8P Knocking noise when reversing.

RS3-Rob

Registered User
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
76
Reaction score
53
Points
18
Hi guys,

My car is currently at the Audi dealership where I bought it, having a few issues ironed out seing as I've had the car all of 6 weeks and is still under warranty.

The knocking noise is very apparent first thing in a morning, usually when the weather is quite cold but not Arctic weather. It only happens when I'm reversing and sometimes very slightly when I take a first exit left at a roundabout.

I've been told from another Audi dealership and various other people that this is the famous 'Ackerman effect' or 'Skipping' taking place. I however do not buy it, I'm no mechanic nore do I claim to know much about the mechanics of the car and how they work but I'm pretty sure it should not sound this way.

I'll post a video below. I recorded it few weeks ago to show Audi what the noise I'm hearing is and to prove to them that I'm not going mad and imagining it because no-one seems to be able to diagnose it or have any other reason for it.

I'd like to hear your opinions from RS3 owners because its seriously bothering me and if i'm honest, i've not been able to enjoy the car like I should have because of this.

- The 4/5 knocks you can clearly hear is at around 15 seconds and is best played with headphones.

Does anyone elses RS3 do this?

Cheers in advance!
 
That sounds like some sort of goosed bearing to me? Almost like a single ball bearing has a flat or the cage has given up.

Doesn't sound like any sort of skipping to me though, but I'm no car mechanic. Could put it in gear whilst it's up on the ramps to see if you can identify the area that clicking.

It actually sounds like a bust CV joint when they clunk but that's usually around corners
 
I've no idea what it is mate but its annoying as hell to say the least. I find it bizarre that it only happens first thing in a morning when its cold outside and i'm in reverse. I've taken it to 2 Audi dealerships, both have said they can't find anything wrong with the car but could hear 'a noise' when I took 2 different mechanics out for a test drive and said 'its normal' for cars with big wheels and wide tyres to do this. My old mans Mini cooper S has 19" wheels on with the same width tyres and his is faultless.

I've done a lot of research into this whilst its been happening and apparently a lot of A5's, Porsches and Mercs have the same problem, Some 10 times worse then what i'm experiencing. I just don't buy the fact that if Audi are saying 'oh, is normal', then why aren't other RS3's suffering with the same problem.





http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/mi...g-of-motor-ombudsman-over-glc-crabbing-issue/

Rob
 
They all sound like a bust CV joint in my opinion.

Tell you what, try driving with full lock on left and then full lock in right in a circle and see if that does anything. If it doesn't I'm gonna hazard a guess at inner cv joints.

First thing in the morning metal is contracted, once hot it expands and likely fills the gaps making it disappear. 100% sounds like a bearing to me. When I have fan and motor bearings fail they sound like that when turned by hand
 
  • Like
Reactions: RS3-Rob and 45bvtc
Working nights hense the slow reply - I wont get the car back until Tuesday now but I will deffinatly give what you said a go, Does yours do any kind of skipping noise at all when turning/reversing?

I'm just unsure as to what to do after this because like I say, I've had the car just over a month now and I've taken it to 2 main Audi dealerships and each time they've had the car in they can't find any fault or problem underneath. I've searched other forums and people are mentioning things like; CV joints, Track rod ends, Wheel bearings, Top mount bearings and suspension top mounts.

I just get the feeling no-one really knows what the cause of the issue is and they're just trying to fob me off by saying its normal like the Merc owners in the video above, I'll be taking it to JJB motors in York when I can and see what they have to say and wether they can diagnose anything.

Cheers
 
I hear good things about JJB motors so hopefully they can sort it for you.

Mine doesn't do that noise no, but I have had difficulty with Audi trying to diagnose an issue of my own. Its back in next week for the 4th visit on the same issue relating to the air con (2 visits before we didn't even know that it was from the aircon so were making progress haha).

But for me;

Wheel bearings make a whirring noise
Top Mounts make a rattling knock as if something is loose
Track rod ends make the steering all wrong and baldy tyres
CV joints make clicking and due to wear in different places they might only make the noise under certain conditions such as reverse or full lock.

Keep us posted how you get on :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RS3-Rob
I've used them before in the past to take my S4 in for maintenance a few years back and they are spot on, very helpful and its not far from me so its ideal :sunglasses:.

What problems are you having with the Aircon? Audi don't seem very clued up to me and it seems like they'll find any possible excuse to claw their way out of diagnosing issues, especially whilst still under warranty but that's just my personal experience of them so far.

That was just a list of ideas from other Audi forums that other Audi models are having the same or similar problem as myself. I've got no idea as to what the noise could possibly be, I agree with you and originally thought it was a CV joint but both Audi dealerships say everything is ok :wtf: which is why i'd like an independent specialist such as JJB to maybe help and shed some light on the situation.

I'll be picking the car up early tomorrow morning and i'll be questioning the mechanic who looked at the car and will update this thread. Whenever I've taken the car into Audi they normally send me an Audicam video clip of underneath the car showing me briefly all the suspension components etc, this hasn't happened this time which is another niggle of mine.

Rob
 
Went to Audi to pick the car up and walked away without it and came back home in the Q2 courtesy car. I wasn't surprised because I had a phone call from them saying they couldn't find anything wrong with the car and that they needed the courtesy car back. I refused to take it and ended up speaking to another mechanic who had been on holiday the past two weeks and managed to take him for a test drive, luckily I was able to make a similar noise but not so loud as in the video and he also said 'Yep, that's not normal, these cars do skip but this seems to be something else which could be bushes somewhere' so its staying there for at least another week, possibly two in order to hopefully sort this issue out and the others.

I wish Audi were as keen and interested in my car as they are at getting their own back, bunch of monkeys.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobby_s3
UPDATE:

To cut the long story short, I sold the car back to Leeds Audi after 3 months of ownership about a week ago now as I just couldn't handle the endless problems that kept cropping up with the car, especially with the dealership being around an hours drive away one-way, and my local dealership wouldn't touch it as they are part of a different group.

The car had two front buckled wheels which in turn was causing steering wheel wobble - they were apparently repaired but I came away with them worse then when it went in, I however blatantly got accused of doing the damage by the office staff, the knocking noise when reversing and occasionally turning left at roundabouts ended up being suspension top mounts, some bearing and also drop links, a big patch of clear lacquer coming off the passenger side front wing and most recently the car developed an engine/gearbox rattle whilst stationary so all in all I was totally p*ssed off and had enough. I'd had the car a little over 90 days and the majority of my time was spent having the car booked into Leeds for a few weeks in advance. To top it off the customer service / after care from Leeds is absolutely none existent - there is none what so ever, you never receive phone calls back - having to chase them up constantly, over booking the courtesy car to another customer before I'd even picked my car back up, technicians lie about phoning you back and leaving a message on your mobile phone and the managers are just as bad, couldn't be less caring and cannot wait to get you in a back room away from potential customers if you have a problem to raise.

The car is now back up for sale with Leeds Audi at the price of £27500 which is £750 on top of what I paid for the car with 2K extra miles on the clock and also an extra owner on the log book - any potential buyers will be the 6th owner and may want to check that all the problems I had have been rectified and also to look at the history of the car on the Audi system which they don't tell you about because there is a list on there as long as my arm of items that have been replaced - non warranty work.

http://www.sytner.co.uk/car-search/7513546-audi-rs3-2.5-t-fsi-rs3-quattro-5dr-s-tronic/


Rob
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raiden, 45bvtc, Arkious and 1 other person
Probably for the best mate, it can't stress you out any more! Just seen those GLC videos. That is awful! Feel sorry for that bloke too. Audio and video are well recorded though, just the kind of thing to help dealers understand. Probably will be useful in training their staff too!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RS3-Rob
It was for the best mate but its a shame because the car was immaculate inside and out and pulled like a train and with every weekend snow foaming and applying waxes etc the paint was spot on apart from that one hiccup on the front wing but I'm no mechanic and I couldn't be having the trouble any longer, the car did come with 1 years warranty but if so many things were showing up so early on in my ownership then what will appear after the warranty had expired so it had to go. I've just put a deposit down on a 2016 TTS anyway so I'm hoping that will put a smile back on my face!

I've still got the new wheels that I bought for the RS which are VW pretoria reps which look fantastic on if anyone is interested with virtually brand new tyres (less then 100 miles) :chuncky:.

Cheers
 
Agreed it is a shame, as no doubt you looked around for a good one. But you made the right decision in my opinion. My car wasn't the best example to begin with, but I spent a lot of money putting it right. In some ways, I wish I went for the other car I viewed. It had good Audi history (namely flywheel and turbo done) and it definitely showed with the quality of the test drive. It did have a few minor faults, but no Audi is perfect eh?

Let's hope this TTS is a lot better! Get some pics up too!
 
Hi guys,

My first post on here as only recently purchase my 61 plate RS3 8P. Loving it except for the one niggle as discussed here!

Did anyone get to the bottom of this issue? Mine makes the exact same sound as the GLC in the video above. Slow speed thumping from the front tyres when doing a U turn, as if they're not tracking correctly. Recently had new rubber fitted and whole car laser aligned so hoped that would have cured it but the problem persists. Next step will be garage/dealer but would welcome any advice before having to spill the money.

Oh, car has low miles and FSH with no (disclosed) history of this issue.

Thanks in advance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 45bvtc
Update: A check of the info plate on the car, and a call to Audi to confirm has identified the tyres (and possibly alloys) are the wrong size. It would appear that whoever had the car before me put the wrong size tyres on it, possibly as a cost saving exercise?

Anyway, car booked in at Audi Dealer to fit new rubber AND check which wheel goes on which corner. The VIN shows the car came fitted with the "wide alloy" option so they're different widths front to rear. Who know's if these have been switched too. (Fronts should be 8.5" and rear 8")

Hopefully this will solve the issue and that the wrong radius wheels hasn't damaged the drive-train.

I'll post on here once I know the outcome.

PS Audi Dealer is cheaper for the rubber than online believe it or not. They're also doing a full inspection on the car to see if anything else is wrong - FOR FREE :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 45bvtc
Hello MarthaB and welcome to ASN! Epic choice of motor, I have had mine for just over a year and I love it more every day :)

The wider front alloys are a bonus I hear, but yes the wider alloys go on the front if they are indeed fitted to your car.

The standard sized alloys came fitted with 235 / 35 / 19 on the front and 225 /25 / 19 on the rear.
The optional sized alloys came fitted with 255 / 30 / 19 on the front and 225 /25 /19 on the rear.

I believe some people go with 235 all round on the standard alloys as a cost saving exercise (and it allows for rotating), but I believe it can cause rubbing issues when the car is loaded.

unless your tires are different (wider or thicker walled) I wouldn't have thought it to be causing the issue you described. But if it was rubbing causing the problem, I am fairly certain that you would see some witness marks on the inside of the arches.

I had an issue with vibration on mine at high speed, which happened to be coming from the transfer box which had in turn warped the rotors. Its been fixed for two month now and the car feels amazing. But as for thumping when turning id have thought CV joint, alloys, differential or transfer (in that order). Hope they identify it and that it doesn't cost the world to fix. Please let us know the outcome and good luck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 45bvtc
Update for anyone who finds this thread and wonders what the outcome was.

I appear to have solved the problem/noise with a tyre change. I found the car was fitted with non Audi specific tyres. So, there are tyres out there that are made with certain specifications for brands/models. i.e 235/35 /19 Y XL FR RO2 (RO2 being the vehicle specific code) These have different sidewall/weave/structure.

So, fitting a "RO2" tyre that is designed for Audi Quattro models has virtually eradicated the noise.

As for the Merc in the video above I wonder if it needed "MO" tyres (Mercedes Only) as tyres are our there for Merc "MO", Audi "AO", Quattro "RO1 or RO2" etc. Who knew!??!?!

Anyway, I hope this may help if anyone else has the same issue.

Happy New Year everyone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arkious and 45bvtc
Quote:

standard sized alloys came fitted with 235 / 35 / 19 on the front and 225 /35/ 19 on the rear.

The optional sized alloys came fitted with 255 / 30 / 19 on the front and retained the same 225 /35/19 on the rear.

I believe some people go with 235 all round on the standard alloys as a cost saving exercise (and it allows for rotating), but I believe it can cause rubbing issues.


I got horrid rubbing on mine with 235’s on the rear, but haven’t tried it since upgrading the rear arb. ( as my issues were under compression, with undulating roads, I can’t see the arb making a noticeable improvement here)

Corrected above.
As mentioned the 255’s are only fitted on the front on wider 8.5” J alloys.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arkious
I have no idea how I managed to put 25 in there... thanks John ^.^

Also, Glad you have managed to get the car sorted!