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

[Nate]

I just picked up my new GTI MKVI manual this afternoon and, without knowing about this problem, heard the rattling sound within the first hour of driving. I find it most easily reproducible in 3rd and 4th at low revs.

So when I got home I immediately googled it and found this thread. Like a lot of other people on here I find it really annoying. It may not be very loud, but when I first heard it I was like wtf!?!? My first reaction was "Someone has fanged the **** out of this car and caused it to 'ping'", something you usually only hear in crappy old cars. I'm pretty sure this isn't the desired reaction VW would like from a first time driver of one of their cars.

After reading through most of the posts I reckon the best thing to do would be to start up an online petition on a site like this: iPetitions: Start a free online petition / Create a petition

Then get everyone on here with the same problem to sign it and also hit up the other VW forums for more signatures. Then email it to the most appropriate VW representative. Seems like the most constructive thing we could do, rather than individually going into dealerships and recreating the issue only to be told "it's a characteristic of the car", which is by the way the biggest load of **** I've ever heard.

[REXman]

Best thing anyone has suggested so far. As for ignoring the sound, turning up the radio etc - PLEASE!!!

Get VW to fix this on an otherwise great car. If I bought a watch and it skipped a second, and it was not just a rolex but any watch over 500-1k, I'd return it. People who wouldn't mind good luck to you but I definitely would.

Great idea on the petition and hopefull some action comes of it.

[elisiX]

That is actually not a bad idea.

While I am getting used to the sound after 5000km... it still disappoints me when I do hear it.

Just sounds cheap and nasty.

[MurphyTheElf]

Nate, would you like to create the petition, or do you want me to? I probably should have done this from word go since I was one of the first to get delivery of the GTI at official launch. I tried to get this sorted on my own firstly through my dealer and then through VWA, but I've hit such a wall of stubborn resistance that I've given up getting a satisfactory response.

I'm actually putting together a case (Murphy vs Missus) for an aftermarket downpipe, but why should I spend more money on something that I wouldn't put up with on a 1984 Nissan Bluebird? I didn't pull that model out of the air, I actually owned one that suffered from an almost identical sound. I spent a couple hundred dollars getting it sorted out even though the car was probably worth only $2000 at the time. Perhaps this demonstrates how livid I am with the GTI situation....

[Corey_R]

This sounds like it's action in a positive direction to me. I don't know how much detail people put in these on-line petitions, but considering most people still think this issue is the waste-gate, I don't think it would hurt to start compiling what you think the information will be in some posts in the thread here - what do you think?

- I was thinking a brief description of the sound
- A brief history of the VW response (maybe a reproduction of the official VW letter than many have been handed)
- A summary of what the issue actually is (i.e. downpipe)
- Evidence which confirms that it is the downpipe
- Finally of course, the course of action or response you'd like from VW

The reason I suggested compiling the information for the petition here, is you'd want to get the facts straight and an agreed concensus on what is/has happened - otherwise the petition could be plagued from the start.
Also - the "Evidence which confirms that it is the downpipe" may be the hardest one to get info on at this stage. I know that there has been a few people overseas that have changed the downpipe and had the issue go away, but I don't recall any forum members here having done this yet (although Guy_H said a customer in WA did have the issue go away).

Anyway, just some thoughts

[GTI mk6]

I just picked up my new GTI MKVI manual this afternoon and, without knowing about this problem, heard the rattling sound within the first hour of driving. I find it most easily reproducible in 3rd and 4th at low revs.

So when I got home I immediately googled it and found this thread. Like a lot of other people on here I find it really annoying. It may not be very loud, but when I first heard it I was like wtf!?!? My first reaction was "Someone has fanged the **** out of this car and caused it to 'ping'", something you usually only hear in crappy old cars. I'm pretty sure this isn't the desired reaction VW would like from a first time driver of one of their cars.

After reading through most of the posts I reckon the best thing to do would be to start up an online petition on a site like this: iPetitions: Start a free online petition / Create a petition

Then get everyone on here with the same problem to sign it and also hit up the other VW forums for more signatures. Then email it to the most appropriate VW representative. Seems like the most constructive thing we could do, rather than individually going into dealerships and recreating the issue only to be told "it's a characteristic of the car", which is by the way the biggest load of **** I've ever heard.

Below is a post from me way back, but no one responded at the time.
Count me in re: a petition as still havent got "used" to the noise which still annoys me and try to drown it out with music.

I spoke to the service manager about this annoying tinny sound last week when my car
was there getting looked at.

He acknowledged the sound and was very familiar with it.
I asked him what VW would do about this and he said....if enough of us complain
about it, they should look into it for a fix, but until they get enough complaints, probably
nothing will happen.
I didnt think to ask who we complain to? Is it our dealerships or to VWA directly?

Any thoughts from you guys on this?
Maybe we should all band together and complain as one to VWA?

[MurphyTheElf]

This sounds like it's action in a positive direction to me. I don't know how much detail people put in these on-line petitions, but considering most people still think this issue is the waste-gate, I don't think it would hurt to start compiling what you think the information will be in some posts in the thread here - what do you think?

- I was thinking a brief description of the sound
- A brief history of the VW response (maybe a reproduction of the official VW letter than many have been handed)
- A summary of what the issue actually is (i.e. downpipe)
- Evidence which confirms that it is the downpipe
- Finally of course, the course of action or response you'd like from VW

The reason I suggested compiling the information for the petition here, is you'd want to get the facts straight and an agreed concensus on what is/has happened - otherwise the petition could be plagued from the start.
Also - the "Evidence which confirms that it is the downpipe" may be the hardest one to get info on at this stage. I know that there has been a few people overseas that have changed the downpipe and had the issue go away, but I don't recall any forum members here having done this yet (although Guy_H said a customer in WA did have the issue go away).

All good points.

Since the noise can be quite subjective, we need to determine an accurate description. My personal quantification of the noise is a metallic rattle similar to that of a "pinging" engine - distinguishable in the 2400-3000 rpm range at moderate acceleration. It is more noticeable when the engine is under a greater load such as hill climbing.

The VW response was reproduced on page 4 of this thread.

I believe the garage in WA that did the downpipe replacement was Quattro Motors in Burswood. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow to confirm and ask them for further information. I'm still not 100% convinced it's the downpipe and not the wastegate, so we need another happy customer that has had the noise addressed.

If it does turn out to be the downpipe, VW's response should be the development of a noise-free part (if required) and replacement of the faulty part at no cost to the customer. Or free upgrade to an APR unit....

[Nate]

Murphy, it would be great if you wanted to take ownership of the petition and set it up. I'm new around here so thought it would be best if one of the regulars got involved. Although once it's set up anyone can spread the word about it.

Coreying, agree that it would be a good idea to get the particulars of the petition squared away on here before setting it up. All the points you listed are spot on I think and would be perfect for the description part of the petition.

Main things to sort out for the petition are:
- Title
- Description of the problem/history/purpose of the petition etc. [like what coreying suggested, most of this could probably be copy/pasted from posts in this thread]
- URL name eg. 'fixmygtivw'

After it's set up it's just a matter of making posts on the main forums in Oz and abroad with a link to the petition. All people need to do to 'sign' it is fill in their name, email address and make a comment if they want to. Might be an idea to ask people to type in the serial number of their car in the comments section to make it more legit than just a bunch of random names and email addresses.

[reaction]

Been noticing the sound on my GTI as well for the past couple of weeks. Its very minor but because its there its almost like its getting worse.

HATE it. Will take my car into VW next week to get looked at.

[Guy_H]

Watch out - maybe vw's fix will be a piece of fencing wire around the exhaust flex piece - will probably eliminate the noise at little cost!