Car sounds like vacuum cleaner on start

[philthy]

Does the noice stop after 30 seconds or so... if so its normal. forget about it..

Pull the hose off the airbox, start the car cold and you will feel the vaccumm, after 30 seconds stops.

Maybe you hose has come lose somewhere for the additional noise..

I thought the same thing, went to VW about it and they said forget about it, normal

Yep it does stop. It's just a whole lot louder than it's ever been (never noticed it in the 3 yrs I've had the car).

[marco polo]

My car had a very loud noise only on cold start it was the Aux air pump take it back to VW mine has been changed twice now under warranty.

[philthy]

My car had a very loud noise only on cold start it was the Aux air pump take it back to VW mine has been changed twice now under warranty.

Yep, I'm pretty sure thats what it is. Car is out of warranty now though. Did they give you any indication of what they were worth? My googling would seem to indicate that they are expensive little f***ers... for something that really doesn't do much (helps the cat heat up on cold start).

The fact that yours was changed twice doesn't say much for their reliability. Did they change the valve on the line as well? Apparently if you don't do that condensation will keep getting into the pump and causing it to shag itself.

[RhysQ]

sounds like an auxiliary air pump problem.

this is what I was told it was.... probably just the hose has come away.

[ml16]

Yep, I'm pretty sure thats what it is. Car is out of warranty now though. Did they give you any indication of what they were worth? My googling would seem to indicate that they are expensive little f***ers... for something that really doesn't do much (helps the cat heat up on cold start).

The fact that yours was changed twice doesn't say much for their reliability. Did they change the valve on the line as well? Apparently if you don't do that condensation will keep getting into the pump and causing it to shag itself.

Sorry for the grave-dig, but which valve do you refer to and on which line? I've got a new air pump but there is still water/condensation getting in. I had an engine light come on and it was diagnosed as either the silver valve near the air-box, or the solenoid on the LH side of the engine. Any ideas which is more likely and what is the common fault here? I thought a 6 year old car would be a bit more reliable, maybe not?