MK6 GTI - Rattle upon acceleration - Resolved via TPI: 2021062/7

[Corey_R]

Well.... regardless of what VGA (Volkswagen Group Australia) decide to do, Volkswagen of America are now taking this seriously. Their TSB now determines whether the issue IS the wastegate actuator rod or not.
Best of all, if the issue IS the wategate actuator rod, they're asking that dealers log a ticket - presumably so that each instance of this can be tracked.
If it's NOT the actuator rod, they're asking the dealers to continue to investigate!

I mean, it doesn't really matter where the action comes from - as long as someone is looking at it. If America solves it, then that gives Australian consumers much more options and/or information to take action with.

[MurphyTheElf]

I think the downpipe diagnosis may be a wild goose chase. The new bulletin states to "Use caution when diagnosing the origin of the noise. Although the noise may be originating from the turbocharger, it can be amplified through resonance to the catalytic converter and be misdiagnosed as a loud converter."

One GTI owner in Perth has replaced their exhaust with a full APR RSC turbo-back unit and confirmed that the rattle has disappeared. Perhaps the Reflective Sound Cancellation technology works in such a way that it removes the rattle. Maybe it's still there after all, but it just can't be heard.

As it turns out, my dealer doesn't have time to do the diagnosis today so we won't get an answer just yet. Perhaps somebody more mechanically inclined than me could perform the troubleshooting described in the bulletin themselves.

[Arcus]

I think the downpipe diagnosis may be a wild goose chase.

Wouldn't surprise me. Hard to know what gets transmitted into the cabin so despite the similarity of the sound observed in the cabin to the sound I heard when tapping the DP, this may simply be coincidental, not causal evidence.

As it turns out, my dealer doesn't have time to do the diagnosis today so we won't get an answer just yet. Perhaps somebody more mechanically inclined than me could perform the troubleshooting described in the bulletin themselves.

Can't wait to hear how you go with the dealer, Murphy!

[reaction]

Maybe just a good excuse to do the APR thing any idea what it sounds like afterwards? I love the GTI sound as it is. Don't want something that sounds like a $15K jap import.

[Corey_R]

I think the downpipe diagnosis may be a wild goose chase. The new bulletin states to "Use caution when diagnosing the origin of the noise. Although the noise may be originating from the turbocharger, it can be amplified through resonance to the catalytic converter and be misdiagnosed as a loud converter."

One GTI owner in Perth has replaced their exhaust with a full APR RSC turbo-back unit and confirmed that the rattle has disappeared. Perhaps the Reflective Sound Cancellation technology works in such a way that it removes the rattle. Maybe it's still there after all, but it just can't be heard.

Yeah - this is very true. Supposedly the turbo/wastegate didn't change between MKV and MK6, yet this issue never occured on the MKV. It doesn't mean the issue wasn't present on the MKV, just that we couldn't hear it![/QUOTE]

Maybe just a good excuse to do the APR thing any idea what it sounds like afterwards? I love the GTI sound as it is. Don't want something that sounds like a $15K jap import.

The APR exhaust with the RSC is even quieter when just cruising, yet when you put your foot down it's raspier. Sounds great. NSW's local APR dealership has a GTI with the full TBE RSC exhaust installed so we can hear. Unfortunately the WA dealer doesn't have one...

[G-rig]

Yeah - this is very true. Supposedly the turbo/wastegate didn't change between MKV and MK6, yet this issue never occured on the MKV. It doesn't mean the issue wasn't present on the MKV, just that we couldn't hear it!

The whole thing is a bit odd, probably some component of the exhaust. However most normal exhausts would amplify the sounds through the engine/downpipe etc.. Worth getting an exhaust like the RSC anyway as you'd be listening to the tone instead of trying to hear the rattle. On full throttle I dont think i've heard the sound anyway it's just on very light inputs.

The APR exhaust with the RSC is even quieter when just cruising, yet when you put your foot down it's raspier. Sounds great. NSW's local APR dealership has a GTI with the full TBE RSC exhaust installed so we can hear. Unfortunately the WA dealer doesn't have one...

I have heard it and pretty quiet while cruising, which isn't too bad then opens up when you're getting up it. Better than droney homogenous sound IMO.

[mfl]

While the dealer was replacing the waterpump (started leaking after 15,000kms) I asked them about the rattle, their response was " test drove vehicle and heard rattle noise. investigate noise found exhaust gas pulsations causes flap and rod of the waste gate to vibrate at the start of boost. this is normal operation. no fault found at time of test".

- its a pity that a characteristic of a car of this class, is a tinny rattle under certain conditions.

[rs73]

I seem to unable to detect this rattle sound, maybe just my car is one of the few 'lucky' ones, or maybe based on my standard I did not consider any noises you guys were hearing/happened around those mentioned rpm are 'rattling' my cage.

[Dutch77]

Having driven around in my car now for a week I too have the slightly tinny rattle around that 2300-2500rpm mark, but to be honest I just assumed it was a characteristic of the car as it was the same on two demonstrators we drove (one manual, one DSG).. it was only upon reading this thread I realised it may be an issue. I guess I fall into the 'not fussed' camp.. at least until someone tells me it's causing a problem with the car. If I wanted something dead quiet all the time I wouldn't have picked the GTI.

[reaction]

Im sorry but that last bit is laughable. This is not about having a dead quiet car, the GTI's noise is very sexy and we all love it, having to listen to a very obvious rattle that makes your car sound cheap is not on.

[Corey_R]

It's Dutch77's opinion reaction, and he's entitled to it as much as you are of yours. There are plenty of people who are not fussed about the rattle.

[Dutch77]

It's Dutch77's opinion reaction, and he's entitled to it as much as you are of yours. There are plenty of people who are not fussed about the rattle.

Precisely.. I guess my point wasn't to rubbish the people who are upset over it.. just my own view that:

a) It doesn't bother me; and

b) Buyer beware in my case as this sound was present on all GTIs I had driven.

Certainly if someone had driven a car minus this sound and it then turned up on their delivery and/or developed over time then I'd probably be asking questions too.

Either way does seem like a good reason to consider the APR system

[MurphyTheElf]

The APR exhaust with the RSC is even quieter when just cruising, yet when you put your foot down it's raspier. Sounds great. NSW's local APR dealership has a GTI with the full TBE RSC exhaust installed so we can hear. Unfortunately the WA dealer doesn't have one...

Raspier? It's downright insane! I took a Stage2 for a short spin on the weekend thanks to a very nice bloke who had the exhaust fitted here in Perth. Up-changing at 4000rpm almost broke the windows on a few houses in my suburb. It's very aggressive, in my opinion and I don't think it's for me. It is still sedate-ish while crawling around, but it's louder than stock for sure. It's very easy to make it sing and I'm not sure I'm after that much attention.

For the record, I can't be 100% sure that the rattle sound has gone from that car. Since it had a new exhaust and the Carbonio intake, all I could hear at the required conditions was the intake sucking and the exhaust burbling. Now, it's a great car if that's what you want, but I like my vehicles to sound a bit more sedate. Diagnosis: inconclusive! Damn it!

I think the best course is for a few of us to go through some troubleshooting as stated in the 2nd VWoA bulletin. Attach a tyre weight to the wastegate actuator and see if the noise changes/stops. If so, it's the wastegate. If not, it's probably the downpipe heat shielding/flexi-joint. Perhaps the shielding could be wrapped in some way to test that theory as well.

I asked my dealer for a copy of the VWA bulletin but they said any correspondence between VWA and the dealer is confidential and would violate their agreement. Contacting VWA customer care simply results in a terse suggestion to speak to one's dealer. Way to treat your customers like mushrooms.

[hooba]

Precisely.. I guess my point wasn't to rubbish the people who are upset over it.. just my own view that:

a) It doesn't bother me; and

b) Buyer beware in my case as this sound was present on all GTIs I had driven.

Certainly if someone had driven a car minus this sound and it then turned up on their delivery and/or developed over time then I'd probably be asking questions too.

Either way does seem like a good reason to consider the APR system

Today I heard it for the first time as I had the radio down, and I agree with you.

The noise doesn't bother me, and I've taken it as part of the "character" of the car. TAKE THAT YOU BORING PIECES OF RELIABLE JAPANESE MADE MACHINERY!

That said, I can see how it would tick some people off.

[rs73]

well when you think about it, vw golf, even gti, are considered cheap car for the posh people... (as one of my friend said - he who has owned many euros like porsche cayman, audi s4, cooper s, and etc).

it may be like $50k with options here and there in A$ but unfortunately that was a byproduct of economy, import duty, and our location being so far off with the rest of european/american continents (and buying power). but IMHO in a euro car sense of scale, golfs are just like corolla/pulsar/lancer/civic/323/swift and similar level if compared to a japanese scale. (and perhaps only as level as Lanos/Elantra in a korean scale).

so when I bought the car, i don't expect it to be of rattle free quality - as long as it's fun to drive that's why it don't bother me...
but that's just me, you're welcome to disagree strongly and move the gauge scale around... but that is how I personally view the scale.
it's an entry point into euro car market, really.