Vibration?

[jimlloyd40]

2016 GTI PP with DCC @ 67,000 km's. Owned for 1 year, bought CPO, has done this since day 1 of my ownership, 2 sets of wheels, now on 4th set of tires. Meticulous cleaning and torque of wheels, mating surfaces, bolts, etc.

Same issues as described, shaking and "uneasy" at any non city speed, noticeably from 60 km/h up, but especially 100 km/h+ (honestly feels like its going to blow apart at 140, that's the highest i've taken it). Whole car shakes, rearview mirror bounces up and down, hand on passenger seat feels like it's hopping. Whole thing basically vibrates.

- Happened since day 1 (bought it CPO), wasn't able to test drive it at highway speed due to dealer location (busy Toronto highway during rush hour). Took it back, they've said "cannot replicate".. Took it back a second time, with the tech in the car up to approx 100 km/h, who said "this is normal, this is how they drive" - wtf.

The history:
- First drive home at hwy speed, felt it. Came with PP summer tires, OEM austins
- Bought in Dec 2018, so needed snow tires that night. Bought used wheels and snow tires locally, installed myself - actually felt half decent for 2 days.
- Sold those used x-ice snow tires (50% tread) and swapped in fresh conti's, mounted to Audi TTRS Reps, shop could not balance them - ended up replacing all 4 new tires with another set. On the second set, and now 4x mount and balance attempts, using road force for 2 of them - still vibrates...
- Need rings for these wheels, tried 3 different sets (2 nylon and 1 alu), still vibes (nylon vibes did feel softer lol)
- Meticulously cleaned all wheel bolt threads with wire brush, mating surfaces, wheel barrels, etc etc (in winter), still vibes. Gave up for the winter, too cold to dik around with this

- Back to the OEM wheels+ OEM rubber this summer, still vibrates.
- Re-installed and re-torqued twice, star pattern by hand, and then in 20 lb increments at home, still vibrates.
- Retorque a 3rd time, up to 110 ft lb, still vibrates.
- Took to local dealer to explain, they said alignment was off. Paid for alignment, still vibrates
- Just changed DSG and Haldex fluids, no change
- Removed OEM rubber this month, bought new 235/40 Conti DWS 06, still vibrates

Thinking it's brakes, hubs, driveshafts, or as per a few posts up - engine, trans or other mount? My brakes don't pulsate, but are getting down anyways - that's next on my list, and will allow me to get a better look at the hubs.

Want to love this car, but hate driving it at speed! Dealerships have been no help, at least the complaints are logged. No time to deal with this, drive thousands of km's per month for work and can't be without my car, easier to repair myself after hours (competent tech).

Following this thread, seems to have great info (and if you are new to the issue, be sure to follow the other TR thread on the hub taper as well, just to make it extra fun)

Any noise or just vibration? Wheel bearing? Is tire tread pattern wear normal?

 

[bruckuss]

Any noise or just vibration? Wheel bearing? Is tire tread pattern wear normal?

Noise is questionable, it's always been noisier than one would expect, and have had it just shy a year. I think it may be getting ever so slightly louder with time. Had a 300km commute yesterday with some windy roads, tough to tell if sound or vibes changed on long sweeping fast turns.. This morning I really paid attention to the noise, and it seems rotational in nature anyways.. Rhythmic anyways

Definitely not ruling out wheel bearings, dealer said they were fine this summer, and on jackstands here there is no discernible play - still doesn't mean one can't be bad however. Leaning towards wheel bearings myself.

Tires are brand new, and the 3 previous sets seem to be square, no cupping, feathering, etc. Shocks appear to be fine, alignment done recently.

Best way to describe it - car feels "nervous" at speed, almost a hopping sensation, or like you are driving over golf balls constantly.. When at highway speed, a quick shift to neutral doesn't change anything. Doesn't seem to worsen with brake application, or be throttle induced.

Very much speed sensitive
- 50km/h, noticeable but oscillates too slow to really annoy
- 60 to 80 km/h, more noticeable
- 80 to 120, definitely annoying

The odd thing is, sometimes on a long stretch of hwy, it will go from better to worse (25% better or worse either way)? Don't get me wrong, it's bad 95% of the time, but those random 5% sections are nice lol

 

[Jacobmk7]

Had the same issue, ended up being bad tires. I balanced them many times and still a slight vibration, now I got as3+, smooth as silk.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Had the same issue, ended up being bad tires. I balanced them many times and still a slight vibration, now I got as3+, smooth as silk.

Same thing happened to me. I had Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires and they wore a choppy pattern which produced a lot of vibration and I got the AS3 + tires also.

 

[Rana Ancha]

I'm running DWS06 all season on 18s Königs. Had 12 mm spacers.
I had the issue for a solid 2-3K miles.

As explained to me, if the steering wheel vibrates at highway speeds (60-70mph), most likely your problem comes from the front of the vehicle components.

If the floor, and center console vibrates, along with the passenger seat, then the problem comes from the back.

I had a bent wheel in the front, balancing at two different places did not catch it, it was never brought up to me.
How I caught it? replacing the 2 front with the OEM tire set, drive it on the highway for less than 5 min and come back. Big difference, no steering vibration, but still had vibration from the console and passenger seat.

Removed the spacers from the back wheels before switching to the OEM wheels.
Center Console vibration gone, passenger still vibrates slightly at times, but day and night difference without spacers.

Went back to the tire balance place, they told me I should tell them the size of the spacers before balancing the wheels, they will take the offset marked in the wheel, and not add the spacer thickness on their balance machine.

Anyhow, replaced the driver side bent wheel, removed the spacers all around and vibrations are almost gone. Way smoother at highway speeds. Once it is time for a track day, I will test the vibe at higher speeds.

 

[Diggs24]

ECS spacers gave me vibes too.

 

[snobrdrdan]

ECS spacers gave me vibes too.

But were they,

?

 

[Karan]

Noise is questionable, it's always been noisier than one would expect, and have had it just shy a year. I think it may be getting ever so slightly louder with time. Had a 300km commute yesterday with some windy roads, tough to tell if sound or vibes changed on long sweeping fast turns.. This morning I really paid attention to the noise, and it seems rotational in nature anyways.. Rhythmic anyways

Definitely not ruling out wheel bearings, dealer said they were fine this summer, and on jackstands here there is no discernible play - still doesn't mean one can't be bad however. Leaning towards wheel bearings myself.

Tires are brand new, and the 3 previous sets seem to be square, no cupping, feathering, etc. Shocks appear to be fine, alignment done recently.

Best way to describe it - car feels "nervous" at speed, almost a hopping sensation, or like you are driving over golf balls constantly.. When at highway speed, a quick shift to neutral doesn't change anything. Doesn't seem to worsen with brake application, or be throttle induced.

Very much speed sensitive
- 50km/h, noticeable but oscillates too slow to really annoy
- 60 to 80 km/h, more noticeable
- 80 to 120, definitely annoying

The odd thing is, sometimes on a long stretch of hwy, it will go from better to worse (25% better or worse either way)? Don't get me wrong, it's bad 95% of the time, but those random 5% sections are nice lol

Hey bud,
I am from Toronto too & picked up my 2015 GTI from Vw downtown cpo. I am having the same problem till date. Have u solved the vibration issue yet? Thanks

 

[Karan]

Hey Guys,
Has anyone been able to figure out the vibration issue yet? Has anyone been able to solve it? Im still having vibrations at 120km/hr.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Hey Guys,
Has anyone been able to figure out the vibration issue yet? Has anyone been able to solve it? Im still having vibrations at 120km/hr.

Have you had your wheels checked for out of balance? Wheel bearings okay?

 

[Karan]

Have you had your wheels checked for out of balance? Wheel bearings okay?

Balancing is checked multiple times. The dealership said bearings look fine, but i am going to go in for another opinion outside the dealership. I personally feel it could be the bearings.

 

[quailallstar]

ECS spacers gave me vibes too.

Same here. ECS spacers front and rear cause the car to vibrate at 80 mph. So balancing would aid this so long as I tell the shop to compensate for spacer thickness?

 

[Diggs24]

No. Sell them and get better spacers.

 

[jimlloyd40]

My spacers always stick to the wheel and Discount Tires knocks them off before balancing. Couldn't they balance them with the spacer stuck to the wheel?

 

[ecsta]

Had the same problem and it was both front wheel bearings were shot. Dealership replaced them under warranty even though it was probably caused by potholes, they said because of my low mileage they shouldn't have failed that quick. The vibrations stayed the same regardless of wheels/tires. There was no play/obvious signs of defect but they replaced them anyways and the vibration went away instantly.