Hi - Newbie - Rattling Problem

[JoolsBerko]

Hello All - just joined as this appear the "place to be" for all A3 related stuff.

I have a 2007 1.6 FSi (Petrol, Manual 6 speed) - getting it last August was a sense of achievement - however, my precious car has recently developed what could best be described as a noise / rattle from what I think sounds like the bottom of the back of the engine bay.

When inside the car it sounds like plastic flapping against the wheel axle and flapping seems to only be heard as the speed decreases, but with the passenger window wound down (left side) it almost sounds slightly metallic. I can't hear it under acceleration, only when slowing down (between 20 mph to almost zero).

There is no sound when idling, and I cannot hear it when accelerating (though that could be because of the normal increase in engine noise). I can hear it when cruising in neutral at very low speeds - again sounds like something flapping against another part or vibrating. I have checked all undertrays and everything seems secure and not in contact with any other part.

I popped the vehicle into my local garage today (they are very good) and they heard a noise they think could be the gearbox but they said they heard it more on acceleration which makes me think they aren't hearing what I hear, or they have far more experience and have ears tuned to all noises! However to my laymans view that seems weird as whilst I can hear a very slight whine when accelerating it's not much and to me would seem normal, and I only hear the flapping / rattling when decreasing to low speeds. As mentioned I can only hear it when the engine noise is not engaged. And the 1.6 FSi as I have learnt is not the smoothest nor quietest of engines. (I shall be looking for a 2.0L Black Edition TFSi next July).

I can hear it if I'm rolling whilst riding the clutch once the speed has decreased and the engine noise is low.

I also just read on here about dual mass flywheels - so as a non-mechanical person - my mind is thinking:

1) Poop! - Gearbox - that's going to cost
2) Poop! - DMS - will that be as much as a gearbox - or is it separate
3) Really - gearbox?> Car drives great - just this "flap/rattle" heard that decreases in noise as the car decreases in speed - and only heard at very low speed and not on acceleration.

Any help any of you experts can provide would be most appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

Jools
Berkhamsted, Herts

 

[L33AEX]

does it judder when on idle? even the slightest?

 

[L33AEX]

I Had a very Simular noise to be honest not so long ago.. got so fed up with trying to sort it under the car all the time trying and trying I decided to drive the car on an empty road & simply turn the engine off... if the noise continued i knew it wasn't a major mechanical issue. turned out to be a loose track rod end. just simply couldn't see it when jacked up.

 

[JoolsBerko]

Not that I've spotted (judder)

 

[L33AEX]

Not that I've spotted (judder)

try rolling with engine off see what you get!

 

[JoolsBerko]

I will try that tomorrow - what would it mean if it rattles when coasting with engine off?

 

[L33AEX]

it means the noise isn't in the engine or gearbox because they won't be doing anything.

wish you luck!

 

[JoolsBerko]

Fingers crossed it then does make a noise with engine off! I forgot to add that the noise (rattle / flapping - though it's more of a flap IMHO) seems to run at the same speed that the wheels turn - hence why when accelerating or at higher speeds I can't hear it (perhaps because it's flapping / rattling so quickly it become a single noise rather than a repetitive noise). So when the wheels are turning slowly upon braking and deccelarating (and releasing the brakes)the noise is still there but much slower.

It does by ear sound like plastic flapping against a spinning wheel axle, and I saw on the FAQ about the brake disc protector.

The noise only started 2 weeks ago after I collected it from the garage who had fitted a new brake pad warnings sensor having diagnosed the "alert symbol" to being a faulty sensor rather than a need for brake pads - hence my thought that maybe they hadn't refitted things correctly.

But so far - your advice is very much appreciated.

Edit: I will need to roll it having turned the engine off whilst coasting of course rather than simply roll it without power???

 

[JohnE]

1. Good news, 1.6 FSI doesn't have a DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel) - My new clutch was £430 fitted.
2. Bad News. Rattle could be the clutch - mine rattled, but actually only at idle with clutch depressed, or the gearbox.
3. Good news it might be something cheap - very hard to tell without hearing it.

 

[L33AEX]

If it is still there when coasting try breaking also... maybe the brakes.

No worries

If you ever need Diagnostics let me know as I am local to you and have full access to VCDS.

 

[JoolsBerko]

1. Good news, 1.6 FSI doesn't have a DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel) - My new clutch was £430 fitted.
2. Bad News. Rattle could be the clutch - mine rattled, but actually only at idle with clutch depressed, or the gearbox.
3. Good news it might be something cheap - very hard to tell without hearing it.

Many thanks - I'll hope for option 3.

I've read all of the other "rattle" related posts - and whilst I'm no mechanic - I do wonder whether the brake disc protector could be the culprit. However that's me wishing for a cheap solution.

The thing that surprises me the most is that I bought an Audi for a) partly a bit of kudos, and b) because of it's supposed reliability. I have to say I'm not so convinced about the reliability in relation to wear and tear.

However, next one I buy will be off the Audi forecourt - but then I also see a lot of posts on here saying Audi are not great on assisting owners of used cars. Hmmmmmmmmm.

 

[JoolsBerko]

If it is still there when coasting try breaking also... maybe the brakes.

No worries

If you ever need Diagnostics let me know as I am local to you and have full access to VCDS.

That's very kind of you - if you car is the one in the pic I may have been giving it envious glances when passing!!! Will update this post tomorrow - many thanks.

 

[L33AEX]

It is indeed! I pass through to cow roast from time to time

 

[JoolsBerko]

It is indeed! I pass through to cow roast from time to time

Yes I have seen it I'm sure.

 

[L33AEX]

haha! I will look out.. Private plate?

 

[JoolsBerko]

It is indeed! I pass through to cow roast from time to time

Your's is a Black Edition - is it petrol or diesel? Only The Black Edition looks the best - and I find the 1.6 FSi is not very nippy - so was thinking of going 2.0L TFsi next time, maybe 1.8L TFsi. Never had a Diesel but I expect the 2.0L TDI 170 is nippy enough. Would like an S3, would love an RS3 - but seeing as I'm raising eyebrows at the cost of gearboxes for an A3, methinks the S3 wear and tear costs will eat into mortgage money too much.

 

[JoolsBerko]

haha! I will look out.. Private plate?

Yes came with a private plate JG55COP - why a 55 I've no idea when it's an 07 car?! However the plate comes in useful for work!

 

[L33AEX]

Mines black everything.. Just a standard 2.0tdi Dsg 170 S-line without all the black! Its not bad I'm not too much of a sped freak prefer the looks although id love an S3. I take it your a drug dealer.

 

[JoolsBerko]

If I was a drug dealer it would be an R8 (and an Aventador)! No, work alongside the Police on pub/club related stuff providing legal advice so plate is useful when turning up outside places in the early hours.

OK have just tried running the car up and down the hill - noise is definitely coming from left hand side (how far to the left unsure) - I think towards the left front wheel, but the sound is deceptive with window open - can't really hear it with driver window open - only when both windows are closed or just passenger window open - hence "left side" sound. I think it is around the left wheel / wheel arch - but again, unless I could stick my head out of that window it's not possible to place it exactly as front/middle/rear.

Noise is there when rolling with engine off both in gear and out of gear, and noise "rotates" in frequency with the speed the wheels rotate. Sounds like something plastic flapping on something metal - it's not a grinding sound, definately a flapping sound. Nearest I've heard something similar before is loose front undertray flapping at high speed on a previous car - however this sounds to me like something rubbing with the rotation of the wheels.

Have pulled and pushed at all front and rear brake disc protectors - rears seem firm, fronts bend a little.

Edit: Forgot to mention - noise there when I brake, but flapping slower as brakes get more applied (if that makes sense). Basically it's flap, flap, flap, quickly at low speed slowing down, and flaaaap......flaaap as the brakes bring the car to almost a slow stop and then nothing. Think of plastic blowing in the wind, the lower the wind speed the less it bends. However, as stated, I cannot hear the noise when accelarating but that could be because the wheels turn faster and the sound is constant or deadened by tyre/engine noise.

Further Edit: When starting up - there is definately no noise (flapping/rattle) nor judder nor grinding / jangling with clutch engaged or not, or gear engaged or not.

 

[JoolsBerko]

Mines black everything.. Just a standard 2.0tdi Dsg 170 S-line without all the black! Its not bad I'm not too much of a sped freak prefer the looks although id love an S3. I take it your a drug dealer.

Looks great - how do you find the power? Like you I'm no speed freak, but I do like a bit of "ooomph" under the bonnet that will allow for a more nippy feel when driving and a sense of more driver engagement.

 

[JohnE]

The brake pad wear sensor wiring is starting to sound likely. The wiring is on the left (nearside) only. Maybe someone's left something loose?

 

[JoolsBerko]

The brake pad wear sensor wiring is starting to sound likely. The wiring is on the left (nearside) only. Maybe someone's left something loose?

Thanks - however I can't "feel" anything obviously loose. I may get the guys near where I work who service the fleet vehicles to have a look - they owe me a favour!

 

[JoolsBerko]

Quick update - it's a metallic rattle - drove with windows open and it sounds almost like a exhaust rattling within a metal hook - or a can with a couple of pebbles in it - and still makes a noise when coating with engine off.

 

[JoolsBerko]

OK - now I'm pretty convinced it's the gearbox. Have done approx 180 miles since the first post I put on here. It's a metallic rattle and I can hear it whilst accelerating (until the speed is such that tyre noise and engine noise drown it out), but last night I deliberately kept dropping it into 3rd gear on a quiet road and the rattle was obvious when either coasting in gear or starting to accelerate, when I took it out of gear the rattle was still there but certainly less audible, and when the clutch was engaged no noise at all.

Therefore (sigh) I think I need to at some point in the not too distant future get a replacement gearbox for the 1.6 FSI 2007 car. Does anyone know of a reliable place to get one from?

I found this video online which seems to sound very similar to the rattle I can hear:

I will try at some point this week to strap a microphone under the car to record the noise and upload it here so that it may assist other users.

 

[L33AEX]

Looks great - how do you find the power? Like you I'm no speed freak, but I do like a bit of "ooomph" under the bonnet that will allow for a more nippy feel when driving and a sense of more driver engagement.

yeah its not too bad!! getting on a bit now!because its a deg its a different kind of speed to a manual!


how you getting on with that rattle?

 

[JoolsBerko]

yeah its not too bad!! getting on a bit now!because its a deg its a different kind of speed to a manual!


how you getting on with that rattle?

Well - I'm at that stage of thinking I need to get the car off the road and get the problem sorted. Rattle sound like something metal spinning and rattling - noise has got louder in last couple of days. Points to note:

1) No rattle when idle or idle and in gear;
2) Rattle when coasting out of gear
3) Rattle most noticeable when coasting in gear esp. when having just raised clutch upon gear change
4) Drive is still fine however - but rattle does sound like 2 metal parts clattering and jangling against each other.

 

[Maxthedoctor]

Well - I'm at that stage of thinking I need to get the car off the road and get the problem sorted. Rattle sound like something metal spinning and rattling - noise has got louder in last couple of days. Points to note:

1) No rattle when idle or idle and in gear;
2) Rattle when coasting out of gear
3) Rattle most noticeable when coasting in gear esp. when having just raised clutch upon gear change
4) Drive is still fine however - but rattle does sound like 2 metal parts clattering and jangling against each other.

So what was the problem?? I have the same problem, I did a repair on the gearbox because it stacked with changing all the bearings etc and the sound still there.. the car drives perfect anyway.

 

[xkieron99x]

i know this is going to sound far fetch but is there any fluid leaking around the gearbox area, you could need some gearbox oil asap, or if you can get you car up in the and let it idle in gear so you can narrow the noise down even further, it could be something catching the drive shaft ?