Steering Rack Noise - Is this normal?

[PaulAr]

As title.
Engine on, car stationary, foot off the brake.
Rock the steering wheel left and right and there is a slight `knock` coming from the engine bay.

Is this normal or is my steering rack on its way out?


Cheers

Paul

 

[phantom]

Ive not noticed on mine , but steering racks and wheel bearings are know issues....

p

 

[PaulAr]

Ive not noticed on mine , but steering racks and wheel bearings are know issues....

p

Hence my paranoia!

Anyone else have an idea?

Dont really want to go to AUDI half cocked, Im sure they will tell me "this is normal" whether it is or not.

IMO any kind of `Knocking` suggests movement or wear which doesnt sound good.

Cheers
Paul

 

[L60N]

Its not one for an internet diagnosis mate, take it in and have it looked at. I wouldnt have thought that they'll fob you off as any warranty work is easily recovered.

Leon

 

[bacardi]

Its not one for an internet diagnosis mate, take it in and have it looked at. I wouldnt have thought that they'll fob you off as any warranty work is easily recovered.

Leon

Agreed - best to take it in as its the only real way of getting things diagnosed, however in my experience they try to fob you off with any old tosh - maybe getting the warranty claims through Audi is quite difficult?

 

[PaulAr]

Its not one for an internet diagnosis mate, take it in and have it looked at. I wouldnt have thought that they'll fob you off as any warranty work is easily recovered.

Leon

Agree, but if others have had the same experience I can steer the service people with a bit more convinction.
This has helped in the past with VW.

I had quite a bit of warranty work done previously with a Golf and although it cost be nothing and the dealer made his money it was the multiple visits to to get to that point that was the painful bit.

The headlamp lenses need checked anyway so I might have a run up to the dealers anyway and see if they will look at it while im there.

Cheers
Paul

 

[L60N]

Well ive had 3 racks lol.

Apparently a revised one came out (eventually) which i managed to had fitted teh third time. To date its been fine.

It used to be an audible creek coupled with a slight vibration through the wheel when dry steered to the right, the left wasnt a problem.

Used to pick it up when manouvreing into parking spots and the like.

 

[GlasgowRangers]

That sounds EXACTLY like what I'm experiencing at the moment. It's only audible when turning to the right. Left is fine. Just back from the service and the boy says it is just mud or dirt in the suspension strut. God knows. It is going in on Thursday for its first service and to get this problem looked at.

 

[L60N]

Just back from the service and the boy says it is just mud or dirt in the suspension strut.

Numpties

 

[NHN]

Well with my ARB upgrades etc I now have this poxy issue with creaking on turns usually when pulling out 1st thing in morning from drive & also a knocking noise, typical I had the smaller eibach 26mm front arb done & not a single whisper tbh, now with the 28mm arb HR fitted it is now there, cant be anything wrong by mechanic & I know him so must be the issue as above, I've pre-empt & got an 08 rack from a 6k Eos as same & see if it gets worse then will replace as 1k out of pocket is not where I'm heading for sure, 660 plus vat rrp & I save over £100 on my discount anyway so still fair chunk let alone mates rate fitting.

Just a joke if its a common issue then audi should replace when issue arises, how do they get away with this man.

 

[Ads]

I've got the same problem. Had the car checked out and there is no play or noise coming from any other part of the suspension.
My mechanic said it must be coming from the rack.
Spoke to Audi and they confirmed that a modified rack has superseded the original one.
New rack costs £998.63, and you get a £120 refund if you returned your old rack.

My car is in at the moment for a rack replace under warranty.

Will let you know if it does the trick when I get it back.
(Just in case anyone's still interested two years after this thread was started.)

 

[edition]

I had mine replaced under warrenty........ Made a rough kinda noise.....

Silent enough!

 

[PaulAr]

The racks been checked twice and both times I was told "its normal" Im just not concvinced.

The car is in for a service this week and as the warrnty expires this Oct I will be requesteing another check and insisting it is documented incase of any issues after Oct.

Cheers
Paul

 

[Ads]

Well I can say that the noise coming from mine is definitely not "normal". Went back to dealer and compared it to the A3 I traded in and there was no noise coming from my old car's steering apart from some normal movement type noise. But definitely no knock.
Even the dealer had to hold his hands up and say something aint right.
As with yours the noise appears to come from the engine bay, but can also be heard from the cabin. Can also feel a slight vibration through the pedals as it knocks.
Should have my car back by the weekend so will let you know if the new rack resolves the problem.

 

[Ads]

Just got my car back and the new (modified) rack that has been fitted has cured the problem. The knock when rocking the steering wheel from side to side has gone.