# TT making noises while turning



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

Hello,

My 08 TT 3.2 has been making very small noises from somewhere in the front, for few months they were really rare but they are coming more often and bit louder! Noise comes when I'm turning wheels while car is not moving, or is moving really slowly, no sounds at higher speeds. The sounds is not very strong, frequent rattle like something were loose and it's coming from both of the wheels, I think. Something serious and expensive, or something normal? I had H&R springs installed few months ago, if it matters.


----------



## JBTT (Jun 14, 2010)

Hi,

It might be the power steering pump.

Check for signs of leak of hydrolic fluid. If it starts to be worse and worse over time it migt be that. I had it on my A6.

Now if it has a metalic sound ... I don't know.


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

It doesnt sound metallic to me, I took a small video when you can hear it. It's not very loud as I said, it's hard to hear when tires are making noise on the gravel.
http://imageshack.us/clip/my-videos/715 ... sqtmo.mp4/


----------



## Basscube (Jan 2, 2012)

It's not a clunk is it? If so could be top mounts. You had someone check over the car? track rod ends, suspension creaking, bushes, tyres scraping on arches?


----------



## JBTT (Jun 14, 2010)

It doesn't sound like the power steering pump.

It is more of a " dry " sound :s

I guess you will have to get it lifted and inspect it from below.


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

I havent done anything to it yet, I was wondering that if it is a big deal that needs repairing asap, or can it wait untill the next inspection? That video turned out to be really crappy, but it's easiest to hear at 05s-08s, later these is too much other noises.


----------



## talk-torque (Apr 30, 2008)

If it's like a twanging noise, as you turn on lock, I had that, which turned out to be need of silicone lub on the strut top spring mounts. Audi said it was the subject of a tech report and did it at my last service. I'd been dreading it was the rack, but seems to be cured.


----------



## brittan (May 18, 2007)

Some cars had a steering rack problem that gave noises when turning the wheels while stationary and at low speed. Lots of threads on this if you search for 'steering rack noise'. 
Could also be strut top mounts.


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

Is there any easy way to acces the strut top spring mounts ( not even sure what part that exactly is, language problems  ) so I could try to lube it? Removing front tyres or can it be done by under the hood or...?


----------



## talk-torque (Apr 30, 2008)

Not something to try, if you are not sure. The strut top mount is at the top of the front suspension, where it is attached to the chassis by 3 bolts, under the plastic shield at the back of the engine bay. There is a bearing between the spring and the top mount, which allows the spring to rotate with the strut as the steering moves. If that bearing is not free, it will move in jerks, winding up and releasing the spring, causing the twanging noise.

I suspect that a longer lasting solution is to replace the bearings. Sorry, don't know an easy way to get to the bearing to lub it.


----------



## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

I had a car with a problem sounding like this was steering rack replacement job - hope yours is not the same as its a couple of £k to fix.

I rejected my car and gave it back to Audi (sale of goods act) as i had only just bought it.


----------



## McKenzie (Dec 25, 2008)

Kind of sounds like dry rubber being stressed, maybe something needs a bit of lube. I've had a crack when turning hard or braking hard but apparently that's just a need for new subframe stretch bolts.


----------



## Basscube (Jan 2, 2012)

My top mounts make a simmilar sound but garage said nothing to worry about so i am glad


----------



## easty (Aug 23, 2005)

digital_dreamer said:


> I had a car with a problem sounding like this was steering rack replacement job - hope yours is not the same as its a couple of £k to fix.
> 
> I rejected my car and gave it back to Audi (sale of goods act) as i had only just bought it.


i had a new steering rack fitted a while back after a annoying noise when turning the wheel, almost like a clanking sounds when going over uneven road surfaces. Audi diagnosed it as a steering rack and would cost £1500 to replace, however after a strong email and links to various sites showing it wasn't only my car, they decided to pay half. If ti is your steering rack, get onto Audi CS straight away and give them some grief, you might be lucky !


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

I discovered today that it makes the same sound if I drive slowly on some bumbs on the road, even if I'm turning same time. Only at very low speeds, on high speeds it says nothing. It makes more sounds on gravel than tarmac. I guess that it's the spring mounts then?


----------



## brittan (May 18, 2007)

If you are not turning the steering wheel and driving in a straight line when going over the bumps, then that eliminates the steering rack as the source of the noise.

If you are driving in a straight line then the bearing in the suspension strut top mount is not turning so the eliminates that bearing. Maybe the rubber part of the mount flexes in some way to produce the noise?

Other parts that move when going over bumps, and may be causing the noise, include the anti roll bar (sway bar) bushes and end connections and the bushes for the lower suspension arm where it connects to the front sub frame.
Some spray silicon lubricant may help.


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

I sprayed some lube to all moving parts and joints I was able to see/reach by turning wheels to end posittion, and that made a change! I tried turning wheels on gravel and the sound were more quiet and it didn't make so many "clicks", only few and they came at close to the end posittion!


----------



## easty (Aug 23, 2005)

brittan said:


> If you are not turning the steering wheel and driving in a straight line when going over the bumps, then that eliminates the steering rack as the source of the noise.
> 
> If you are driving in a straight line then the bearing in the suspension strut top mount is not turning so the eliminates that bearing. Maybe the rubber part of the mount flexes in some way to produce the noise?
> 
> ...


not strictly true. my dodgy steering rack did it when I was driving straight over uneven road surfaces.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## brittan (May 18, 2007)

easty said:


> my dodgy steering rack did it when I was driving straight over uneven road surfaces.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I would not have expected that. Every day, learn something. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Juuzmo (Apr 17, 2012)

Some update with the situation.
I had the car checked last autumn, Audi service diagnosed the cause of the sound to be the earlier mentioned bearing on the spring top mount. After replacing the bearings and dog bone from left side, the noise disappeared for few weeks, after that it came back little by little and after month it was as loud as before the repair. Now when it's winter, it doesn't make that sound if you turn the wheels on snow or ice, but on tarmac you are able to hear it.

Soo, does this mean that the problem wasn't the bearings, or should I get them replaced for a second time? Is it possible that the H&R -30mm lowering springs I got installed last summer can affect this somehow? Noise started about a month after chaning of springs.


----------



## MrNPG (Jun 30, 2012)

My TTS was making a sort of "grinding" noise coming from the front, whenever turning at low speeds.

Local Audi dealer had the car in for over two weeks to try and diagnose the problem, they tried several things including taking the gearbox apart, in the end it turned out to be the flywheel that was causing the noise, apparently there was "excessive movement" in the flywheel so they replaced it and that has (touch wood) appeared to have cured the noise.

Might be something you could look into?


----------



## RogerB (Dec 16, 2012)

Yup .... I'd have said it sounds like rubber bushes.
Probably a top of struts, or even bottom arm bushes, and nothing to worry about.
Reason why it seems to have get worse is because of the weather and temperature.


----------

