Passat TSI Resonance While Engine Revs at 1200 RPM

[theshark]

Hi Folks,

New to VWwatercooled family, and just bought our first VW, a B7 Passat 118TSI for my wife recently. This is a great forum which helped us make a decision on our first VW car. Thanks folks for your help on this forum!

I found annoying unpleasant droning / humming noise when engine revs around 1200 RPM or when the car is coasting to a stop. Also I found below on "Australian New Care Buyer" magazine 2011 No. 36 with regards to Volkswagen Passat,

"Noise, vibration and harshness levels are low, although our test car had an annoying, inexplicable resonance which seemed to emanate from the drive train on a trailing accelerator at 80-100km/h, or as it coasted to a stop."

The full review can be found on mynrma website below,
Volkswagen Passat V6 1000km Road Test, Date: 1 September 2006
Volkswagen Passat V6 2006 1000km Road Test Car Reviews | NRMA Motoring & Services

I drove the car at engine low rev at 1200 RPM, speed 30 km/h several times today. The unpleasant droning / humming noise didn't stop until engine revved up above 1400 RPM or below 1000 RPM. It would have been very annoying if I was driving through a school zone during school hours.

Has anyone experienced similar problem with your TSI? The VW Diesel sub forum did have one thread though, but again the engine is TDI. So I’m starting a new thread in this Passat sub forum. I'm going to speak to the dealer with regards to the unpleasant droning / humming noise this weekend. I have sent an email to Volkwagen Australia to see what they would like to say.

Thanks.

Update as of Jun 17, 2011
=================
I got hold of VW Customer Service today. They will be getting in touch with dealer's service dept and request dealer's service dept to do another inspection for our Passat next week.

[theshark]

Could that be exhaust resonance?

[ozgreenman]

I have a 125 TDi Passat - little over 3 yrs old with 100k kms on the clock - and noticed about 6 months ago (just prior to warranty ending) I had acquired what I think is a resonance induced vibration/noise behind the dashboard at about 1200 to 1600 rpm. The noise/vibration occurs both when the engine is under load (just prior to shifting up a gear) and when it is changing back through the gears when slowing for a red light etc. Mentioned it to the VW dealer who took the car for a spin, heard it, had a quick look but could find/fix it. The head mechanic noted that VW don't cover vibrations after 8000 kms on the warranty so I was informed. I am wondering whether the speaker in the centre of the dash has a fastener or two lose but I can't get at it to check. It is giving me the absolute willies but I can't do anything about it without, apparently, pulling most of the dash out which will probably cause more issues than it will resolve!! Might have to go deaf so I can't hear it!

[guthrie]

I have a 118TSI, but in the old shape (MY10.5).

It is smooth all the way from idle to the redline...

I think you should take it to a dealer and get an opinion from their service dept. Test drive a demo model to see if it is any different.

Good luck.

[theshark]

Thanks folks for your help!

I test drove dealer's demo Passat 118TSI again last Sunday, and the car has the same issue. Took our car to the dealer's service dept last Tuesday. A mechanic who test drove the car confirmed the unpleasant noise/humming/resonance while engine was revving around 1200 RPM. Later in the afternoon, a mechanic also confirmed that the demo car they have has same issue. An email enquiry was then sent by the service dept to VW Australia for clarification.

Today the dealer's service dept informed us that VW Australia confirmed that the issue we raised was just normal operational noise. We are not convinced of the answer.

We have been given a loan car, which is a 2010 built 3.2 litre V6 Wagon (MY10.5, Type 3C). This loan car does NOT have any unpleasant low-speed droning at any normal driving RPM range. I suspect it was an individual/batch problem, rather than a design related problem.

We would like to see the acknowledgement of the issue and its intension to address the issue from VAG, and VAG engineering's explanation of the cabin low-speed droning at 1200rpm and the bases for its acceptance.

The good part is, the whole experience with the dealer has been nothing short of sensational and we really appreciated their help though.

I'm afraid this would be our first and last VAG car.

[brad]

I have the same engine in a Skoda Octavia. Resonance = zero. Don't accept it.

[theshark]

I have the same engine in a Skoda Octavia. Resonance = zero. Don't accept it.

thanks mate. btw love your signature

don't think we are very picky.

[theshark]

Update

Picked the Passat back from dealer service dept. On Service Invoice, it shows "Resonance through vehicle at 1200 RPM. Road test vehicle for noise. Identified concern. Contacted VGA technical department in regards to issue. At this point and time it is not a known concern and no further action be taken as advised by VGA"

The mechanic was helpful and told me at least 15 complaints for the same issue from a single country is needed to for VAG to look into it.

I'd like to draw all MY11 Passat 118TSI owners' attention to check if your car has the same issue. Ours does, so does dealer's demo (brand new MY11) car.

The best way to test is driving through a 40km/h school zone during school hours, listening the resonance/noise/humming level while your tacho is at 1200 RPM.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[mebius9]

My 2011 GTI does same and my 2008 Passat TDI had same issue... Very annoying.

[theshark]

My 2011 GTI does same and my 2008 Passat TDI had same issue... Very annoying.

Sorry to hear your MY11 GTI having the same issue. Did you take her to a dealer for an inspection? Saw your thread in the diesel sub-forum. Did you just trade in your Passat TDI with the new GTI?

Probably MY11 GTI share the same exhaust with B7 Passat??

[theshark]

Volkswagen Service Bulletin Number : 2015831 / 261506 ?

Does anyone care to comment Volkswagen Service Bulletin Number : 2015831 / 261506? (NHTSA: Action Number: 10026848 )

What's the story behind this service bulletin? I wonder if the issue with our Passat is just a loose heat shield??

Date of Bulletin : AUG 28, 2008

Summary:
VOLKSWAGEN: EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD, REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES. HEAT SHIELDS ARE TO BE INSPECTED AFTER COMPLETION O ANY TYPE OF REPAIR TO THE UNDERBODY (EXHAUST SYSTEM TRANSMISSION, ETC.), AND IF DAMAGED, REPLACED. *PE

it appears it applied to almost all VW cars,

Make / Models: Model/Build Years:
VOLKSWAGEN / 4000 1990-1991
VOLKSWAGEN / 5000 1990-1991
VOLKSWAGEN / 90 1990-1991
VOLKSWAGEN / BEETLE 1998-2006
VOLKSWAGEN / CABRIO 1993 1995-2002
VOLKSWAGEN / CABRIO CONVERTIBLE 1995-2000 2002
VOLKSWAGEN / CABRIOLET 1990-2002
VOLKSWAGEN / CORRADO 1990-1995 1997
VOLKSWAGEN / EOS 2006-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / EUROVAN 1992-2003
VOLKSWAGEN / FOX 1990-1993
VOLKSWAGEN / GLI 1990-1992
VOLKSWAGEN / GOLF 1990-2007
VOLKSWAGEN / GOLF CABRIO 1995-2002
VOLKSWAGEN / GTI 1990-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / JETTA 1990-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / JETTA III 1993-2000
VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE 1998-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE 2003-2005
VOLKSWAGEN / NEW GOLF 2001-2002
VOLKSWAGEN / NEW JETTA 2001-2003 2005
VOLKSWAGEN / PASSAT 1990-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / PASSAT CC 2009
VOLKSWAGEN / PASSAT WAGON 2006-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / PHAETON 2004-2006
VOLKSWAGEN / QUANTUM 1990-1991
VOLKSWAGEN / R32 2004-2008
VOLKSWAGEN / RABBIT 2006-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / SCIROCCO 1991
VOLKSWAGEN / TIGUAN 2009
VOLKSWAGEN / TOUAREG 2004-2009
VOLKSWAGEN / VANAGON 1990-1994
VOLKSWAGEN / VOLKSWAGEN 1990-2003

[theshark]

A reader in myturbodiesel.com reported the resonance with his 2010 TDI Golf Wagon disappeared after a year with 11,000km on the clock "2010 Golf Wagon TDI engine vibration". Now I hope the resonance with our Passat 118TSI will eventually go away after the exhaust builds up enough dirt and changes it's built-in frequency. It'd be a painful year if I have to drive this car through a number of school zones in mornings.

I raised our concern in regards to the unpleasant resonance on VW Australia website more than 10 days ago. I have got nothing but an auto reply from their website so far. The customer service level is not impressive. This car was purchased at a corporate plus price under Volkswagen Corporate Program. I'll be sending an email to their corporate program managers and see if they are keen to help. Stay tuned.

[mebius9]

Sorry to hear your MY11 GTI having the same issue. Did you take her to a dealer for an inspection? Saw your thread in the diesel sub-forum. Did you just trade in your Passat TDI with the new GTI?

Probably MY11 GTI share the same exhaust with B7 Passat??

I haven't taken it to dealer as I doubt it will bring any solution...

[theshark]

Passat Low-speed Unpleasant Droning / Humming noise

Found an interesting Volkswagen Service Training Self Study manual for "Noise, Vibration and Harshness".

I'm now 99% sure the issue with our Passat appears to be a "Low-speed Unpleasant Droning / Humming noise" as described on page 4,

"Low-speed droning is an example of a low frequency NVH concern that may have components not in the audible range. This condition exerts pressure on the driver's eardrum and can be extremely uncomfortable."

More on page 10 and 11 for Theory of Droning. Page 11 lists items that could be responsible for unpleasant droning.

I will be calling some dealer's service depts and get their opinions next week.

[brad]

If you can work out where the drone is coming from & then change the mass of that item, it might help. eg: use a hose clamp to attach a chunk of metal.

I assume the dealer has checked/tightened/bent (sometimes bending stiffens them) the heatshields