Rattle, thump, or clunk. It's one of those...

[avenali312]

Hey all,

I've tried searching pretty extensively, but came up with nothing. I have a very odd noise that I can't really define as a rattle, thump, or clunk that's driving me crazy.

When it happens:
- Driving along in a middle-ish gear (3 or 4) at a lower RPM
- Slowly press pedal to accelerate (not flooring it all of a sudden)
- Noise happens somewhere between 3k - 4k RPM

The noise:
- Sounds like it's coming from the rear passenger side near where the fuel filler cap is located, possibly a bit lower
- Not metallic sounding, more like the sound of a small pebble being kicked up into the fender liner
- Typically 3 to 5 of these noises in a row real quick and then it goes away
- Only seems to happen once per drive
- It's not the wastegate rod rattle (I have that too and this is very different)

With the way it only happens once per drive, I feel like it has something to do with the car settling while sitting and then adjusting when there is some G force applied, but I have no idea. Just seeing if anyone is familiar. My biggest concern is if the subframe may be loose somewhere or something.

 

[7umberjackZac]

Exhaust heat shield?

The door rattle squeek from the gaskets. The window switches rattle cause they're loose, the seat pillars rattle. I haven't fixed that one yet

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[avenali312]

Exhaust heat shield?

The door rattle squeek from the gaskets. The window switches rattle cause they're loose, the seat pillars rattle. I haven't fixed that one yet

Of these, I'm leaning most toward the exhaust heat shield. I'll have to crawl under there and check it.

 

[Jarbear]

Of these, I'm leaning most toward the exhaust heat shield. I'll have to crawl under there and check it.

It's a little gnome with a tiny hammer..

If it was the exhaust shield, wouldn't it happen more frequently? Not just once per drive?

Maybe something do to with the caliper/parking brake? As you said, in regards to the car having sat/settled.

If it were a loose subframe or suspension component, I'm sure the car wouldn't drive normal.

 

[avenali312]

It's a little gnome with a tiny hammer..

If it was the exhaust shield, wouldn't it happen more frequently? Not just once per drive?

Maybe something do to with the caliper/parking brake? As you said, in regards to the car having sat/settled.

If it were a loose subframe or suspension component, I'm sure the car wouldn't drive normal.

No lie, little gnome with a tiny hammer is a great way to explain the sound haha.

Yeah, it's not a constant rattle like a metallic shield would do, so maybe not so much that.

I do pull my parking brake whenever I park the car (DSG, so I don't really know why I do that other than my dad instilling this fear that if you don't use it, it will freeze up haha). I'll have to refrain from doing that for a while to test because that could make sense.

 

[demi9od]

 

[imthanick_a]

No lie, little gnome with a tiny hammer is a great way to explain the sound haha.

Yeah, it's not a constant rattle like a metallic shield would do, so maybe not so much that.

I do pull my parking brake whenever I park the car (DSG, so I don't really know why I do that other than my dad instilling this fear that if you don't use it, it will freeze up haha). I'll have to refrain from doing that for a while to test because that could make sense.

I've had mine freeze up on the GTI before so this fear isn't completely unwarranted. I got a clunk similar to what you are describing, but it only happened one occurrence, and only one "thunk", not a few in rapid succession. I was hitting an on-ramp pretty hard and it clunked when I hit third/fourth shift. Hasn't happened again since that time almost a year ago. If it's only in a specific gear, and its consistent every time you drive, I would definitely take it to the dealer to get the transmission inspected. It wouldn't hurt to post a list of mods you have done to the car (if any) so that we may be able to help you out a little better

 

[avenali312]

I've had mine freeze up on the GTI before so this fear isn't completely unwarranted. I got a clunk similar to what you are describing, but it only happened one occurrence, and only one "thunk", not a few in rapid succession. I was hitting an on-ramp pretty hard and it clunked when I hit third/fourth shift. Hasn't happened again since that time almost a year ago. If it's only in a specific gear, and its consistent every time you drive, I would definitely take it to the dealer to get the transmission inspected. It wouldn't hurt to post a list of mods you have done to the car (if any) so that we may be able to help you out a little better

This noise predates any mods, but right now I'm on ED springs and the ECS flush kit from the MKV (10mm F/15mm R).

 

[imthanick_a]

This noise predates any mods, but right now I'm on ED springs and the ECS flush kit from the MKV (10mm F/15mm R).

I would tend to agree with Jarbear then, sounds like something to do with the brake or caliper. It is strange that in only happens in certain gears though. And you would feel it when brakes are applied...

First thing I would do is remove the flush kit and see if it's still there. Even though you mentioned the noise came before mods, it still helps to reduce the variables while diagnosing. (EDIT)Also figure out exactly what gears and RPM you hear it at. Preferably on straight flat roads so you can eliminate major suspension variable incited from turning or bumps

 

[YoWassupFresh]

If it sounds like 'jingling' it could be your soundaktor. Atleast, mine jingled at around 2.7k-4k. Once I turned it off the 'jingling' was gone.

 

[avenali312]

Also figure out exactly what gears and RPM you hear it at. Preferably on straight flat roads so you can eliminate major suspension variable incited from turning or bumps

Yeah, I'm going to try to pay better attention and see if I can't get the wife to record it when it happens once I can more easily reproduce. I definitely know for a fact that it happens on straights since that's where I can accelerate in a way to make it happen.

If it sounds like 'jingling' it could be your soundaktor. Atleast, mine jingled at around 2.7k-4k. Once I turned it off the 'jingling' was gone.

Soundaktor has been turned to 0% since I picked up the car

 

[dunkelweizen]

My car just started doing this about 2 weeks ago. Not every drive, but has happened more than once these past 2 weeks. Happened twice on one recent drive. Glad to hear it wasn't just me imagining things or going crazy.

Here's my info for comparison:
- 6spd Manual, bone stock except for OBD11 tweaks and Euroswitch
- on 17x7.5 ET45 winter wheels and tires
- rarely use parking brake as I park underground on flat surface. I only put car in reverse gear when parked. The times the sound had happened to me, I was leaving from my garage with no parking brake used for at least 24hr period.
- the last time it happened a few days ago, it happened twice in short succession. Both times it was upshifting, from 3-4, then 4-5.

The first time it happened, I thought I had a tree branch caught in my passenger side rear wheel well (there wasn't), so chalked it up to a pebble got kicked up in wheel well. Then when the exact same sound happened again on another day, I thought I was just going crazy... The sound only lasts about 1 second for me.

 

[avenali312]

My car just started doing this about 2 weeks ago. Not every drive, but has happened more than once these past 2 weeks. Happened twice on one recent drive. Glad to hear it wasn't just me imagining things or going crazy.

Here's my info for comparison:
- 6spd Manual, bone stock except for OBD11 tweaks and Euroswitch
- on 17x7.5 ET45 winter wheels and tires
- rarely use parking brake as I park underground on flat surface. I only put car in reverse gear when parked. The times the sound had happened to me, I was leaving from my garage with no parking brake used for at least 24hr period.
- the last time it happened a few days ago, it happened twice in short succession. Both times it was upshifting, from 3-4, then 4-5.

The first time it happened, I thought I had a tree branch caught in my passenger side rear wheel well (there wasn't), so chalked it up to a pebble got kicked up in wheel well. Then when the exact same sound happened again on another day, I thought I was just going crazy... The sound only lasts about 1 second for me.

This is great. Not the fact that we have some sort of issue going on haha, but that I'm not totally alone in this! I'll make sure to share when I finally track it down!

 

[avenali312]

So, I found a "fix" for this. Post your query on the forum and your car will never do the annoying thing again

 

[bluesforchallah]

My car just started doing this about 2 weeks ago.

So, I found a "fix" for this. Post your query on the forum and your car will never do the annoying thing again

Sounds like your gnome jumped to dunkelweizen's ride.