1.8TFSI and 2.0TFSI S3 : Metallic Rustle/Rattle between 1500-3000 rpm

That rattle, always worse this time of year ;)
 

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I would answer you but I can't
hear you!
 
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The rattle noise in the audio file is clearly hearable. Everybody who knows how the rattle sounds like identifies it immediately in the audio file. There is a German Audi forum in which there is a long discussion about the rattling noise. Everybody there identified the rattling noise in the audio file. It sounds 100% like in my car and I got it in written form from Audi Switzerland that all of them could hear the rattling noise on my S3. So it's just a fact that the noise of the audio file IS the rattling noise. If you don't hear anything abnormal in the audio file there are just two (three) options:

1. You can't hear the pitch of the rattle at all.
2. You hear the rattle but are not able to distinguish it from the normal motor sound.
(3. The stereos you used while listening to the audio file were not good enough.)

I know that this may sound like an offense to some of you, but it's not meant like that at all. In your case I would be happy if you don't hear it no matter what the reason is. I just say that people who don't hear anything wrong in the audio file are not able to tell if their car (or others they tested) rattle or not. You can hate me for saying it out loud if you want, I can live with that. ;-) It just doesn't change the facts.
 
sonicblue83 said:
Honestly I still think your S3 rattles too you just didn't identify the noise as rattling yet. ;) From February to May I will be in Geneva a few times to watch soccer. If you are interested in meeting and comparing our S3 just let me know. ;)

To add a reason why I think every S3 rattles: Audi says it too. In English they say the rattling noise is "normal". Well that's not exactly what they say in German. In German they call it "Stand der Technik" which means something like stand/status of the technique. Audi specially says that they can't fix the problem because it's part of how their motor works (it's their status of technique). If some cars have the rattling noise and some don't, it obviously wouldn't be status of the technique, Audi would investigate why some cars rattle and some don't and there would be a fix by now or in the future. They had four turbo revisions by now and the rattle is still there. Also Audi stopped investigating the problem and trying to find a solution. The only reason why they would do it is because they are not able to fix it.

Of course it's possible that in reverse of a normal problem (let's say from 100'000 cars there is always one defective car) there are some "defective" cars (since Audi says the rattle is "normal") which don't rattle (the "defect" in this case would be something good, as I said like the reverse situation of a normal defect) and lucas-suisse has one of them. Personally I don't think that's the case. Most probably many people have a wrong imagination what the rattling noise sounds like inside the car. It's very difficult to capture the noise on audio so far this is the best file I found:
http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment.html?attachmentId=726504

An interesting point is also that mostly young people get bothered by the rattling noise while older people often don't hear it or say it's not so bad. Maybe that has something to do with the high frequency and that with an older age the ear gets worse (the same happens with the noise of the marden trap, while children feel a pain because of the noise older people can't hear it). But that's just some speculation by now. :)
Click to expand...

I have played the sound file on my desktop PC & very high end home sound system and I confirm I can well here the rattle sound in this file !

Should I have this sound in my S3 the car would have been back to the dealer immediatly ! So I confirm my S3 don't have (as of yet) this issue.

I drove about 600kms for Christmas (both speedway & Alps mountains roads), both slowly and pedal to the metal... and being very carefull about the noise. No rattle. I'm 100% sure.
 
lucas-suisse said:
I have played the sound file on my desktop PC & very high end home sound system and I confirm I can well here the rattle sound in this file !

Should I have this sound in my S3 the car would have been back to the dealer immediatly ! So I confirm my S3 don't have (as of yet) this issue.

I drove about 600kms for Christmas (both speedway & Alps mountains roads), both slowly and pedal to the metal... and being very carefull about the noise. No rattle. I'm 100% sure.
Click to expand...

I'll try to make a spectal analysis of the sound file to detect the rattle frequency.. This will maybe help to find the root cause... I'll post back.
 
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Having check the sound spectral analysis it seems the rattle freq is about 3'730 Hz and an other component (much weaker) at about 5'830HZ
 
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Screenshot 2014 12 26 101238
lucas-suisse said:
Having check the sound spectral analysis it seems the rattle freq is about 3'730 Hz and an other conponent (much weaker) at about 5'830HZ
Click to expand...

Here is the time spectral analysis : rattle clearly visible at the top.
 
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Screenshot 2014 12 26 101238
lucas-suisse said:
View attachment 46876

Here is the time spectral analysis : rattle clearly visible at the top.
Click to expand...

Improved quality image.... Rattle noise clearly visible on the top !

There is clearly something resonating at about 3'730 Hz but what ? It could be wheter an harmonic or combination with other freqs.

What is clear is that the rattle freq is stable in time and not moving up/down in freq with the engine revs. It would be great to get the revs at the time the rattle appear to try to track the root cause.

I'll keep tracking the root cause through a multi-spectral correlation analysis to find the freqs combinations that could lead to the rattle sound.. will post back.
 
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Well I can't see that it would stop the rattle noise but it will increase the volume of the exhaust so u may well not hear the rattle over the increased volume of the exhaust
 
Why do I think this may help?

1. The 1.8L and 2.0L are affected by the rattling noise so it has to be caused by some part that is equal in the 1.8L and also in the 300p S3. This Pulsations-schalldämpfer seems to be equal in the 1.8L and 2.0L.
2. Originally my dealer told me the rassle is caused by some "air stream". This turbo muffler delete changes the air stream.
3. Later Audi itself told me that the rattle is caused by some exhaust pulsations. The APR homepage says the original muffler does exactly cause pulsations (seen it the picture on the homepage).

That's why I'm interested in knowing if anybody tried such a turbo muffler delete.
 
I'm pretty sure the rattle is the vibration of the wastegate rod.
 
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Yes, that's what Audi told me. But they told me also the vibration of the wastegate rod is caused by an air stream / exhaust pulsations.
 
Have the noise on my car, picked early December after a 6 month wait and first heard the rattle on the drive home from dealership.

Dealership heard the noise, found it on an S3 cabriolet they had as well and advised me its a characteristic. I contacted Audi UK, who asked me to take it to another dealer, which I did. Their technician couldn't hear it, so the service manager came out with me and said he could faintly hear it. This was annoying because it was very noticable whilst both were driving. They produced the TPI for me to read and said they are confident the noise is this "characteristic" of the car.

Went back to Audi UK, who said there is nothing they can do as there is no fix. I explained I've never disputed the diagnosis of the noise, just that Audi are producing cars that make this noise and not trying to fix it. Have asked for the contact details of some senior to take this further with. Will post the outcome.

I think this issue should be in the motoring press, might promt some action as I doubt they'd sell many 1.8 or S3s if this was well known.
 
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I also have the rattle on my S3. The Audi garage I went to said they knew about it and also said there's no fix... I don't think we should accept the 'characteristic' argument.
 
I didn't have the rattle...or well so i thought.. now i do.. may have been there since i collected but since reading this thread i really had started listening for it and low and behold there is defo a rattle of sorts. Can't always hear it though, when cold 1st thing in morning is more noticeable. Just have to live with it i guess, unless someone finds a cure.
 
I've had the same rattle on two mk6 GTI Golfs for two years, then on my 2.0 TT for the last four years...so it's been around since 2009 on the EA888 engine. They obviously aren't in any hurry to get rid of it :-( I'll not be surprised to hear it on the S3 when it appears....
 
I've got the rattle and its not that bad but does get annoying at times, I take it there is still no official fix? No point taking it in if there isn't a fix.
 
So it's clear that Audi aren't too interested in doing anything about this. It's either too costly for them to investigate and implement a change, and/or there's no compelling safety concern. In my opinion it detracts from the otherwise high standard of the car (I have the S3), relative to other brands like Renault or Fiat, and harms the image of quality that I'm sure Audi would like to project.

This is my first new car and I have no experience with getting a car company to recognise they need to do something. I see a lot of people have said they aren't going to take their cars in because they know there's no solution... which is fair enough, but it does mean they aren't aware of the scale! I mentioned it to my local Audi garage and they acknowledged its existence, although I'm fairly sure it hasn't been passed on. Can a case be made to Audi HQ?

Would it be acceptable if everytime you turned the steering wheel past 30° it made a squeaking noise? Or if when you opened the door it dropped the window by 3cm? None do any damage...

Thoughts/suggestions anyone?
 
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Philbert said:
So it's clear that Audi aren't too interested in doing anything about this. It's either too costly for them to investigate and implement a change, and/or there's no compelling safety concern. In my opinion it detracts from the otherwise high standard of the car (I have the S3), relative to other brands like Renault or Fiat, and harms the image of quality that I'm sure Audi would like to project.

This is my first new car and I have no experience with getting a car company to recognise they need to do something. I see a lot of people have said they aren't going to take their cars in because they know there's no solution... which is fair enough, but it does mean they aren't aware of the scale! I mentioned it to my local Audi garage and they acknowledged its existence, although I'm fairly sure it hasn't been passed on. Can a case be made to Audi HQ?

Would it be acceptable if everytime you turned the steering wheel past 30° it made a squeaking noise? Or if when you opened the door it dropped the window by 3cm? None do any damage...

Thoughts/suggestions anyone?
Click to expand...



It's like FIAT with their updated 1.2 engine that didn't go up hills. FIAT blamed the drivers for being 'not good' - seriously they did, clearly people kicked off and went to watch dog and it got sorted I believe, but they constantly denied there was a problem and it was most likely too costly to do thats why. So unless word gets out I doubt Audi would do anything, all car makers are the same - tossers.

It's also like the door noise in wet problem I have, Audi don't seem to know anything (my dealer doesn't) and i'm putting off going in because I know what will happen, it'll all be for nothing.
 
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Guys, I have a consumer electronic company and I have everyday contacts with customers. Well, it is incredible to see the variety of opinions people have on the same thing.

About the car some did not notice a noise, other are over reactive like me. I try to think to my car like a complex mechanical device that has several parts from different suppliers that must interact between them. Friction, wear, people that does not read the instruction manual and people that drive keeping the foot on the clutch pedal. Impossible to take into account all possible variables.

Listen, my S3 had in 12.000 km:

- Driver seat frame changed due to a play from day 1.
- right mid range speaker of the B&O because it was crackling

Now I have a squeaky and sticky brake pedal and the 6th gear that whines between 120 and 140 km/h. Plus a strange intake noise accelerating.

Well, if I will indulge to my paranoia I would be at the dealer everyday. At the same time if I complain about the whine, maybe they will change the gearbox but these are risky things when the car is full assembled and built. I do not know about Audi mechanics in your countries but here they are not reliable. They fix a thing and sometimes they broke another. So it is always a tradeoff. Changing the gearbox for the whine and I risk to have, say, oil leakages due to an incorrect replacement.

My BMW Z4 was the same: got a transmission noise, they changed the rear differential, and after I got a vibration after 140 km/h. I asked for fixing a squeaky hard top and it was squeakier than before. Maybe get a Toyota. But I continue to find an Audi more appealing.

Hope it is clear, sorry for my bad englis lol
 
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I think a load of us that have the rattle should arrange a meet at a nominated Audi garage (Central London?) ....inform the press.....and all go in and complain together!!!! That would turn some heads at Audi HQ I am sure ...... HAHA !!!
 
I didn't hear it for a few days after collection....Whether this was due to not listening for it ....or it wasn't occurring in this time ....who knows?????
 
David83S3 said:
I think a load of us that have the rattle should arrange a meet at a nominated Audi garage (Central London?) ....inform the press.....and all go in and complain together!!!! That would turn some heads at Audi HQ I am sure ...... HAHA !!!
Click to expand...

If we ain't getting to meet in Scotland then someone will have to face time me and I will complain via that method... cba drivin' daahhhn saarf mate...(poor accent typing I know but I used this http://www.whoohoo.co.uk/main.asp haha)... :)
 
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AndyB-S3 said:
If we ain't getting to meet in Scotland then someone will have to face time me and I will complain via that method... cba drivin' daahhhn saarf mate...(poor accent typing I know but I used this http://www.whoohoo.co.uk/main.asp haha)... :)
Click to expand...


PMSL.....We don't all speak cockney down here !!!

I do wonder what a garage would do if 5 or more S3 owners pulled up to complain about the same issue.....?
 
And the a3 drivers! :p maybe if a bunch of people listed their nearest 2 or 3 dealers something could be arranged? (thinking UK owners as I'm guessing that's where live that are voicing the issue?
 
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audi upgrades
Well my near Audi Amersham and Audi reading if anyone wants a protest
 
My nearest is Northampton and then Coventry or Milton Keynes :thumbs up:
 
danilotto said:
...About the car some did not notice a noise, other are over reactive like me. I try to think to my car like a complex mechanical device that has several parts from different suppliers that must interact between them. Friction, wear, people that does not read the instruction manual and people that drive keeping the foot on the clutch pedal. Impossible to take into account all possible variables...
Click to expand...

I take your point that they are complex machines that are operated in many different ways, but I don't think acceleration at varying throttle loads is a difficult or uncommon scenario to design for.

My job is in rotating machinery (pumps, compressors, gas turbines, etc...) and sometimes involves troubleshooting these items...I know that unusual vibrations are usually a sign of something not working as it should, a source of wear, and causes of failure!
 
Just noticed that on the Audi configurator that they no longer do the 1.8TFSI with Front Wheel Drive, only Quattro.


In fact for both petrol and diesel, the most power you can get is 150PS unless you get a Quattro.


Seems a bit limited really, as I can’t have a Quattro due to lack of boot space, and like to have more than 150PS


Glad I already have my car (well apart from this rattle that won’t go away)
 
On the MK6 GTI there was eventually a fix involving fitting a metal clip to the joint on the wastegate rod, completely fixed the issue. Hopefully in the next year there will be a similar fix, or even if some tuning company makes one. It's a very simple part.
 
Philbert said:
I take your point that they are complex machines that are operated in many different ways, but I don't think acceleration at varying throttle loads is a difficult or uncommon scenario to design for.

My job is in rotating machinery (pumps, compressors, gas turbines, etc...) and sometimes involves troubleshooting these items...I know that unusual vibrations are usually a sign of something not working as it should, a source of wear, and causes of failure!
Click to expand...
Same kind of role as me. Who do you work for. Sorry bit off topic
 
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