2015 A7 problems
Discussion
I bought a brand new A7 to replace an A8, and this was delivered in April this year. I have now done 7,000 miles in it. Over the past 2,000 miles there has been an intermittent 'humming' noise that sounds like it's coming from the front offside wheel (it sounds like when you blow over a bottle top). We generally use the car for very long drives down to our house in Cornwall or through Europe, and the noise appears and disappears when the car is very warm after a few hours of motorway driving. When the noise is there, it's very obvious and very annoying.
The car was taken to our nearest Audi garage to get it sorted, but naturally they can't find a fault. They've been doing some 'extended' test drives to try and replicate the driving condition under which the noise appears, but these are only 10 or 15 miles through London, and pretty different to the few hours of motorway driving that seem to cause it.
Is there anything I can do? I can't really see any other options bar accepting it, but it's very frustrating on an expensive brand new car to have to put up with something like this.
The car was taken to our nearest Audi garage to get it sorted, but naturally they can't find a fault. They've been doing some 'extended' test drives to try and replicate the driving condition under which the noise appears, but these are only 10 or 15 miles through London, and pretty different to the few hours of motorway driving that seem to cause it.
Is there anything I can do? I can't really see any other options bar accepting it, but it's very frustrating on an expensive brand new car to have to put up with something like this.
Edited by Ori123 on Thursday 12th November 11:18
Edited by Ori123 on Thursday 12th November 11:18
Yes, there is.
Swap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Swap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Dr G said:
Yes, there is.
Swap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Are you thinking "tread stepping"? Common issue with the VAG cars I have had. Some tyres show it up more than othersSwap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Dr G said:
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Just to add to this, a proper wheel alignment needs specialist kit that most tyre fitters don't have, or don't know how to use if they do. Certain elements are critical to getting it right on VAG cars. You ideally want an independent Audi specialist with factory alignment gear (place near me in Crawley has it). Failing that someone with full Hunter alignment kit would be a close second.In terms of how long the noise takes to appear, do you only get it on the motorway elements of your journey and it disappears when you get into town, or does it stay noisy until the car is parked for a period of time? Just wondering if there's options to drive to generate the noise and have it booked in for you to demonstrate the noise on arrival and not be left sitting around. There are main dealers near motorways between London and Cornwall so you could always try and arrange it with Swindon Or Bristol Audi dealers if it will reliably appear by the time you've reached those points in your journey.
blueg33 said:
Dr G said:
Yes, there is.
Swap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Are you thinking "tread stepping"? Common issue with the VAG cars I have had. Some tyres show it up more than othersSwap the rear wheels to the front and see if the noise changes or moves. I'd be tempted to have this done by a good, independent tyre fitter and ask they look closely at how the tyres are wearing and if there's any deformation or uneven wear, bulges, damage etc.
You could also do worse than having them properly check the wheel alignment (camber/castor/toe rather than just a basic front tracking job).
Thanks all for the replies. It sounds exactly like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhBPgoSjslk.
Happens when the car is very warm and normally at motorway/A road speeds, although it has also once happened at below 20mph. The Audi technician saw the video, reckons that it's aero related, but as they can't replicate it there's not much to do. Aero would make sense except for the fact that it's also happened at low speeds!
Booking in and doing an extended drive is sensible, but it's so intermittent that it's really impossible to guarantee that it'd have the noise. I'm also not going to do a long drive for a few months now.
Definitely the most annoying sort of fault. If it gets any worse over the next few months at least it will be more obvious what the issue is.
Happens when the car is very warm and normally at motorway/A road speeds, although it has also once happened at below 20mph. The Audi technician saw the video, reckons that it's aero related, but as they can't replicate it there's not much to do. Aero would make sense except for the fact that it's also happened at low speeds!
Booking in and doing an extended drive is sensible, but it's so intermittent that it's really impossible to guarantee that it'd have the noise. I'm also not going to do a long drive for a few months now.
Definitely the most annoying sort of fault. If it gets any worse over the next few months at least it will be more obvious what the issue is.
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