2012 A6 - Steering Wheel Creaking - Slip Ring Issue [Video Attached]

[Audi_IRL]

Hi all,

I've had a long standing issue with a creaking coming from my steering wheel - the dealer has said this is the slip ring for the airbag.

Fast forward a few months the car is now on it's third slip ring and still the issue is persisting despite having the work carried out at a main dealer. The dealer raised a DISS report with Audi and the official line from Audi HQ is that the noise is due to ambient temperature changes affecting the tolerances in the slip ring/switch module. They seem to be saying this is normal but I have never owned/driven/observed any other vehicle that does this...

Has anyone else had this issue and had luck getting it fixed?

Thanks!

 

[B5NUT]

Yep, it was one of the faults on my rejected C7, when I picked one up new (mid 2016) it had this fault and the temperature made no difference happened in the morning and afternoon & it was driving me nuts. Audi knew about the issue but it was still under investigation so told the dealer not to touch the car! So I rejected the car and had a new one built which so far (over 2 years & 16K miles later) it's never appeared. So I'm not convinced it's the slip ring.

 

[Audi_IRL]

Yep, it was one of the faults on my rejected C7, when I picked one up new (mid 2016) it had this fault and the temperature made no difference happened in the morning and afternoon & it was driving me nuts. Audi knew about the issue but it was still under investigation so told the dealer not to touch the car! So I rejected the car and had a new one built which so far (over 2 years & 16K miles later) it's never appeared. So I'm not convinced it's the slip ring.

My car actually developed the issue over time on it's original slip ring, then the first replacement was no good after a day or two. This second replacement took a few days to start making the clicking and binding noises again but now it's back in full swing despite temperature and drive time!

Maybe a tech on here can confirm or otherwise - can I drive the car with the slip ring assembly removed? I know the steering angle sensor is in this too so ESP will have issues but at least I could nail down the issue better by testing it this way.

 

[CHEZ]

Hi there.
Just thought I would give my 2p worth on this.
I just fixed my A5 due to a similar problem although not slip ring related that has been a problem for about 2 years up until Friday .
See attached link.
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-b8-platform-discussion-128/steering-stiffness-2919169/page2/

It turns out, my stiffness and creaking that only occurred when hot, was actually the steering Intermediate shaft kardon joints, one under pedals, one located behind bulk head under turbo, £220 part from TPS but all fixed albeit temporarily thanks to a can of Gt85!!!
I sprayed the joint and wrapped kitchen roll around it and left it overnight and voila sorted.
I went out and got some wd40 ptfe spray from halfords yesterday and will be giving both joints a coating today.
For a better lubrication.
Worth a try imo

 

[Audi_IRL]

Hi there.
Just thought I would give my 2p worth on this.
I just fixed my A5 due to a similar problem although not slip ring related that has been a problem for about 2 years up until Friday .
See attached link.
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-b8-platform-discussion-128/steering-stiffness-2919169/page2/

It turns out, my stiffness and creaking that only occurred when hot, was actually the steering Intermediate shaft kardon joints, one under pedals, one located behind bulk head under turbo, £220 part from TPS but all fixed albeit temporarily thanks to a can of Gt85!!!
I sprayed the joint and wrapped kitchen roll around it and left it overnight and voila sorted.
I went out and got some wd40 ptfe spray from halfords yesterday and will be giving both joints a coating today.
For a better lubrication.
Worth a try imo

Hi Chez,

Thanks for the reply - If only a can of GT85 would sort this! I removed the airbag yesterday to check this closer and as you can hopefully hear in the video - the noise is very local to the steering wheel area itself. If you were to be sitting in the driver's seat you could only pinpoint the noise to be right in front of you.

Believe me I would love to be working on the U joint from under the car rather than faffing around in the interior! I think the next step is another dealer or .. really my preferred route - doing this myself but I think I am going to need VCDS to re-calibrate the steering angle sensor which is part of the slip ring unit (I think).

Thanks!

 

[CHEZ]

This is the thing mate, when mine would click it sounded very steering wheel orientated, so much so I thought my rack was bust, I changed the power steering fluid, no good, I changed the strut tops on Friday still there when hot, stumbled on that thread and fixed it
If only I noticed it 2 year ago lol.
And to think the feeling and noise I could feel through the steering wheel was actually coming from beneath my feet and transferring up into the wheel.
Weird

 

[Addie]

My 2013 A6 had this exact fault, it felt like a bit of string (perhaps from one of those magic tree air freshers) at somehow got caught behind the wheel. However one day I went to turn a corner and the steering wheel 'locked' and when I yanked the wheel to make the turn something snapped behind the wheel and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree with airbag faults and none of the MFSW controls worked.

Audi didn't want to know, was out of warranty but the dealer covered the part under goodwill and I paid an hours labor to fix.

Touch wood two years on the replacement has been fine.