New B6 Passat Noise driving me nuts

[P Selex Taylor]

:( Can anyone help? I have a brand new 2008 TDI 140 Estate. From the off I noticed a mid tone resonance (approx. 500Hz) which sounds like wind in a roof rack or blowing over the top of an empty bottle. The pitch never changes but the loudness varies with road surface. It can even be heard at 10mph so I do not think it is coming from the low profile tyres or 17" alloy wheels fitted. I suspect the coil springs which ring like a bell at the same frequency if tapped. First dealership said "nothing wrong, they are all like it". Now in to another dealership but fear the same reply. Has anyone else noticed this resonance or am I going nuts?; I'm beginning to wonder.

[angus]

Ooh, bit technical for me, what with the frequencies etc.

What I can say is that my 140 Sport Estate was an immediate disappointment in terms of noise generally. it replaced a B5.5 130Sport saloon which is considerably quieter on motorway surfaces.
Having still got both vehicles, the old one is still less loud at 80mph when driven back to back.

[james_tiger_woo]

It sounds like it could be your tyres - google them for a review to see if that's the problem.

You could always ask to take out one of the dealer's cars for comparison.....

[Astonm]

I also had a noise like yours although mine turned out to be the rear tyres worn on the inside, I had them changed and although quieter (just) there has alway been a resonance of some kind that I cannot put my finger on. I'm with Angus that the older models were quieter i had a 1.8t saloon a few years back and it was really quiet in comparison. The dealers say its normal! Your car is way to new to have a tyre wear problem but the tyres themselves maybe just noisey.

I'm looking at soundproofing the rear as most of it is made of plastic! that should help things a little

[P Selex Taylor]

Many thanks guys for this useful feedback. This is my first use of a web forum so forgive me if I make some protocol errors in sending my reply.

Got back from the second dealership this afternoon. They could not have been more helpful. Took a test drive my car with Engineer, the managers car (identical spec to mine) and another Passat with the standard wheels and tyres. All were TDI 140 estates. Bottom line - the Engineer could hear the noise very clearly when pointed out by me. To my dismay it was just as loud in the managers car! The noise was also present in the Passat with standard wheel/tyre combo but not quite so loud or resonant. Dilemma - do I splash and change the wheels in the hope of getting some improvement or try and fix the problem myself by introducing some sound damping as one of you has suggested. Am inclined to try and dampen the rear springs (any ideas how?) as I still think they could be the source; I don't expect to get any more joy out of VW. :(

[Quatrelle]

You could go for a quieter tyre perhaps?

[Stuart W]

The noise was also present in the Passat with standard wheel/tyre combo but not quite so loud or resonant. Dilemma - do I splash and change the wheels in the hope of getting some improvement or try and fix the problem myself by introducing some sound damping as one of you has suggested. Am inclined to try and dampen the rear springs (any ideas how?) as I still think they could be the source; I don't expect to get any more joy out of VW. :(

The noise from the inside of the rear tyres wearing seems to be quite a common problem, but as mentioned above the fact that your car is new and it occurs at very low speeds doesn't fit the profile.

When I got mine new I certainly noticed a lot of tyre roar, but I put this to several things:

- cars have become increasingly silent in other respects, thus tyre noise is accentuated;

- this is worsened by increasingly wide tyres - I suspect a car with 185s ten years ago would have something like 215s today?;

- estates tend to be a bit noisier at the back.

For what it's worth this is one of the main threads on the wear problem:

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=19414

[iaint]

Ooh, bit technical for me, what with the frequencies etc.


Angus, if you're more musical than technical then 500Hz is a slightly sharp B.

In standard concert tuning, an A tuning fork is 440Hz.

Cheers
Iain

[P Selex Taylor]

The car came factory fitted with P 2Zero's. As it's only done 2k miles it's clearly not tyre wear related. Have given up with VW for the time being and plan to do my own investigation. Time do VW's job for them:mad:. I'll get some audio recordings done and put them through an audio spectrum analyser to track done the source. Happy to share the results with you all.

[Neil99]

Dear P Selex taylor

i have a new (Nov 07) 170 SEL DSG passat estate and I am very disappointed with the level of road noise. The dealer changed the tyres to Dunlop from Pirelli and i think this helped slightly. I suspect the car is of crude old fashioned design at the front - my wifes 10 yr old nissan primera is quieter up to 60 mph! I have accepted that i should have tested the car for longer but i shouldnt i dont think have to put up with the very annoying resonance most noticeable at 50 - 75 mph, fading or drowned out above 80 mph. The technician at VW has recognised the noise as present but they say thay have no cure.

If I cant gett this sorted I have to trade in in for something else - the car is so disappointing and spoilt by the noise - puts me off even wanting to get in it.

In short i would be very interested in your measurements and any conclusion as to sources of noise in this car, before I take on the dealer again on 16th April.

TIA

[claranet]

What make are the Tyres fitted to your Car ?

My Sport 170 Manual Estate, is fitted with Pirelli Pzero Rossos and the Car seems fairly quiet to me.

regards
claranet

[John Robertson]

:( Can anyone help? I have a brand new 2008 TDI 140 Estate. From the off I noticed a mid tone resonance (approx. 500Hz) which sounds like wind in a roof rack or blowing over the top of an empty bottle. The pitch never changes but the loudness varies with road surface. It can even be heard at 10mph so I do not think it is coming from the low profile tyres or 17" alloy wheels fitted. I suspect the coil springs which ring like a bell at the same frequency if tapped. First dealership said "nothing wrong, they are all like it". Now in to another dealership but fear the same reply. Has anyone else noticed this resonance or am I going nuts?; I'm beginning to wonder.

Hi

I am getting the same noise from my 1.9 TDI S model 2006 I thought I was
going nuts as well till I read your blog.I thought it sounded like as if the
exhaust pipe was left open and the wind was whisleing down through it.
I know it its not that,but that is the kind of noise the car makes makes.
In my opinion not tyres :beerchug:


My car goes in for service in June I will get them to take it a run to see
what they think I expect the same reply they all do that.

[Neil99]

Hi claranet

car was delivered with latest pirelli (P6?) - i got them changed by supplier for dunlop sp01 which i researched as best i could and were considered quiet. slight improvement to general road tyre noise - but resonance still there. car transmitts every undulation, harsh, crude over bumps, pure suppreesion of noise generally ''beautifully engineered passat'' makes me laugh - its a sound box with what s looks like some sort of primitive front axle arrangement. dsg is good but desiel engine and road noise unacceptable to me - its not fettled . Considering trading in for maybe 1 yr old saab 9-5 unless VW can come up with a fix ( not holding my breath)

[MsCarolH]

Hi all, the tyres suggestion seemed interesting and no doubt contributes to the transfer of noise, but I think the fundamental problem lies elsewhere. I've another thread on the same theme, "Fed up with noisy new Passat saloon" and have now had an even newer, diesel version for a few days. My 57 plate B6 FSI has Dunlops and this 08 plate B6 2.0 diesel has Continentals - doesn't seem to make much difference! Both terrible!
In my opinion - FWIW - there is a fundamental design fault with this car and VW should be ashamed that they are doing nothing about it. It has totally destroyed my confidence in the brand name, which I once admired.
Carol

[claranet]

I wish I hadn't read this thread as I now notice this humming noise on my Oct07 170 manual Sport Estate whereas I didn't really notice it before !!

Now it is annoying me ! I drove my old B5 estate today and have to admit that at 60 mph I have to conceed it is a tad quieter than my Sport.

The Resonance could be down to a number of things. Tyres are the most likely cause, I too have Pzeros fitted to mine. It could be down to the springs or even the wheels themselves, mine has the standard ones fitted to the Sports versions. It might even be the body shell itself ?

What surprises me is that VW didn't discover this sort of thing when they were testing the cars at the development stage. As is the case over the electric Handbrake; mine sometimes has a mind of it's own and sometimes won't release when pulling away and sometimes it won't always come on when when you take your seat belt off for example - I know that it is up to ME to check the handbrake is on before leaving the car ! I do tend to leave it in gear to be sure !

I look forward to Selex's results !!

Regards
claranet

[james_tiger_woo]

My Maxxis Z1s are surprisingly quiet - I like them :)

[Gaz_2005_Passat]

:( Can anyone help? I have a brand new 2008 TDI 140 Estate. From the off I noticed a mid tone resonance (approx. 500Hz) which sounds like wind in a roof rack or blowing over the top of an empty bottle. The pitch never changes but the loudness varies with road surface. It can even be heard at 10mph so I do not think it is coming from the low profile tyres or 17" alloy wheels fitted. I suspect the coil springs which ring like a bell at the same frequency if tapped. First dealership said "nothing wrong, they are all like it". Now in to another dealership but fear the same reply. Has anyone else noticed this resonance or am I going nuts?; I'm beginning to wonder.

Have you checked the back windows are wound up properly, failing that check the rear seats are clicked in properly. Sounds simple but I was baffled about a wind type noise till I realised the back seats were not locked in place properly.

Hope this helps.

[Quatrelle]

My Maxxis Z1s are surprisingly quiet - I like them :)What sort of quality do they seem to be (grip, wear, etc.)?

Not a silly question because they used to have a reputation for cheap and cheerful in the motorcycle world and I wouldn't have considered putting them on my Suzuki.

[james_tiger_woo]

They've got some decent reviews online - however, I can't tell you about longevity as I've only had them about a thousand miles....

[Quatrelle]

They've got some decent reviews online - however, I can't tell you about longevity as I've only had them about a thousand miles....Interesting - I shall certainly be looking for something quieter than the Bridgestones that I've currently got.

[james_tiger_woo]

I'll keep you up to date with them, but so far they handle well, they're quiet and pretty cheap.

Note to self - must check tyre pressure (had them fitted 500 miles ago)

[Zwinsky]

I was really interested in your post because I picked up a new Audi TT (2.0 TFSI) at the weekend, and right from the start I noticed a resonant sound that was like blowing across the top of a bottle.

The sound is mid pitched (and the pitch doesn't change - it jus wobbles) and I think it's there at any speed. It is especially noticeable at lower speeds of around 20-30mph but it is obvious at speeds from about 10mph upwards - at higher speeds there is just more road noise to mask it.

I say "obvious", but it's not a noise that bothers my wife. She hadn't even noticed it, although she could hear it when I pointed it out to her, and even knowing it's there it doesn't bother her at all. Just me!

I've taken the car into the dealer, but the technician didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary. I just find it amazing that if, as I suspect (and I'm going to test it when a demo becomes available), the noise is there on any other similar TT, that there aren't loads of drivers that are annoyed by it.

I'm starting to wonder if my ears are just particularly tuned to this pitch. Although I don't believe there is anything wrong with my hearing, I do often struggle (moreso than others maybe) to hear people talking in a noisy room - i.e. to pick out a foreground noise from the background noise. I have thought I'm going nuts because it only bothers me, but it bothers me big time! Maybe it is just me (and you, and a few others)!

Clearly there is a noise, and it may help to track it down if we look at the similarities between your car and mine. On the face of it they are very different - mine is petrol, yours is diesel, yours is an estate, mine is a coupe. However, both have a turbo, and both have low profile tyres (mine are Continental Sportscontact 2), and both are VAG. Maybe there are other similarities because they are from teh same family.

In the mean time, I've found the only ways to overcome the irritation are (a) drive hard and fast (b) have the radio on loud (c) go up a hill until your ears are about to pop (d) leave the windows open. Thankfully it's my wife's car, and she loves it!

[ionic]

My 170 sport is pretty quiet, although there is some tyre roar at 60+, it's not excessive.

I think the non sports models are quieter as the suspension is softer & wheels smaller. It's a trade off really.

We have several decent motors at our office & it's about the same as the 335d, we also have a CLS & did have a 5 series, which was amazingly quiet.

Modern cars do tend to have more tyre noise, I even noticed it a bit in the CLS.

[MsCarolH]

I was really interested in your post because I picked up a new Audi TT (2.0 TFSI) at the weekend, and right from the start I noticed a resonant sound that was like blowing across the top of a bottle.

snipped !

Hi Zwinsky, although I'm not an expert, the noise you hear is the same as I get from the engine of my 2.o FSI Passat (B6 saloon 57 plate). No turbo though! The FSI engine apparently runs in "stratified" mode and has valves of some kind that flap open and shut. Just a few days I ago I got the service manager to agree that the FSI engine is noisy and, in his words, "tinny". But that is only one of the noises I get, the main one Ive already mentioned on this forum which is intermittent terrible shaking and rumbling which gets much worse on certain road surfaces. That latter problem makes we want rid of the thing as I am exhausted driving it long distances.
Carol

[airspark]

I'll keep you up to date with them, but so far they handle well, they're quiet and pretty cheap.

Note to self - must check tyre pressure (had them fitted 500 miles ago)
Speaking to a mini-cab driver driving a passat B6 estate (55 plate)115000 miles, he always fits Avon tyres on front wheel drive cars for noise suppression apparently a well known fact in taxi driving circles?

[thegunit]

hi have new passat highline with 17 " alloys. really dissapointed with the road and wind noise. we have a fleet of passats at work and mine is the first with pirellis.they resonate at all speeds and it is noisier vthan my van inside. also the new diesel engine sounds like it,s falling apart(heavy rattling. took it to the dealer and it sounds the same as the other new passat highlines?? oh well it gets replaced in 3 years or i could get a different job

[CR HL Est]

My new CR highline does have some tyre roar - Bridgestone 17'' Potenza but its not that bad.....
Mine had a tinny resonating sound coming from behind the glove box on 'take off' and when changing up:aargh4: - its the hydraulic clutch pipe vibrating on the bulk head - you will see it go through a plastic clip that attaches it to the bulk head in the engine compartment [roughly in line with the glove box] - it needs a slight bend by hand and hey presto the noise has gone:biglaugh: - apparantly its an extremely common fault that all good dealers will know about. - takes about 10seconds to sort out so don't get charged for it....:beerchug:

[mrmitch]

I had the same clutch pipework rattle 18 months ago on my 56-plate 2.0TDi SE from new. It was the only unwanted noise the car made and so was really annoying:(.
At that time the dealer said he had ordered a spare part then called me several weeks later to arrange for it to be fitted. Perhaps , all he did was put a little bend in the original, but it certainly fixed the noise , and at no cost (under warranty).

No probs with the new Silver Machine (DSG;)).


SEL 2.0TDi 170 DSG Estate, Reflex Silver, The Usual SEL Toys, Parking Sensors :D:D.

[ionic]

The only irritating noise I have is off one of the red seatbelt inners in the back.

Ill take it in when I get chance.

Other than that the car is acceptably quiet.

[Stuart W]

Well I've finally replaced the original Dunlops at the back just short of 60k miles, and it's certainly made a noticeable difference to the cabin noise.

But since the noise first appeared at around 20k that means I've suffered it for 40k!!

Was going to buy the cheapest tyres I could find and perhaps replace them with lots of tread left to get rid of the noise (assuming it reappeared), but since the car was in the VW garage anyway for new front pads I got them to fit the cheapest they had, which were Firestone Firehawks at around £100 a wheel.

BTW the pads were £130, which seems to be much the same as the other prices quoted on here. Pricey, but 60k out of front pads isn't bad.