Facelift Jingling sound going over uneven roads / bumps

[JunkStory]

So my relatively new '17 S3 developed a new jingling sound when going over bumpy roads, high speed or low. It sounds more like jingling than rattling or squeaking.

It sounds faint, and similar to the bell on a cat's collar. I cannot pin point the location.

Any one have a similar experience? I want to fix it myself and avoid going to the dealer, if I can. There are no objects in the glove box, and I can confirm that it is not the famous seat or seatbelt rattle.

 

[Svenedin]

You've already checked the glove box but check everywhere else for anything loose in storage areas. Also check the toolkit isn't rattling around and the spare wheel is secure.

I think I have heard that noise in my S3 but I don't know what it is either. I thought it was coming from somewhere near my right ear. I have heard it when driving on some of the rough surface stretches of the M25.

Year ago I was driving a very long distance through Germany. I became obsessed and very irritated by a jingling noise. I asked my passenger to check everywhere he could but the noise just carried on. It was my watch bracelet rattling as I held the steering wheel! What a complete idiot I felt for making such a fuss

 

[Neil C]

[QUOTE="It sounds faint, and similar to the bell on a cat's collar. I cannot pin point the location."[/QUOTE]

Have you checked for cats ?
(someone was going to ask eventually )

 

[Svenedin]

[QUOTE="It sounds faint, and similar to the bell on a cat's collar. I cannot pin point the location."

Have you checked for cats ?
(someone was going to ask eventually )[/QUOTE]

It might be the cat-alytic converter but maybe he has a de-cat? Perhaps a dog would help.

 

[opelfruit]

I had the same issue on my S4, one of the anti-rattle springs on my brake calipers had broken - happens. Take a look at all 4 of your brakes and see if one them looks different, if one of the anti-rattle springs isn't tight then chances are it's that. Very annoying noise.

It'll get replaced under warranty and takes no time at all.

Of course, it could also be something else ;-)

 

[RichardT]

Turn the radio up

 

[HulkRS3]

Ahhh I have this too. It's been driving me mad for weeks. It seems to be intermittent and only when the cars hot I've found.

 

[Svenedin]

The trouble is it's very hard to pinpoint these noises whilst driving. My passengers are rarely very helpful in this regard and tend to think I'm neurotic and should get a life (they are probably right but they didn't pay for the car)!

 

[Dan_G]

Had a heat shield on one of the front brakes come lose on an A5 cab I had some years back - was quite a tinny / jingly sound....

 

[Svenedin]

Had a heat shield on one of the front brakes come lose on an A5 cab I had some years back - was quite a tinny / jingly sound....

I think it might be something to do with the seatbelt mechanism on mine.

 

[JunkStory]

Unfortunately, the jingling sound I'm experiencing is none of the above. However, I was able to rule-out several locations:

1. It's not coming from outside as opening windows did not increase the sound, so it can't be shocks or brakes. The sound is 100% from the interior.
2. Adjusting seat belts or pressing firmly on it, or on the B-pillar/door handle made no audible difference
3. I stuffed blankets under both front seats and noticed no audible difference, so it wasn't coming from under the seats
4. With the seats up, I stuffed a blanket just beneath the rear window, behind the rear head rests, and it made no audible difference
5. I folded all the seats down and noticed no audible difference, so it can't be from the trunk or rear seats
6. Opening sunroof did not make any difference

However, opening all four windows about 30% or more seem to have an improvement, but it is hard to tell if it was the wind noise masking the sound. The sound doesn't seem to come from the side windows, and doesn't resemble people's description of the famous window rattle. Still accepting any opinions or experience.

 

[maninthestreet]

Something in the glovebox or a loose object in the centre console / arm rest???

 

[HulkRS3]

@JunkStory do you seem to find it happens more when the car is warm? I have pin pointed it to somewhere under the dashboard, centrally at the bottom of the engine.

 

[Bittern]

I know this may sound stupid but its not any extra keys dangling down from your ignition key ?

Or could it be the grip bits in the cup holders ?

 

[JunkStory]

@mainthestreet for certain it is not coming from any loose object. I have emptied the car completely.

@JunkStory do you seem to find it happens more when the car is warm? I have pin pointed it to somewhere under the dashboard, centrally at the bottom of the engine.

Good question. This sound was never there in the first few months of ownership (during Winter). However, I cannot say for sure that it is related to temperature because when I took a road trip during the early summer (relatively warm) the sound wasn't there. It was only recently that the sound has become insanely noticeable. But I think you are right, the sound seems to originate from the center of the dash.

 

[JunkStory]

I know this may sound stupid but its not any extra keys dangling down from your ignition key ?

Or could it be the grip bits in the cup holders ?

I have the wireless key, and keep them in my pocket.

Are the grippers in the cupholders known for causing sound? I actually have tried pressing on them and they did not seem to be loose.

 

[Spinstorm]

Front seats?

I had a rattle coming from mine in my Golf R. Took it to the dealer. They removed and reattached the seats. Told me it was something that fell down the side. It wasn’t that but by reattaching the seats they fixed the issue and tightening whatever it was that was making the noise.

 

[Pook]

Sounds identical to what I had: sounds like keys jingling or a cats bell. Took me ages to find it! Got my wife to drive whilst I sat in pax seat to troubleshoot. It was the cd/SD card unit in the glove box! When it was jingling if I held the unit firm with my fingers it would stop. Took it to audi and they removed the unit but couldn't find anything. But the removal of the unit and then the obvious refixing of it fixed the issue. It did however then come back about a month later so repeated the process and this time it hasn't come back. So it was either something lose in the unit that has now lodged itself somewhere it can't move, or it was the unit itself that kept coming loose. Unfortunately a different noise is now coming from there and it is the bottom panel of the unit that sits underneath. Need to take it in for another re-securing. Hope you get some luck!

 

[Bittern]

I have the wireless key, and keep them in my pocket.

Are the grippers in the cupholders known for causing sound? I actually have tried pressing on them and they did not seem to be loose.

Just washed my car and thought of this. My grip bits in the cup holder(pre-face lift) do push in and out and they do have a slight side to side movement!. Shoving some rags down there would stop any movement while driving.

Just another item to tick of the list of "could it be's".

 

[HulkRS3]

Don't think it's anything to do with the cup holders or the DVD player in the glove box. It seems more central. I'm actually convinced it's like the downpipe or cat rattling.

 

[JunkStory]

I stuffed towers into the glovebox and cupholder and drove the car around some bumpy roads. Unfortunately, the unholy sound is still there. Doh!

For the seat rattle theory posted above, I can eliminate that possibility because I've stuffed towers under the seat and it made no audible difference.

I had really high hopes that it could be the DVD player too, but alas it is not. I agree with Sam, the sound does sound really central. For the life of me, I cannot pin point the location, it's like the sound is equally distributed in all direction.

 

[Pook]

That's unfortunate, only thing I would say is that stuffing towels in my glovebox would not have solved the issue other than maybe muffle it a little. The cd changer needed to be held very firm to stop it, something stuffed towels would not do. I would suggest this would go for the seat suggestion too etc. Get somebody else to drive while you have a hunt around and try and get closer. If it's not something you can pinpoint doing that, then the noise is obviously hidden away behind the dash or not in the cabin at all.

 

[JunkStory]

^ you were absolutely right in that the noise wasn't from the cabin at all! It was actually underneath the car.

1. There were a number of pebbles/gravel stuck in one of the plastic underbody liners. These are the long liners beside the exhaust, and not the one underneath the engine. Because the clearance is so low, it is conceivable that pebbles stuck there would hit the metal body when going over uneven roads, causing rattle sounds to transmit to the cabin.

2. After the last oil change, the plastic underbody liner beneath the engine wasn't screwed back tightly. There were three large screws with metallic washers, that need to be firmly tightened, otherwise it is conceivable that the liner would bounce up and down causing metallic rattling between the washer and the screws, and transmitting the sound to the cabin.

I'm not sure if it was one of the above, or both. But after removing and cleaning the liners, and also screwing back the engine one firmly, I am happy to say that the noises are 100% all gone and I'm happy driving my S3 again! If you suffer a similar problem, I would strongly recommend checking out these two items.

 

[HulkRS3]

^ you were absolutely right in that the noise wasn't from the cabin at all! It was actually underneath the car.

1. There were a number of pebbles/gravel stuck in one of the plastic underbody liners. These are the long liners beside the exhaust, and not the one underneath the engine. Because the clearance is so low, it is conceivable that pebbles stuck there would hit the metal body when going over uneven roads, causing rattle sounds to transmit to the cabin.

2. After the last oil change, the plastic underbody liner beneath the engine wasn't screwed back tightly. There were three large screws with metallic washers, that need to be firmly tightened, otherwise it is conceivable that the liner would bounce up and down causing metallic rattling between the washer and the screws, and transmitting the sound to the cabin.

I'm not sure if it was one of the above, or both. But after removing and cleaning the liners, and also screwing back the engine one firmly, I am happy to say that the noises are 100% all gone and I'm happy driving my S3 again! If you suffer a similar problem, I would strongly recommend checking out these two items.

My car hasn't had it's first service yet but I did have the under-tray off to fit the DTUK box so I'm optimistic that what you said is indeed the cause. Only thing I have noticed is that it seems to happen when the car is hot or has been driven over a longer period.

 

[OST]

I have a really anoying rattle from the headliner. I have a pano roof and it comes from the control for that/light fitting.

Its driving me nuts, any ideas on how to stop it?

 

[thebluefox]

I have an issue where my windows rattle when its cold & damp. Imagine how fun that one is to try and get the dealer to sort.

 

[Walts2782]

I have a really anoying rattle from the headliner. I have a pano roof and it comes from the control for that/light fitting.

Its driving me nuts, any ideas on how to stop it?

I've just had my car serviced and had two rattles sorted at Hull Audi.

The first was from the Pano roof control unit. Even though this didn't show on the test drive they've taken off the unit and added some foam stoppers that seem to have done the trick.

The second sounded like a matalic type rattle that was in the door. This was heard on test and on investigation found to be a loose air pipe in the drivers footwell. This has been secured and for now I'm rattle free

 

[KenL]

I have an issue where my windows rattle when its cold & damp. Imagine how fun that one is to try and get the dealer to sort.

Try some gummipflege on the seals.

 

[HulkRS3]

I have an issue where my windows rattle when its cold & damp. Imagine how fun that one is to try and get the dealer to sort.

The 3 doors are renowned for this, they also seem to leak water through the drivers door seal at the top when raining.