Thread: Mystery sound in my D4

Could be quite a few things from several sources, but since you mention the pothole, it could be wheel alignment or balance, onle real way to check this is to get it checked out at a dealer or tyre place, would be easier/cheaper to check balance first and failing that alignement.

Also worth giving the tyre which copped the pothole a good visual inspection and run your hands over it, missing chunks, bubbles deformities etc could all cause those type of symptoms and you may misinterpret it as engine/transmission especially since you say you can feel it through the steering.

If you are not used to a turbo vehicle, you may just be noticing a normal turbo sound, however I must say I dont notice it from inside the car on my D3, but then I only have 1

Can we assume your suspect wheel has its balance-weights intact ?

Air con compressor? Turn off the AC and radio (in case its "noise") and see if you can hear it. I suggest this as I had a "whine" in the car after 2 years which turned out to be the AC.

Thanks guys,

AnD3rew,
I've had a cursory glance and feel of the wheel and tyre and haven't come up with anything out of the norm. So visually it seems to be okay, but I haven't got under and around it yet.

Neil P,
I'll check the balance weights out tonight after work.

My only concern here is that if it was a wheel problem you'd expect it to be more consistent and not so intermittent - also, it's not a wobble, but rather just a whining-type of noise.

WhiteD3,
Tested your theory this morning. I switched off ALL of the climate contol features (a/con, heating, fans, etc) and the radio - I almost froze my whatsits off (lucky I had the heated seats and wheel and my new seat covers ). Actually there was a significant reduction in the noise. The problem was it was so quiet I started to see dead people - well not really, but I began to jump at every noise I did hear and I thought I caught odd smatterings of THE noise that's causing concern. I'll test this theory out over the next few days with on and off air con scenarios.


Thanks all for suggestions. They're all super-appreciated. At least nobody's suggested "rush back to service NOW".

Ron

So it's NOT a vibration through the steering wheel now ??

Originally Posted by Neil P

So it's NOT a vibration through the steering wheel now ??

You can certainly "feel" it through the steering wheel when it goes off, but it's not a wobble or a shake as you'd get with an out-of-balance wheel. For want of yet another word maybe "buzzing" through the wheel is more appropriate.

It's a really subtle kind of "annoyance", neither definitely one thing or the other - that's why its driving me nuts!

The wheel angle of yours is interesting. You know when you run over those raised marker strips on the side of some major highways (like the Hume) which are designed to startle you in case you're getting drowsy and drift across the road? Well, it's a much quieter and subtler form of this. But the problem is it's intermittent.

As I mentioned in my post it seems to have diminished today after switching the air con off so it may just be an intermittent vibration from here. But maybe its just gone on holidays for a day or two. I've got to try a cuppla days with/without air con to see if this is the problem.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Originally Posted by Watpub

.......... neither definitely one thing or the other - that's why its driving me nuts!

Thanks for your wild guesses.

Mine has a vibration at "just before gear-down" , on a upward climb.
Are you sure it's not just the vehicle being a moving 2600kg , permanent
4x4 .

Options :

1. Increase medication
2. "Get real" and live with it
3. Remove seat covers
4. Burn it out for the insurance and buy a demo Porsche Cayenne Di ( you know it makes sense ! )

Originally Posted by Neil P

Mine has a vibration at "just before gear-down" , on a upward climb.
Are you sure it's not just the vehicle being a moving 2600kg , permanent
4x4 .

Options :

1. Increase medication
2. "Get real" and live with it
3. Remove seat covers
4. Burn it out for the insurance and buy a demo Porsche Cayenne Di ( you know it makes sense ! )

Thanks Neil P...

Option 1: Probable - although the doses are already high
Option 2: Realistic
Option 3: Never!
Option 4: Porsche Cayenne? Que? I'd upgrade to a Rangie and really stick my neck out.

On the insurance side I've had one car totalled (taken for a joy ride and written off), and another t-boned on the side of the street when I was in the office. Even though I was no-where near the cars at any stage I've still had to suffer the ignominy of making claims - after that no other insurer wants to know you for at least 3 - 5 years! You mightn't be "at fault" but you still suffer the discrimination. I'm steering well clear of insurers...

But, I think you are right. It's a big hunk of metal with many intricacies. I just put the issue out there (here on the forum) in case there was something I should be worried about or someone had a quick fix. I'll turn up the radio and wear gloves - that'll fix it!

Regards, Ron