Knocking/rattling noise in 181 VW Tiguan

treascon

Can anyone advise me on this as its doing my head in? Bought a 181 VW Tiguan 4 weeks ago, 10k Kms on the clock. From the get go there is a rattling/knocking noise coming from the drivers side rear when driving over rough, uneven ground of which there is a lot where I live. It’s like there’s something loose but cannot pinpoint what. Have checked and tightened spare wheel in boot and took out parcel shelf just to see but makes no difference. The spare tools seem to all sit tightly in place. Had it back at the garage I bought it from twice. Checked suspension, bushings, etc and they say it all sounds quite normal to them but they are driving on nice smooth roads and I have said this to them! Has anyone any suggestions on what I can check as its driving me mad now, can hear it more or less all the time and doesn’t sound like a new car should to me. TIA

mickdw

Find a rough road within 10 minute drive of the dealer. Drive multiple times until you can produce the noise every time then request that dealer mechanic comes for drive to that location.

anheneti

I’ve the same year Passat and had the same problem, it turned out to be the release for the back seats had come loose and just clipped back into place

Toyotafanboi

Could be a multitude of things the biggest factor though is the dealer you are working with and how interested they are in finding the cause of this.

There are a few known noise complaints from around the Tiguan but none that would be coming naturally from the drivers side rear, are you sure the sound isn't travelling from elsewhere in the car?

A simple one to eliminate and a popular complaint, as above is to fold the rear seats flat and wrap some tape around the receivers and put the seats back in place and see if the rattle is gone. Are the rubbers in place on the parcel shelf? Are the bootlid rubbers adjusted properly?

Is your's anything unusual? 4motion or 7 seater etc?

This sounds exactly like the noise I had in my golf. Granted its a bit older but I pulled the car apart looking for the noise and it was still there.
I even got driven around in the boot a few times by the missus.
I took the rear shock out and the nut on the top was a 1/4 turn loose.
The nut you need a Swan neck spanner for.
The washer was rattling around

treascon

Checked the seats, took everything out of the boot. Drove around and noise still there with dh head stuck in the boot. He says sounds like noise coming from outside. Could it be the wheel arch liner?

Toyotafanboi

Unlikely. Anything touching anything can rattle though, unfortunately.

You need to start eliminating items. Fold rear seats flat, still there? remove the parcel shelf, still there? Remove the spare wheel kit, still there? Start removing door cards, still there? Remove rear wiper motor and so on, it's really the only way.

I've seen Tiguans before where the boot lid inner door car was rattling and also seen the bootlid rattling off the body where the rubber stoppers above the tail lights were set too low. The rear seat rattle is popular in a lot of VW stuff, even if the seat feels secure, it's well worth tapping up the receivers to check as they can rattle anyway.

Have seen cheap tyres create a rattle complaint before too, is there 4x matching, good brand tyres on it? Unlikely to be suspension related with just 10k kms on the clock but never say never.

James Bond Junior

I had a similar problem in a 1 series where there was a constant rattle in the boot. Turned out the "U" was ever so slightly too big for the latch causing the bootlid to rattle. I wrapped some black tape around the "U" and the rattle disappeared.

treascon

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Unlikely. Anything touching anything can rattle though, unfortunately.

You need to start eliminating items. Fold rear seats flat, still there? remove the parcel shelf, still there? Remove the spare wheel kit, still there? Start removing door cards, still there? Remove rear wiper motor and so on, it's really the only way.

I've seen Tiguans before where the boot lid inner door car was rattling and also seen the bootlid rattling off the body where the rubber stoppers above the tail lights were set too low. The rear seat rattle is popular in a lot of VW stuff, even if the seat feels secure, it's well worth tapping up the receivers to check as they can rattle anyway.

Have seen cheap tyres create a rattle complaint before too, is there 4x matching, good brand tyres on it? Unlikely to be suspension related with just 10k kms on the clock but never say never.

I will check the rear seats in more detail. 4 matching brand new continental tyres on it

treascon

James Bond Junior wrote: »

I had a similar problem in a 1 series where there was a constant rattle in the boot. Turned out the "U" was ever so slightly too big for the latch causing the bootlid to rattle. I wrapped some black tape around the "U" and the rattle disappeared.

I will look at this thanks

Toyotafanboi

treascon wrote: »

I will check the rear seats in more detail. 4 matching brand new continental tyres on it

Just fold the seatbacks down and go for a drive. If is gone then you know it's the receivers.

mr_cochise

Maybe I'm miles off but what about the seat belt!?

Another thing that rattled in my golf was a resister pack for the rear demister that was inside the hatch.
Took me ages to track it down

Needles73

Does your tiguan have a panoramic sunroof ?

treascon

Needles73 wrote: »

Does your tiguan have a panoramic sunroof ?

Yes

Needles73

treascon wrote: »

Yes

They have had issues with rattles, try it with window open or see if noise could be from there ?