Buzzing sound from passenger side dash

[Nick_B]

Hi All....

I did mention this issue in my ‘first impressions’ post, however I would like to put it out there as its own thread. It’s a minor issue but annoying nonetheless.

Essentially it is a buzzing / vibration / resonance coming from the passenger side dash – it is difficult to pinpoint exactly but appears to be around the air vent / base of ‘A’ pillar area.

It is not a rattle as such in that I can drive over rougher roads with so sound at all, it *only* materialises on certain road surfaces at around motorway cruising speeds. As an example, the old, noisy, concrete sections of the M25 set it off. It sounds something like a fly buzzing against a window!

So – a minor issue but given how well screwed together the car is along with absence of squeaks and rattles it is annoying me and maybe I am less tolerant! I also find myself listening and waiting for it to occur……

So – grateful for any ideas as I want to get this one sorted.

 

[Urban Sports]

Mine does the same but it’s the least of my problems with the car so I just turn up the stereo.

 

[Nick_B]

It sounds very similar to this....



But as said - only on certain road surfaces

 

[Nick_B]

Not my car I hasten to add - just found it on YouTube!

 

[Simonwhite2000]

Hi All....

I did mention this issue in my ‘first impressions’ post, however I would like to put it out there as its own thread. It’s a minor issue but annoying nonetheless.

Essentially it is a buzzing / vibration / resonance coming from the passenger side dash – it is difficult to pinpoint exactly but appears to be around the air vent / base of ‘A’ pillar area.

It is not a rattle as such in that I can drive over rougher roads with so sound at all, it *only* materialises on certain road surfaces at around motorway cruising speeds. As an example, the old, noisy, concrete sections of the M25 set it off. It sounds something like a fly buzzing against a window!

So – a minor issue but given how well screwed together the car is along with absence of squeaks and rattles it is annoying me and maybe I am less tolerant! I also find myself listening and waiting for it to occur……

So – grateful for any ideas as I want to get this one sorted.

When it makes the noise does it stop if you put a bit of pressure on the alu trim just about the air con control panel?
Mine buzzes from there sometimes but my main rattles or buzzes are from the panel im the ceiling that houses the SOS button and reading lights and the drivers door panel.

 

[Nick_B]

Sounds more like more to the left - near the left vent / base of 'A' pillar - will give this a go.

 

[holly35]

i know what this is and its a dead easy fix....remove the end cover from the dash that sits against the door panel.
You will see a cheap and nasty fuse holder that it clipped to a flimsy plastic carrier.Stick in a piece of foam into the cover plate and snap it back in place.
My A4 is completley devoid of any rattles or buzzing noises.Total silence and its bliss.

 

[Nham68]

I had this exact rattle .. fixed on my car last week. Took a video and gave it to the technician . I think it’s a well know rattle ...

 

[Nick_B]

i know what this is and its a dead easy fix....remove the end cover from the dash that sits against the door panel.
You will see a cheap and nasty fuse holder that it clipped to a flimsy plastic carrier.Stick in a piece of foam into the cover plate and snap it back in place.
My A4 is completley devoid of any rattles or buzzing noises.Total silence and its bliss.

Thanks for the suggestion - I did give this a go (found your earlier post on the subject), but still got the intermittent buzzing. I have looked again this morning and have packed packed padding around the fuse holder which should stop any movement. I will see today whether it has worked.

 

[Nick_B]

I had this exact rattle .. fixed on my car last week. Took a video and gave it to the technician . I think it’s a well know rattle ...

What was causing it in your car....?

 

[Nick_B]

Hi All – alas my intermittent dash ‘buzz’ continues. So far, and to try and diagnose I have tried:

- Removing the fuse cover on the passenger side and packing foam around the fuse carrier
- Pressing on the dash speaker grilles when the noise is present
- Pressing on the metal trip surrounding the vents / HVAC controls
- Pressing on the vents when the noise is present
- Wedging pieces of foam between the door and the dash and at the base of the windscreen
- Wedging pieces of foam between glove-box and dash trim

It really sounds very similar to the YouTube link I posted – although admittedly that example is worse and more persistent.

I have sent the link to the dealer – my hope is that one of the techs will listen and say, “I know what that is…….”

So – any further ideas – anything I can try myself that I have not already tried…..? This is really playing mind games with me!

 

[Evil Derboy]

It's the LED light pipe in the door. Had this on my drivers side. Replaced the door handle trim and that fixed it.

 

[Nick_B]

Thanks - can I just check - it is the strip in the photo below that can cause the noise similar to the one in the link I posted.

 

[Evil Derboy]

Thanks - can I just check - it is the strip in the photo below that can cause the noise similar to the one in the link I posted.

View attachment 175756

That’s it. The light pipe is rigid plastic. I thought the rattling was from my drivers side vent but it turned out to be this.

 

[Simonwhite2000]

That’s it. The light pipe is rigid plastic. I thought the rattling was from my drivers side vent but it turned out to be this.

Whats the fix?

 

[Evil Derboy]

Whats the fix?

Replace it. I tried all sorts of stuff to fix it myself, snapped the light pipe altogether by accident and then had to order a replacement part. After I fitted it the noise was gone. I should have just gotten the dealer to sort it under warranty but I hate taking my car in.

 

[Nick_B]

Hi All - OK, whilst this is minor - it is beginning to annoy me - so it will go back to the dealer for investigation.

Symptoms being:

- Intermittent buzzing / vibration noise from the passenger side. Almost identical sound to the link I posted
- It is not a rattle as such in that I can drive over rougher roads with so sound at all, it *only* materialises on certain road surfaces at around motorway cruising speeds (55mph upwards). Tends to be on road surfaces that create more general tyre noise (think the old ‘concrete’ sections of the M25).

So far I have tried:

- Pressing on external trim / vents / speakers dashboard when noise is present
- Pressing on the passenger LED bar when when noise is present
- Re-seating the passenger side fuse carrier and packing the area around it with foam, I have also checked for anything obviously loose
- Checking the tightness of all visible bolts within the glove-box
- Wedging pieces of foam between the door and the dash and at the base of the windscreen
- Wedging pieces of foam between glove-box and dash trim

As said - it is an annoying fault on a car that is in all other aspects devious of squeaks, rattles, vibrations etc....

I have supplied the dealer with the YouTube link posted earlier - it is almost spot on! I really hope it can be easily fixed.

Will report back......!!

 

[Riko0073]

I’ve just developed something similar I noticed yesterday, only at motorway speeds as you have and only I certain road surfaces.

Seemed to be the top speaker and seemed to stop when I pressed it but not 100% that’s definitely it!

Will investigate more tomorrow but waiting to see what you come back with on this as sounds very similar!

Good luck with the dealer.

 

[Nick_B]

I’ve just developed something similar I noticed yesterday, only at motorway speeds as you have and only I certain road surfaces.

Seemed to be the top speaker and seemed to stop when I pressed it but not 100% that’s definitely it!

Will investigate more tomorrow but waiting to see what you come back with on this as sounds very similar!

Good luck with the dealer.

My car is booked in with Oxford Audi next Friday. I will take the 'master tech' out for a drive to demonstrate the issue - it is then with them for a few hours. Luckily there is a stretch of road nearby with the type surface that generates the buzz / vibration.

 

[holly35]

You need the dealer to fit low friction tape inside your door panels.My dealer did this and its been fine since.ITs not your speaker grill!

 

[Simonwhite2000]

You need the dealer to fit low friction tape inside your door panels.My dealer did this and its been fine since.ITs not your speaker grill!

You might be right. My drivers door panel vibrates and it stops if you push the lower speaker grille BUT it also stops if you push the door pretty much anywhere and also if you pull on the door handle, storage bin etc. So I think I need to do the same.
My central speaker also buzzes (known fault) and the panel in the roof with the reading lights vibrates on certain surfaces or with certain music tracks.

 

[Nick_B]

Hi All,

Alas my buzzing dash has not been resolved. My car was with the dealer today - when out for a drive with the tech and straight to a section of road that always causes the dash to buzz. He thought it was coming from around the base of the 'A' pillar / speaker as I had thought. I left the car with them and understand they removed various trim parts / speaker grill to try and find any play that could cause the noise. No luck.

They have now asked for the car to be booked in for a further 2 days next week where they will remove a section of the dashboard to try and locate the source of the noise. I guess it could be absolutely anything - some small plastic parts / brackets etc.. resonating against each other.

 

[Nick_B]

All,

Update on this one - which may be of interest to those chasing random rattles, buzzes, vibrations etc....

Quick recap - went for drive with tech and demonstrated the buzz / vibration then left car with dealer for the day - outcome was they could not pinpoint the source and that 2 days 'further investigation' would be required, possibly requiring removal of a section of dashboard. I was not happy - this is major surgery that I would not want for a new car plus has the potential to introduce new rattles etc..

However….. driving back from a SCUBA outing with the dash buzzing away like a b@stard (or at least an enraged wasp) a thought occurred to me. I had several 1 kg pouches of lead shot with me (need 8 kg to get underwater!) so I stopped and placed a couple of these on the small speaker / tweeter at the base of the 'A' pillar and guess what, the noise that has been plaguing me for the last couple of weeks all but disappeared! I am now convinced this is a simple fix, probably removal of the tweeter and placing some insulating felt.

I have the car booked in at the end of the month, but until then the 1kg pouch of lead shot is assuring buzz and vibration free motoring.

I am relieved I discovered this before submitting my car to major ‘dash out’ surgery which on the face of it simply not required.

 

[Nick_B]

All - not wishing to resurrect an old thread - however may be of interest to those chasing similar noises.

This has finally been resolved - solution was to remove the tweeter at the base of the passenger 'A' pillar and apply some sound deadening material / felt tape around the tweeter mounting bracket and associated wiring loom. This has completely cured the problem.