2008 MKV GTI, Rattling noise inside car when car is idle

[RMQ]

Hi all, I don't post much, but I lurk the heck out of these forums

I've tried searching my problem on this forum, and the web and due to my relative noob-ness I think I've found some answers, but don't know if they apply specifically to my problem. So any help, advice, ideas would be greatly appreciated.

my MKV 2008 GTI has done about 72,000kms and I purchased it second hand from a VW dealership in January. It's been faultless until now.

I notice after I start the car up and drive for about 2 to 5 minutes, when the car idles there is a tapping/rattling noise that is quite prominent on the drivers side. It is only noticeable when I'm sitting in the car. The noise goes away once i take off or the revs get just about 1000. If i put the car in S,D or N while idle the noise stays the same.

It sounds as though it is coming from the top left of the engine bay if u were standing in front of the car looking at the engine bay. Or from under the steering wheel if your sitting in the drivers seat.

The car still runs perfectly fine. And through my scrawling of various VW forums many owners say its just a natural sound with the VW. But this sound wasn't there for the first 3 months i had the car or in any of the other cars I test drove.

Other "answers" I've found is it could be a Timing Belt/Tension issue. Or its a Fuel Injector pressure issue.

I am going to take it to the VW dealership to get it looked at, but would appreciate any feedback/info from any board members.

Cheers
Adam

[TomC]

Have a similar rattle in my 07 GTI which sounds as described above, coming from somewhere in the dash or engine bay just behind the steering wheel. I've tried to diagnose it but with no luck so would be very interested to know peoples thoughts as well

[snerlo]

Hi guys,
I have a rattle coming from the engine as well. Mine is virtually a GTI golf so I can directly relate. It sounds like it is a diesel!! I am not certain but I've heard that it could be due to the fact that it is direct injection but I could be wrong. Obviously the pressure builds once the engine leaves idle and the noise goes away but I am not a VW specialist. Just food for thought. I wish it didn't sound like it but it doesn't matter once you are going and you use all the grunt to sling shot you around.

[Boon]

I've got a rattle coming from my ac vents only noticeable when music is off and car is idle (quiet) which is caused my some motors in the ac system. Try and see if it goes away when u turn the ac off and if so, then it's probably it. Apparently very common in the mkvs and is no major issue but a pain to get to and fix/lubricate.

[bang chong]

Hi all, I don't post much, but I lurk the heck out of these forums

I've tried searching my problem on this forum, and the web and due to my relative noob-ness I think I've found some answers, but don't know if they apply specifically to my problem. So any help, advice, ideas would be greatly appreciated.

my MKV 2008 GTI has done about 72,000kms and I purchased it second hand from a VW dealership in January. It's been faultless until now.

I notice after I start the car up and drive for about 2 to 5 minutes, when the car idles there is a tapping/rattling noise that is quite prominent on the drivers side. It is only noticeable when I'm sitting in the car. The noise goes away once i take off or the revs get just about 1000. If i put the car in S,D or N while idle the noise stays the same.

It sounds as though it is coming from the top left of the engine bay if u were standing in front of the car looking at the engine bay. Or from under the steering wheel if your sitting in the drivers seat.

The car still runs perfectly fine. And through my scrawling of various VW forums many owners say its just a natural sound with the VW. But this sound wasn't there for the first 3 months i had the car or in any of the other cars I test drove.

Other "answers" I've found is it could be a Timing Belt/Tension issue. Or its a Fuel Injector pressure issue.

I am going to take it to the VW dealership to get it looked at, but would appreciate any feedback/info from any board members.

Cheers
Adam

Check your charcoal canister if it is making any abnormal noise that would be the first place I'd start. Let me know how you go mate

[bang chong]

Hi guys,
I have a rattle coming from the engine as well. Mine is virtually a GTI golf so I can directly relate. It sounds like it is a diesel!! I am not certain but I've heard that it could be due to the fact that it is direct injection but I could be wrong. Obviously the pressure builds once the engine leaves idle and the noise goes away but I am not a VW specialist. Just food for thought. I wish it didn't sound like it but it doesn't matter once you are going and you use all the grunt to sling shot you around.

In what way do you mean it sounds like a diesel?

[jazd]

Check the knob on the end of the hand brake, that rattles on mine.

[Maverick]

It's the fuel lines vibrating, common problem and easy for the dealers to fix.

[snerlo]

When you are sitting in the car and idling, the engine sounds like it is a diesel rattler. As in, it seems like there is a diesel engine under the bonnet rather than a turbo petrol, but as soon as you take off, there is no way that it is a diesel. I'm gonna get it checked out when I get a service next. Nothing major. It doesn't effect performance.

[poyta]

Check to see in anything has fallen into the windscreen drip tray - I had a screw that fell into mine and it vibrated so bad in the car - took me weeks to figure it out.

[triode12]

Check with the misses to see that she hasn't lost a set of earrings somewhere in the car after your drunken night on the town...

[TomC]

Hi guys,
I have a rattle coming from the engine as well. Mine is virtually a GTI golf so I can directly relate. It sounds like it is a diesel!! I am not certain but I've heard that it could be due to the fact that it is direct injection but I could be wrong. Obviously the pressure builds once the engine leaves idle and the noise goes away but I am not a VW specialist. Just food for thought. I wish it didn't sound like it but it doesn't matter once you are going and you use all the grunt to sling shot you around.

The noise is different to engine noise. The sound of the high pressure fuel injectors does make the car sound faintly like a diesel sometimes, but mine is a rattle - something loose, not the sound of the engine...

[bang chong]

When you are sitting in the car and idling, the engine sounds like it is a diesel rattler. As in, it seems like there is a diesel engine under the bonnet rather than a turbo petrol, but as soon as you take off, there is no way that it is a diesel. I'm gonna get it checked out when I get a service next. Nothing major. It doesn't effect performance.

I wouldn't worry about it as previously said its more then likely your high pressure pump or injectors which is a normal noise.

[bang chong]

If your certain its a rattle check if you can hear from the engine bay, if it's in the cab might be worth checking if any screws are missing from trims or dash bits. You'd be surprised from the rattles that a couple of missing screws can do

[RMQ]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you guys sooner.

Turns put this "problem" took a VW technician 10 minutes to diagnose and literally 30 seconds to fix.

As someone mentioned on the first page, it was a fuel line thingo ( yeah I'm not a huge car guy, just heart my GTi :p ). The thingo (I'll post pictures later today) simply became disengaged from where it should be sitting. No idea how.

Amazing how something as insignificant as this can make u think the worse!

I will post pictures later this evening. To be honest I forgot about comming here to check this thread because the answer was so simple and I feared being persecuted for my noobie-ness