairs don't you?

 

[Sandip]

The top mounts can't have cost you alot surely? Yeah you got to to them in pairs bud, do you find that the knock is less after you had work done then it comes back? When i had work done because there was no weight on the standard dampers when i dropped the car it was quiet then once it settled the noise was back. Once i got the new dampers all was sorted and the ride is so much better now, what mileage has the car done?

 

[Bignick]

So how much do you want for it?

 

[fran-s3]

No but the labour to fit them... Just I was allready stung by the roll bar and bush and labour few months ago. This little fiasco has cost me £100's and I'm still no where with it which is the most frustrating thing.. No knocks exactly the same. I'm on standard suspension always have been. She's on 94k

 

[Bignick]

Euro car parts do OEM shocks well cheap and fitting aint hard took me a while but it was a learning curve. definatley worth doing. Dont follow a haynes manual, they make it look well hard.

 

[beanoir]

spring isn't cracked is it?

 

[Sandip]

Changing top mounts would have uncovered a cracked spring, if you are on a budget go for the oem dampers, the weitec dampers what i have are £150(pair), don't sell it bud, you'll find the knock gremlin soon!

 

[S3KO4]

just to put your mind at rest a bit, I have the same sound from the car, I have changed the steering rack that was damaged otherwise, and the bushes, but no joy, and always thought it might be the shocks, but I aint bothered any more I have had it inspected fully for safety reason and all seemed well, so let it make that knock if it wants to. the bottom line is you shouldn't let something so tiny to make you feel annoyed that bad. good luck and keep us updated

 

[AndyMac]

Definately wouldn't have thought it was the steering rack, so I'd find another VAG specialist if I were you. The rack is just a box that transfers the circular motion of the steering wheel into the left/ right motion needed to move the wheels. It may groan or leak but won't knock.

 

[Broken Byzan]

I am not sure if the S3 rack is the same setup as the A4, not looked tha hard. However there are inner joints available for the A4 as my rack started knocking/rattling. I have the parts sat here ready to fir once i can see the drive again

 

[Westy]

You haven't wasted any money though mate. You said your ARB was cracked so getting a new one is an improvement, also I found replacing the wishbone bushes made the handling much crisper. Dont look at it as a negative because every part you replace is a step closer to a sorted car.

Dont worry about the knocking mate, I get the occaisional knock from my shocks and I will replace them when I can afford too. If I worried about every little knock and creak I had on my car I wouldn't be able to sleep at night

 

[Welly]

If I worried about every little knock and creak I had on my car I wouldn't be able to sleep at night

I hear that mate. Since buying my S3 (cheap all be it) I've had the following to replace:

Battery, Alternator, 2 Coils, repair coil wiring, 2 rear shocks, Wishbone bushes, NSF Inner CV joint, 2 tyres & rear wheel bearing.

Ouch.

 

[Westy]

I hear that mate. Since buying my S3 (cheap all be it) I've had the following to replace:

Battery, Alternator, 2 Coils, repair coil wiring, 2 rear shocks, Wishbone bushes, NSF Inner CV joint, 2 tyres & rear wheel bearing.

Ouch.

Pah that's nothing

I've had the following:

New thermostat
2 new tyres
New drivers door lock
New rear ARB
1 coil pack
Changed wishbone bushes
2 new wheel speed sensors
front bumper, bonnet, and roof re-sprayed with new roof rail
Reconditioned central locking pump
Alarm wiring fixed
New bose amp
New windscreen
New wiper arms/blades front and back

 

[5ean]

I'm going through the motions of getting my knocking sorted.. Only coming from the front right and i can feel it in the pedal when i go over any sort of bump in the road.. Had the ARB links replaced to no avail, will get my mate to have another look when its in for the service next month. As several folk have said, dont let it get you down too much. Im a perfectionist and i hate that my car is doing it but as long as its road worthy and not dangerous im just gonna do the same as you, replace part by part until its sorted. My car is 2001 so replacing 9yr old suspensions parts isn't the worst thing for the car really..

 

[Welly]

Pah that's nothing

I've had the following:

New thermostat
2 new tyres
New drivers door lock
New rear ARB
1 coil pack
Changed wishbone bushes
2 new wheel speed sensors
front bumper, bonnet, and roof re-sprayed with new roof rail
Reconditioned central locking pump
Alarm wiring fixed
New bose amp
New windscreen
New wiper arms/blades front and back

Dude. Thats incredible. We should have some sort of award for you!!! Mucho Respecto. I've nearly burnt mine after all the problems, you must have the patience of a saint....

I'd like to add I've only had the car a month!

 

[Westy]

Mine is all within a year so you are worse off than me so far

The problem I have is every time I want to upgrade something, something else brakes and my money goes on that. For example, I was about to buy an iPhone incar kit with bluetooth when my bose amp blew, £160! I then wanted to put away £200 towards either a fmic or new shocks and my windscreen cracked so I bought aero arms and blades for £130 and windscreen insurance excess was £70.

 

[Welly]

Again, I feel that. I've got a FMIC sat at home waiting to be fitted, however with having to spend £1.2 million on everything else, I can't afford the pipework this month!

It's torture I tell you, the cooler is sat by my telly saying 'fit me, fit me' with a sad look on it's little cooler face. Gotta get the S3 sorted and the A3 fixed and gone first though.... then we're off!!

 

[jojo]

Again, I feel that. I've got a FMIC sat at home waiting to be fitted, however with having to spend £1.2 million on everything else, I can't afford the pipework this month!

It's torture I tell you, the cooler is sat by my telly saying 'fit me, fit me' with a sad look on it's little cooler face. Gotta get the S3 sorted and the A3 fixed and gone first though.... then we're off!!

Just to make you smile, the FMIC will do nothing for performance in this weather, and will just be a bit of bling for your front end. It's darn cold out there! ... The FMIC can wait.

 

[Welly]

Thanks Jo, thats made me feel much better and I know you're right....

I just hate having things lying about if you know what I mean.

 

[fran-s3]

I'm going through the motions of getting my knocking sorted.. Only coming from the front right and i can feel it in the pedal when i go over any sort of bump in the road.. Had the ARB links replaced to no avail, will get my mate to have another look when its in for the service next month. As several folk have said, dont let it get you down too much. Im a perfectionist and i hate that my car is doing it but as long as its road worthy and not dangerous im just gonna do the same as you, replace part by part until its sorted. My car is 2001 so replacing 9yr old suspensions parts isn't the worst thing for the car really..

That's exactly how mine is! I just hate spending money and thinking 'hmm is this going to sort the problem or will I have just wasted more £££!' Thanks for the comments, seems like I'm not the only one, just feels like it at the moment. True it did need a new ARB... I know it's only a knocking and I should try and ignore it but when it's susspension it's kinda worrying! When I get into my mates older cheaper cars i.e pandas lol, cavaliers, fiestas etc and there's sound fine and I have a supposidly well built Audi it makes you think wtf? Fair enough it is 9year old suspenssion granted...

AnyMac is that what the steering rack does? Just the left and right movement nothing to do with suspension? My mech seems to think the noise is coming from that area but I can def feel some slight vibration through the pedal and only makes a clunk when going over something rough on the road, especially on the right tyre if I go over something on that side. No noise or anything from the left. Could my right wheel not be balanced right or be kerbed somehow? Although I have no vibration through the steering wheel... cutching at straws now. May swap them over at weekend anyway. My steering is fine on full lock and doesn't whine. Hmm think I need to find another VAG specialist.... Have bounced the shock and there seems no sagging though, isn't that the sign of a worn shock?

So now im thinking do I gamble another £100 next month on whether it sorts it.. Well think im gonna risk it and if not it'll be in www.pistonheads.com in Feb! Just hate spending money and not knowing if it's going to sort it. There's just nothing obvious under that car showing anythings wrong, even I've looked at it. Sorry for the rant guys and thanks, your comments have helped actually.

 

[Welly]

Good, glad you feel better about it. Knocks are annoying as hell! Have you though about it being an inner CV joint? Mine was busted and clucking away over bumps etc... Problem being that it could be a million things.

 

[fran-s3]

Cheers Welly, so many people say different things mate I just don't know. My mech had a proper look over all the parts and inspected them as he took them off to replace my top mount said it all looked good apart from slight play in my top mount.

 

[Westy]

I would like to think that an Audi Specialist would find the actual problem without you having to spend £100 a month just going through all the suspension components!

 

[Welly]

Thats fair enough, you expect a mech to know what the crack is.... Hope you get it sorted mate to be fair, I know how annoying problems like that can be.

It will be the last thing you check... *cough*. Obviously.

 

[Welly]

I would like to think that an Audi Specialist would find the actual problem without you having to spend £100 a month just going through all the suspension components!

Agreed, maybe time to get a second opinion....?

 

[fran-s3]

I would like to think that an Audi Specialist would find the actual problem without you having to spend £100 a month just going through all the suspension components!

Hence why when he mentioned the steering rack I was like you what??? And asked about the shock he was adament is was fine. Not saying it is or isn't I was just baffled and annoyed....

 

[Westy]

Get a 2nd opinion mate because it sounds like your man has gone through the obvious and may be picking things at random! Personally though if he's told me that everything looks fine and is safe I'd try and forget about it and save your money towards buying some new shocks later in the year.

 

[fingermouse]

a lot of so called mechanical specialists are no more than part swappers, think its this swap it oh now it might be that swap it. Knocks can be a nightmare to track down.

Socker swap would be a good idea on your milage anyhow, I swapped mine at 50k and they felt bad imo.

 

[Welly]

I think we're all agreed it's worth trying somewhere else for a second opinion....

 

[mk1chopper]

Have you changed the front arb drop links? This was causing a random knocking noise on my s3, I had the arb replaced along with the lower wish bones about 18months ago, then about 12 months later the knocking occured the guys in the TT shop said that the drop links normally go after the arb, what was intresting though was it had gone into Audi for its mot and passed but the drop links wernt picked up then. New drop links have cured the problem.

 

[fran-s3]

Have you changed the front arb drop links? This was causing a random knocking noise on my s3, I had the arb replaced along with the lower wish bones about 18months ago, then about 12 months later the knocking occured the guys in the TT shop said that the drop links normally go after the arb, what was intresting though was it had gone into Audi for its mot and passed but the drop links wernt picked up then. New drop links have cured the problem.

No can these be inspected visually? Did yours look worn?

 

[mk1chopper]

Didnt look to be honest but you should be able to inspect them, I thought the knocking was my exhaust at first, went out for a test drive with one of the technicians at TT shop, and he said it sounds like your drop links as the noise was coming from the front, and then I told him about the arb being replaced. They said they would change them with a new set (they keep parts like that in stock) and then test drive it to check, luckly that was the fault, drop links were about £60 iirc. The knocking was very random and very much like your discription.

 

[fran-s3]

Thanks for that. Hmm front drop links, shocks just don't know anymore.... It's crazy!

 

[ianysm]

My knocking was the front anti roll bar and bushes

Originally Posted by Westle
Pah that's nothing

I've had the following:

New thermostat
2 new tyres
New drivers door lock
New rear ARB
1 coil pack
Changed wishbone bushes
2 new wheel speed sensors
front bumper, bonnet, and roof re-sprayed with new roof rail
Reconditioned central locking pump
Alarm wiring fixed
New bose amp
New windscreen
New wiper arms/blades front and back

Tyes and wipers (and windscreen to some degree) don't count, they are consumables!

 

[5ean]

I got my front drop links replaced for 35 quid and it made no difference at all.. Reading above, might get my mate to have a look at the inner cv joint. Failing that, im just gonna tell him to tear the suspension apart until he finds the problem. Or might stick it to Bavaria Autowerks here in Aberdeen, they are pretty handy with Audi's..

 

[Westy]

My knocking was the front anti roll bar and bushes



Tyes and wipers (and windscreen to some degree) don't count, they are consumables!

Not when the tyres were 2 months old and both got nails in and the wiper arms and blades had nothing wrong with them, I just want new aero ones to go with my new windsreen. So you can remove the wipers then. :icon_thumright:

I'm sure next month will bring something else to my list.

 

[mk1chopper]

If were doing lists:

Stereo after volume stopped working properly
Rear xenon sensor
Alrarm siren
Front and rear ARB and bushes and lower wish bones
1 rear drop link
Front drop links
1 front spring
both rear springs
Rear wiper repair kit (also fitted areo wiper at the same time)
new alloy (well 2nd hand) - turned out 1 of my avus alloys was a replica so my cars probably had a prang even though its HPI clear
wheels refurb'd
thermo stat
collant bottle (had the coolant level sensor problem)
ignition barrel
new drivers side wing mirror glass after the heating element broke
Brake light switch (behind pedel)
Battery

This is over 3 years

Also had to replace the front discs and pads and rear pads, but dont think this counts as its the same as tyres. I've also fitted front aero wippres to.

 

[5ean]

I dont get why consumables dont count? Discs and pads etc are still neccessary to keep the car on the road and are still part of keeping a car? Petrol wouldn't count but to me, everything else does.. Cars eh!