Rattle !!

Topcat101

Got my Passat 3 months for the past 2 weeks I've noticed a rattling noise coming form the front drivers side when driving on a bad surface..... think it getting louder. Any Ideas??

JoeySully

Topcat101 wrote:

Got my Passat 3 months for the past 2 weeks I've noticed a rattling noise coming form the front drivers side when driving on a bad surface..... think it getting louder. Any Ideas??

check the studs !
heard a bad story dis weekend about wheels fallin off a car!

crosstownk

What year is the Passat? Some Passats are prone to upper suspension links wearing.

SouperComputer

What year is the car, I get that you got it three months ago, but is it used?

If its an older model most likely its the rubber bushing in the control arm failing. Its a common enough problem, happens with mondaeos, certain alfas and A4's (Same car really) too.

The entire arm has to be replaced if that is the problem. It costs about €250 per side. It makes a clonking noise over ramps right?

milltown

Coin in the ashtray?

Maybe if you described the rattle in more detail. Is it a dududududududuh? Or is it more of a tatatatatatata?

el tel

the keys in the ignition?

Topcat101

crosstownk wrote:

What year is the Passat? Some Passats are prone to upper suspension links wearing.

02 130HP, 92Km on the clock.

It's not the keys, coin or something loose in the boot. Belive it or not I already checked;)

I only hear it on bad roads, sounds tattattattattatttat Lke light metal on metal. Not over speed bumps.

How can I check if is the suspension links ?

crosstownk

Take the weight off the wheel and support the car securely (on an axle stand or similar NOT the jack in the boot!) Look under the wheel arch and you will see the two suspensions links in behind the top of the wheel. Pull and tug at the wheel and/or the arms themselves. It will be fairly obvious if they are worn - there will be a lot of movement.

EDIT: Usually, when the suspension links are worn they are noisey over bumps (speed ramps etc) as well as over rough surfaces. It is also possible that your brake pads are rattling slightly if they are somewhat worn and a brake disc has a 'lip' that they are rattling against. Easy way to check this - drive over rough surfaces until you hear the noise and then slightly depress the brake and see if the noise stops.

cantdecide

i've had a couple of A4s ad if i remember correctly, it's only about €130 per arm for the top. the bottoms cost more. in all probability it's that. don't be tempted by spurious ones- i spent over €1000 finding out that the difference in ride height in the lower arms between genuine and spurious is about 15mm. which is huge in suspension terms.

mike65

I'd suspect the brake disc or dust shield (if it has one).

Mike.

JHMEG

Check the brake caliper. I think these models are prone to the slider pins wearing out, allowing one half of the caliper to rattle. Could be just loose either.

Topcat101

thanks guys I'll get the jack out 2nght !

Moanin

Loose exhaust pipe?

miju

i woulda thought exhaust myself

i had a similiar metal off metal rattling sound off my car last week , turns out the centre box on the exhause had apparently gone , got a new exhause but rattle is ever so slightly still there

gonna go back into fast fit and slap heads so i am

crosstownk

Unlikely to be the exhaust if the rattle is coming from the drivers side front of the car. An exhaust noise from the front of a Passat would be the catalytic convertor - and would be prevalent irrespective of road surface.