[batevanko]

Hi all,
I have 2003 2.7T - drives very well and is very fast, however from few weeks a have this problem, when accelerating on 4th 5th and 6th gear a distinctive vibration appears in the car interior and in the gear stick. It is very annoying - took it to porsche service centre and they said that all parts are OK - still does not disaaear, what could this be?

Ta
Ivan

 

[cheesemax]

Here are some suggestions, some cheap & easy, some not so cheap;
1) wheel is out of balance, maybe you threw a weight, pretty common
2) Tire (steel belt) is out of round +/or the steel belt has shifted (if so, tire is finished)
3) the rim is bent, hit and curbs lately?
4) wheel bearing (less likely)

Good luck.

 

[batevanko]

Thanks for this.

Have checked all these and nothing, re-balanced just in case, cleaned the inside of the wheels just in case, checked the wheels to be ideally round on a machine, tyres are good - only 10K km I have done on these continentals,

still no improvement - looks like it is not related to the wheels as it comes on any speed above 80 km/h and only when accelerating

Ta

 

[cheesemax]

So the only time you get this is over 80kms and under acceleration? It is probably drive train related then. I had a problem with a Honda a long time ago (damned if I can remember what the exact problem was) but it showed up only when the engine was under load (accelerating). I suggest you get a thorough check of the entire drive train. Also, put the car up on a lift and have them check the engine's movement while you go off and on the throttle just to make sure (longshot) that it has nothing to with your engine mounts.

Good luck.

 

[snooga]

Hey there,

I have a similar problem with my 2005 AllRoad since last October. It happens once it hits 120km/hr. I bring it in for service, and all they do is wheel balancing. It helps for maybe a week...then the same problem. I had winter tires put on and did not encounter that problem during those months. Just put on the summers again, and within a week, it's starting to come back. They even use the road force wheel balancing, but I just don't think it's the wheels. Any input?

 

[kazyee]

maybe a slipdisc.... or to really improve it and lessen the chances opt for swaybars, should stablize everything drastically... worth a shot

 

[tpinco]

I think a lot of people have had this and the dealer claims its a regularly known problem with allroads at highway speed. Mine start to vibrate from the front end at 48 mph and then goes away at 65. It's really silly. More pronounced on the 2-piece wheels. Drove an '03 with 5-spoke one pieces today and no vibration.

Keep us posted here though.

 

[baq]

allroad tire hell

I have the 03 allroad 2.7T and I have the exact problem plus more:

odometer reading is ~35000miles and I'm on my fourth set of tires for this car. every time the vibration started, I took it to the audi dealership and they couldn't find anything wrong with the car. truth of the matter is the tires go out of round - the original pirellis, goodyear assurance comfortreds, goodyear assurance tripletreads, and now the bridgestone turanza-ls. How can it be that every different tire manufacturer experiences the same problem with this car?

The Audi dealership, Audi of America, and Sonic Automotive (dealership owner) have been completely unhelpful with this issue. They each come back to me saying they will continue to meet the warranty expectations, but tires are not covered. Well! it's your vehicle eating my tires up every single time!

I've even consulted an attorney, and we're looking around for a tire expert right now. Truly I think if there are a number of people experiencing this exact issue, we could class action Audi.

Thoughts?

 

[denver]

I have a 2002 Allroad 2.7 and ate a set of tires in about 20k miles. I took the car to the dealer and they said it was the tires and couldn't find anything. I'm a fanatic about rotating, balancing and alignments. Rotate and balance every 5k and align every year at least.

I just put a new set of tires on the car and I can feel a slight vibration which I'm sure will lead to these tires being ruined in 20k or less.

The only thing I haven't had checked is the steering linkage. Any thoughts out there on this?

Any thoughts on whether or not the active suspension and ride height could cause this?

In the end it is sad, I thought I had found a car make I could continue to own in the future, however after this experience I'll never own another Audi.

 

[keyerleber]

Yeah, this problem is extremely aggravating. I purchased my 2003 Allroad new and have had problems with vibration ever since. I have been given one excuse (dirt on the rims, bad tire, dent on rim, model of tire, etc., etc.) after another from the daelership where I purchased the vehicle.

I have placed six new sets of tires on this vehicle, have had the vehicle in the dealership so many times Iv'e lost count and I am still having this problem.
I want like to know what Audi is going to do for us??? It's obviously an engineering/design problem. This is not the first Audi Iv'e owned. I believe that a company should stand behind thier product, not pretend as though the problem isn't real.

Please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

[denver]

I'm at a loss. I don't know what Audi would even consider doing since they seem to be unable to find or fix the problem. If you have any ideas I'm open to them. Otherwise, I'm going to get rid of this car soon and never buy another Audi as well as make it my mission to make sure no one I know ever buys an Audi.

 

[RickT]

is this issue present when the engine is not under load?? ie get up to out 120km come off the power and is the problem there??

If its a wheel issue it would be there if the power was on or off i would expect??

keep us posted.

Rickt

 

[denver]

My Allroad has the vibe with and without throttle. It almost feels like a bad steering linkage. However, after having the thing in the shop 3 times I would think they checked that. So, again I'm at a loss and the new set of rubber I just put on is already starting to make the wobbling sound lilke the tires are going out of round.

 

[RickT]

Just done a bit of research and found the below....


Hi everyone,
Just had a local shop replace the left front axle and the seal from the rear differential yesterday. On the way home I noticed that the car has a vibration felt from the center at 60 MPH and goes away at 80 or below 50. The steering does not shake it feel like its coming from the main drive shaft which was removed for seal replacement. Is is possible that the shaft was not replaced in the same location radially. I did not have this problem before the work was done. I don't see how the front axle could be out of balance because everything looks symetrical. I am going to contact the shop on Monday meanwhile any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 10, 2006 10:07 AM
Reply


The following is the text from the Audi repair manual. Sounds like the mechanic never followed the procedure.

"Check to see if factory colored markings are present on driveshaft flange and at flange on rear final drive. If not, mark alignment of driveshaft flange to rear final drive .
Notes:
Only mark the alignment if the same driveshaft is going to be reinstalled.
After balancing the driveshaft, backing plates of differing thicknesses may have been installed. Mark installation position before removing and note position when installing."


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 10, 2006 10:19 AM
Reply



Dear
Thanks for the qick reply, I think you are right, the final drice shaft must not be in the same position. What is the solution now? should he try to remove the bolts on the flange and rotate to another position until vibration goes away? or is the a way to rebalance the shaft in place?
Thanks again,
AGC


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 10, 2006 11:47 AM
Reply



Not sure how the mechanic is going to get it right. Maybe the factory markings are still there and he can re align it. Otherwise yes - it will have to be balanced.
Let the mechanic worry about it - after all he screwed it up. Teach him to look next time.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 10, 2006 10:52 PM
Reply



Fixit,

I just had both front axles replaced, do they need to be balanced? I am having the same problem with vibration after replacement.


thanks


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 10, 2006 11:26 PM
Reply



boknows20,
Thanks for info, what does balancing the axles actually involve. I did speak to my mechanic and he said that he marked the flange position prior to removing final drive shaft for the seal replacement. The only thing it could be is the front axle that he also replaced. I still have the old one with the ripped boot, I wonder if I should just repack and replace the boot and put it back in the car.
I'm going to see him again tomorrow and put the car on the lift with the wheel spinning maybe we can pinpoint it.
thanks for your help, I'll post results.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 11, 2006 1:28 PM
Reply



Front axles don't need balancing. They don't turn fast enough to cause a vibration.

There must be some other issue. I had my front axles replaced a couple of weeks ago and my car drives smoothly at any speed.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 11, 2006 1:40 PM
Reply



THX...


The did an alignment and balanced the tires. they also "broke" the Dynamic headlight sensor somehow.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 12:50 AM
Reply



I think if the noise continues that the mechanic may have not marked the shaft location properly, and is feeding you some excuses. It's a little tricky if he's not familiar and doesn't have the factory manual, he probably didn't do a good job with it. Even if you mark it, you have to be sure you marked it at the right locations when lining it up. Often times the drive flange rotates upon seal removal so putting a mark on just the outer drive cv joint won't help to verify location.

 

[RickT]

Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 8:09 PM
Reply

Port fellamy,
Thanks for the coments, I did take the car back, he put up on the lift spun all wheels and said the vibration was from one ot he tires. I had 4 new tires installed today and balanced, 500.00 later the vibration is still there. Called him and made an appointment for Saturday.
I think you are right, it is the drive shaft flange, we'll see.
Thanks


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 9:12 PM
Reply
I think I just found out what the problem could be from reading the bently manual.
When removing the yoke from the final drive the big nut distance to the flange needs to be measured with a depth gage. When reinstalling the nut it needs to be put back at the same distance. I know he didn't do that, in fact he torque the hell out of it with an impact gun. The noise and vibration I'm hearing must be the improper load on the pinion bearing. The question is how is this fixed now? This mechanic is a friend of mine and thought he was saving me money.

Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 14, 2006 12:24 AM
Reply
I think it's the driveshaft not being replaced the way it was originally. Reason I say this is because I have the same problem after doing mine. I was under the car, saw the rear was marked with yellow paint per the Bentley, and began removing the front end of the driveshaft (I didn't remove the entire piece, just the front).

When I was removing the front, I didn't mark its position thinking about the marks on the rear and assuming they would be on the front too. Since I was in such a rush I didn't even realize the front wasn't marked at all. Now I have the same exact vibration, except mine is a little sooner. Did the tire thing, road force balanced, etc., etc.

I think I have to have the driveshaft rebalanced, but don't know how I would go about having someone do it since I imagine it has to be done on the car with all 4 wheels moving to balance it as it rides.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal Posted: Sep 10, 2006 11:26 PM
Reply


boknows20,
Thanks for info, what does balancing the axles actually involve. I did speak to my mechanic and he said that he marked the flange position prior to removing final drive shaft for the seal replacement. The only thing it could be is the front axle that he also replaced. I still have the old one with the ripped boot, I wonder if I should just repack and replace the boot and put it back in the car.
I'm going to see him again tomorrow and put the car on the lift with the wheel spinning maybe we can pinpoint it.
thanks for your help, I'll post results.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 11, 2006 1:28 PM
Reply



Front axles don't need balancing. They don't turn fast enough to cause a vibration.

There must be some other issue. I had my front axles replaced a couple of weeks ago and my car drives smoothly at any speed.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 11, 2006 1:40 PM
Reply



THX...


The did an alignment and balanced the tires. they also "broke" the Dynamic headlight sensor somehow.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 12:50 AM
Reply



I think if the noise continues that the mechanic may have not marked the shaft location properly, and is feeding you some excuses. It's a little tricky if he's not familiar and doesn't have the factory manual, he probably didn't do a good job with it. Even if you mark it, you have to be sure you marked it at the right locations when lining it up. Often times the drive flange rotates upon seal removal so putting a mark on just the outer drive cv joint won't help to verify location.


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 8:09 PM
Reply



Port fellamy,
Thanks for the coments, I did take the car back, he put up on the lift spun all wheels and said the vibration was from one ot he tires. I had 4 new tires installed today and balanced, 500.00 later the vibration is still there. Called him and made an appointment for Saturday.
I think you are right, it is the drive shaft flange, we'll see.
Thanks


Re: A6 quattro vibration at 60MPH after replacing L axle & rear diff seal
Posted: Sep 13, 2006 9:12 PM
Reply



I think I just found out what the problem could be from reading the bently manual.
When removing the yoke from the final drive the big nut distance to the flange needs to be measured with a depth gage. When reinstalling the nut it needs to be put back at the same distance. I know he didn't do that, in fact he torque the hell out of it with an impact gun. The noise and vibration I'm hearing must be the improper load on the pinion bearing. The question is how is this fixed now? This mechanic is a friend of mine and thought he was saving me money.

 

[RickT]

Reply



I think it's the driveshaft not being replaced the way it was originally. Reason I say this is because I have the same problem after doing mine. I was under the car, saw the rear was marked with yellow paint per the Bentley, and began removing the front end of the driveshaft (I didn't remove the entire piece, just the front).

When I was removing the front, I didn't mark its position thinking about the marks on the rear and assuming they would be on the front too. Since I was in such a rush I didn't even realize the front wasn't marked at all. Now I have the same exact vibration, except mine is a little sooner. Did the tire thing, road force balanced, etc., etc.

I think I have to have the driveshaft rebalanced, but don't know how I would go about having someone do it since I imagine it has to be done on the car with all 4 wheels moving to balance it as it rides.

#####################

Tried wheel balancing and alignment which helped a bit. Eventually tunrned out to be a CV joint which was replaced under warranty. A common problem on the AR I believe.
Regards,

 

[ricciulino]

I replaced steering joint and the problem was resolved

 

[RickT]

Guess thats one option...

BATEVANKO - Did you get this resolved?

Rickt

 

[marty402000]

Front motor alignment bushing: Vibration!

Changed foam bumper on front mount of 2.0t motor to a hard rubber hi-po (ECS) mount (bushing) to stop engine/drivetrain movement on shifts and accel. Found soft foam was misaligned, causing vibration from idle(in drive or rev) and at certain points throughout revs and gears. Installed larger/stiffer new bumper. Shake was worse. Readjusted the guide collar/mount on front with car in rev with ebrake and chocks. So motor was in running drivetrain position. Only then with many tests with a thin piece of metal, did i lose the vibration. Need to make sure its not touching the top or bottom of the mount when its in gear at idle (with upgrade or without!) Love the upgrade and great smooth feel from adjustment. Will install on 2006 Air Ride A6 Avant. I found some cars mounts are touching the bushing and the foam is crushed immediately when car is put in gear causing vibration. If you can do the oil change, you can do this adjustment, caution, car is running!

 

[terry_joyce]

From the problem I experienced and the research I've done on this and other sites, it seems to me vibration in allroads is quite common, and that there are multiple possible causes. A key thing to consider is whether the vibration is under acceleration, which points to drivetrain, or continues when you lift off the gas, which points to wheels/tires.

Mine vibrated rather violently between 30-80mph under moderate to heavy acceleration. The problem was worse when the car was heavily loaded (passengers and gear). The stick shift shook from side to side, and the passengers complained. Mechanics discovered excessive play in the left front, and replaced that axle. Problem solved!!! ... this time, for now, on this set of tires ... I'll be holding my breathe and watching for this in the future.

I hope this helps someone else, and best of luck.