New A3 Rattles from Windows/Door Seals

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skyblue11

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Has anyone else got any rattles from their door seals/windows on drivers and passenger sides? Happens going over bumps and under acceleration. Took my car to my dealer, head techie drove it for 100 yds, looked sheepish and said he'd had 4 or 5 do this and didn't know how to fix it. He was going to replace the door seals on another A3 this week and phone me if it cured the problem but I never heard anything.

When the windows are dropped the minimum amount, so that they still look closed, the rattle goes away. I noticed that when the window is fully closed, it actually pushes/stretches the door frame up a noticable amount. Does this suggest the sensor is badly adjusted and the motor is pushing the window up too far?
 
From a Finnish forum, there's one guy with rattles in the same spots. Personally I don't have any, but he is also taking his to service, so it hasn't been fixed yet.

mm, my windows don't do that, sounds weird. Probably falsely aligned.

- Yak
 
Not had that problem but my glovebox rattles like a [censored].
 
I get that with my 98 R 1.8T on the driver side. Happened on the way back during a long journey out of the blue - had even taken the door trim off to check the polystyrene that dampens external noise, to check if it was rubbing against anything, but still happens. It still squeeks but not as much, and I hardly notice it now.
 
I now have the same problem on the drivers side.

Just out of interest has your car been parked near any trees, as mine is currently covered in tree sap which I think is causing the problem.

 
Is this on the new A3?

I haven't got a single rattle and it has over 2K on it now.
 
This happens on a lot of older A3s as well, including mine. Its the sound of clean glass on clean rubber seals.

The window rubbers need lubricating. This is actually in the service schedule.

They usually use silicone spray, but you could run your fingers round the edge of the glass with a washingup liquid and water solution to remove the noise.

 
HTC thought so, I'll clean the crap off and lube it up.

Irish, mine didn't make a squeak until very recently (15000+), glovebox got overfilled, seems to have streched something.
 
My S3 has a funny squeak from the passenger A-pillar, more noticeable when the weathers hot... gonna give this clean and lube a try.
 
Must be the mice egging you on to go faster.
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif or trying to escape before the lights turn green /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
i also have a rattle in the window , it usually starts if i have a low temp. in the clima and the wether it's hot .
 
I cleaned my window seals with some silicone spray.......the ammount of crap that came from them is amazing. The cloth was black after one door.

It has reduced the noise for me, but it is still there.....just not as bad.
 
I brought my new A3 back last week to get this problem looked at and they sprayed the seals and cleaned them out. Still got the problem tho /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif more noticeable when the weather is hot + car parked in the sun.

Drivers seat was making noise also - got a new runner, which sorted that out.

New fog lights + taillights went into it also - condensation problems.
 
My dog-leg handbrake rattles like hell. I've to hold it all the time to silence it. Think the springs loose inside or something.
Otherwise cars solid - 24k kms already.
 
My new A3 started making noise from the doors/windows after about 8 tkm's. Just like you described it goes a way when I drop the window by less than 1 mm. I cleaned the seals etc. - it helped a little bit but the noise is still there. Took it to the dealer but as is usually the case they did not have a clue.

Would like to hear what you other have been told by your Audi dealers/service - seems to be a fairly common problem. And expensive premium cars should not have any extra noises after a few thousand km's.
 
My A3 is about 3 months old, and its had a rattling noise in the driver's door (just above the window it sounds like) ever since i got it.

 
I was told of a boot rattle when I went back that is deemed a common problem that is at "an acceptable level" whatever that means!
 
[censored] been reading this thread for a bit and was thinking!

"hahaha i aint got a rattle"

now i got a rattle.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
i had what seemed like a rattle under the passenger seat and just couldnt find it, took it to the dealer who said it had happened a few times, it was a bolt left over from the factory left under the bodywork. glad its sorted, seems ok now touch wood.
 
had the same problems to when i drop the window a little it goes away.went to dealers number of times but no help.i can tell you all what the problem is open the door and the seal on the door frame clean it with soapy water, THATS IT!"!!!. it solved my problem on my new a3
 
[ QUOTE ]
My dog-leg handbrake rattles like hell. I've to hold it all the time to silence it. Think the springs loose inside or something.
Otherwise cars solid - 24k kms already.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had that.

A sort of buzzing/rattle noise.

The dealer 'packed out' the handbrake button.
Whatever that means,I don't know and I don't care.

I was just grateful it was eventually fixed,although I had to take them for a test drive to show them (over a bad surface) as their test drives consistently came back "fault not found".

Three mechanics found nothing,one instantly knew what it was.

Just shows you,persistence pays off and it's all about getting the right mechanic.
 
Had the chief engineer from my dealership up last week to see about my problems, he fessed up to all of them, steering creak and dodgy resistance, rattling boot, clicking air con, they're booking it in to fix............shows that persistence will pay off though there is NO reason why they just couldnt own up to known problems, having read autoexpress this week it seems a common theme /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
MATT - is the aircon prob the clicking you were getting from the passenger footwell? My aircon makes creaking noises and clicks from the dash area particularly during 1st 10 mins of starting, presumably this is normal expansion though? I assume yours is more constant\doing it all the time?

Did their fix on your Driver's Seat creaking and the Fuel flap sticking work 100%?

I read the comments in Autoexpress about Audi dealers too! Mmmmmmmmmmm!
 
I've had this rattly electric window problem too for the last week or so.
I tried some silicone spray and that didn't help much. So this evening I smeared some vaseline right into the window grove, particularly at the top corner - hey presto, this seems to have worked!
So obviously, its the seals that need lubrication which causes this issue, though I've never had to do this with previous cars...
 
Amazing coincidence that this old post of mine has resurfaced. I just cleaned my car properly for the first time in ages this weekend and hey presto I noticed the rattles again. Haven't noticed this since it was originally sorted (dealer replaced all the door seals). I'll have to try the washing up liquid trick.
 
cdb2 - Yup, its the clicking from the footwell, it happens all the time, only notice it when the car is going slowly though, the engineer turned off the auto re circ and it stopped, he was about to say "Its a feature - if you dont want the noice turn this off" when I said, Wow, quality control screwed up there didnt it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
just as the weather has got warm too,the creaking did'nt happen over the winter?.
 
MATT - did their fix of the seat creak and fuel filler last?

My seat was lubed, was ok for 6 months, then came back again for a couple of months and is now ok again!

My fuel filler flap seems to depend on the weather - cold and damp and it may not open!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Amazing coincidence that this old post of mine has resurfaced. I just cleaned my car properly for the first time in ages this weekend and hey presto I noticed the rattles again. Haven't noticed this since it was originally sorted (dealer replaced all the door seals). I'll have to try the washing up liquid trick.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have this issue too and have had it for some time - seems worse in colder weather.

Is it one issue or two we are talking about here? Is it the window where it goes into the door or is it the rubber seal that goes around the door frame and touches the door when it shuts? I think someone said recently their dealer said apply talc to the door seals?
 
cdb2,
I'm pretty sure the problem is with the rubber in the window groove, not the seals on the door frame itself. I sprayed some silicone spray on them, which didn't make any difference, but when I stuck my finger well into the groove along the top of the window frame with some vaseline, that seemed to sort the problem out.
Although, I'm not so sure vaseline is the best thing to use..
 
[ QUOTE ]
Although, I'm not so sure vaseline is the best thing to use..

[/ QUOTE ]


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif
I think KY would be a safer option.
 
cdb2,
they fixed the seat creak short term but now think its the actual plastic seat back creaking against the leather, which is highly amusing!!

as for the fuel flap, that seems ok but it only used to be a real problem when it was cold, which thankfully it hasnt been for a while /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
LOL at Lon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I walked straight into that one!

Anyway, I spoke too soon, went out at lunchtime, and its rattling again. Back to square one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I had this Problem last year with both drivers and passengers side.
I took it to Audi and what ever they did worked.
Since then no problems.
 
audi upgrades
My rattle is from the dashboard in front of the drivers side. Think it's the cover over the speedo etc. Mechanic thinks it something to do with moving felt pads and is hopefully going to sort it out tomorrow.
 
i got the same problem too and its doing my head in, it all stared when the dealers sprayed silcone on the door seals, went to them number of times but could not sorted, it happens alot when its raining or when washed the car, i got rid of it around 90% of the noise by cleaning all the seals around the door with washing up liquid, i really think its the seal when you open the door the seal on top of the frame that causes all the problems, let me know
 
[ QUOTE ]
Let us know how u get on cd8 and what they do.

[/ QUOTE ]

Didn't get on too well! Car went in for them to sort out a rattle and a swanee whistle noise (from the turbo?) and when I picked it up it still had a rattle and a swanee whistle noise. ******.

They only had a day with the car and they say they'll take it back in for a couple of days and take the whole dash to pieces to try and fix the rattle.

I'm meant to leave the whistle until the car has done a few more miles to let everything bed in before they start changing turbos etc.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
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