Various strange noises?

[andfit]

Hi all, I've got a 55 plate Fabia vRS with 22,500 miles on the clock and wanted a second+ opinion on some strange noises before taking the car to the dealers.

Since running the car in I've experienced a slight knocking / clonking noise from the nearside front of the car predominantly when turning left at junctions etc., particularly if the road surface is rippled, potholed or block paved. The sound is almost a pattering noise on block paving, such is its consistency, if that makes sense? Having read about the various front ARB problems that other people have encountered (drop links / loose brackets) it sounded similar and I have asked the dealer to investigate the noise 3 times now, without a successful resolution of the problem. I also asked them to check the front wishbone bushes, as they could produce a similar sound, again without success. Since the 20K service the noise is less common but still apparent, however it has now been joined by a more annoying noise!

In the past 500 miles or so, a whining / humming noise has appeared from the front nearside of the car also. It almost feels like you can feel every tread block of the tyre meeting the road surface and it is humming through the car. I have dipped the clutch and disengaged gears etc to isolate the noise and assure myself that it is not coming from the engine / gearbox / diff and can confirm that it is not related to any of them. The noise is present with the car straight ahead, doesn't appear to worsen at all when steering to the, but does practically cease altogether if you turn even slightly to the left (severity of turning dependent on road speed!)?

Most of my mileage is on the motorway at 70-80 mph and still hope to have another 5000 miles out of the original tyres, so I wouldn't expect to have a wheel bearing fail at this early stage? I am almost convincing myself that a bush or bushes have failed somewhere, causing both of the problems above.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome your suggestions...

Many thanks in advance,

Andfit

[vRS19TD]

Originally Posted by andfit

In the past 500 miles or so, a whining / humming noise has appeared from the front nearside of the car also. It almost feels like you can feel every tread block of the tyre meeting the road surface and it is humming through the car. I have dipped the clutch and disengaged gears etc to isolate the noise and assure myself that it is not coming from the engine / gearbox / diff and can confirm that it is not related to any of them. The noise is present with the car straight ahead, doesn't appear to worsen at all when steering to the, but does practically cease altogether if you turn even slightly to the left (severity of turning dependent on road speed!)?

I've got this as well at the moment and after quite a few miles of driving, it's almost constantly going, except when i brake and turn the wheel slightly. It starts off whenever i turn the wheel to go left or right but the more miles i do, the worse the noise gets and starts to happen going straight.

I think it is either the bushes or the bearings but i haven't taken my car in to be checked out yet as i haven't had time.

[andfit]

I'm not sure if the noise disappears under braking, I don't think it does but that would presumably point at the wheel bearing and not bushes?

What's you're current mileage btw?

I see you're in the W. Midlands. I work in central Birmingham at the moment, can you recommend any local dealers for their after sales service? It's a long way to the supplying dealer from here and I think I might like somebody else to take a look at it this time around...

[vRS19TD]

Originally Posted by andfit

I'm not sure if the noise disappears under braking, I don't think it does but that would presumably point at the wheel bearing and not bushes?

What's you're current mileage btw?

I see you're in the W. Midlands. I work in central Birmingham at the moment, can you recommend any local dealers for their after sales service? It's a long way to the supplying dealer from here and I think I might like somebody else to take a look at it this time around...

25000ish on a 54 plate.

I use Savilles Garage near Kidderminster as i can't fault them. Which one do you currently use??

[andfit]

Interesting to see that we've got similar mileage and the same problem.

I've been dealing with Williams in Bristol who were the supplying dealer. I live in Cheltenham these days because its closer to work, but have returned the car to them for both services despite it being the "wrong" direction.

I'll give Williams a call and see if they have any ideas / experienced it before. Otherwise it might be useful for me to use the same guys as you in order that they know what they're looking for - assuming they find the fault!

[vRS19TD]

I haven't reported mine to the garage yet, i'm waiting until i book it in to have the brakes done, so then they can do it at the same time. I need to get the brakes done soon though as i'm going on holiday the first week of July and want to have them bedded in before i get travelling down motorways. I'll let you know what's said when i finally book it in.

[andfit]

Just spoken to Williams and they have no prior knowledge of this fault. If I decide to take the car back to them it is likely to be the first week of July before I can get there.

If you get yours sorted in the mean time, any information would be great! I'll keep the guys in Kidderminster in mind if they manage to sort yours out...

[vRS19TD]

I'll let you know what's said if i manage to get it booked in.

[Tom_vRS]

Definitely sounds like wheel bearing to me...

[johnny05]

mine does this too starts about 25ish mph mines a 04 plate 19k on the clock and its starting to really annoy now been like this since about 14k novemberish not got any worse will have to get the stealer to look at it when i take my car in to repair the rear door leak for the forth time

[The The]

It sounds like a worn drop link as they tend to rattle on uneven surfaces but stay nice and quiet when the road is smooth.

[ftojeTDI]

Mine also makes some clonking noise when i turn left or right and accelarate. My mechanic still didnt solve the problem.

[andfit]

Finally got the deafening roar sorted. It got a lot worse in 3000 miles! Turned out it was the offside front wheel bearing, but I've had both replaced. That however is another story...

[vRS19TD]

Got mine sorted as well but all i had done was new front brakes, that's it!!!

Now i've got a strange noise when travelling at about 70mph but no noise when doing about 40mph or even at 65mph!!!

[johnny05]

not had mine looked at yet think its the nsr wheel????

[bryand]

Originally Posted by andfit

Since running the car in I've experienced a slight knocking / clonking noise from the nearside front of the car predominantly when turning left at junctions etc., particularly if the road surface is rippled, potholed or block paved.

I repeatedly asked my dealer to check front ARB and drop links every service. Last week, at the 40K service, they agreed that our symptoms = ARB + drop links and they are being replaced under warranty.

[barney_b]

I had the same noise, had the drop link arms checked etc. After a bit of digging by the dealer they have found a new technical bulletin to resolve this issue. I had the fix applied last Friday and haven't heard the noise since (I've driven 500 miles in this time).

I believe the fault is due to the gearbox mount on the near side. They basically need to put some silicon grease between the mating componenets and hey presto job's done.

Can't we make this a sticky as I've answered this question 3 or 4 times in the last few days!

[vRS19TD]

I now have a new noise. When i get upto 70mph, there's a noise, like something rubbing or vibrating, coming from the front of the car but my visual check and little shake of various areas on the car aren't finding anything. Anyone ever had that before???

Also, i noticed earlier, that when i go right, there's another noise, kind of like another rubbing noise but different to the other noise at speed but it's not there when i go left and isn't the same squeel noise i've had in the past. I'm thinking one pot hole to many may have shaken something loose but i can't see anything myself and haven't taken the wheel off yet.