clicking/grinding noise when doing 70ish mph...

[unclebob]

I’ve started hearing a clicking sound when doing 70ish mph, which turns into a grinding noise if I’m going about 10mph faster (of course tested on a private road etc etc...) when going in a straight line.

Tried leaving the clutch down and the car in neutral to see if the noise continued, and it did.

Tried high revs in lower gears and got the same if going 70+,

but nothing to be heard at a lower speed.

Only change between not hearing it and hearing it is that I added the weight of a full size spare steal rim into the back.
On the other hand, I think the car went into limp home mode last night - driving on the motorway in roadwork’s - clear road doing 50mph on cruise control, end of the roadwork’s put my foot down to get up to 70 and get nothing... tried shifting down a gear, still nothing...

Pulled over on the hard shoulder, revved the engine and can’t hear the turbo spool up or down!

Switched off the engine and switched it back on and everything seems to be working again... (I will check with VAG-COM later on once laptops charged to see if anything there shows what may have caused this!)


Any tips and hints on what could be causing the knocking noise?

Going to jack up the car in a bit and have a look underneath and also see if I can get the noise replicated again... ( jack up the front, stands under the bushes take off both front wheels and start it up to get to 70mph to see if I can hear it...

Car itself is a 55 plate Altea - 2.0 TDI sport (BKD engine!)

 

[unclebob]

little update to this...

Jacked up both sides and ran the car to 90+mph and got no noise :s

Gonna go for another drive and see if the noise is still there...

then take the wheel out and see if its still there...

 

[Slimy]

This might seem like a really silly suggestion, but is there something stuck in your wheel? I went for a ride on my bike this morning, had a similar 'clicking' noise at reasonable speeds, got home and found a nail in the tyre!

Have you swapped your tyres front to back to see if the sound moves?

 

[unclebob]

Intresting suggestion! not sure if its gonna be the right one, but will defo check it out tomorrow.

Also had a look at the limp mode - overboost error

 

[unclebob]

Did some more investigating today as it wasn't raining...


Checked the tires but found nothing untoward in them, did however find three bolts missing from the cover under the engine bay - the back three...

Took it off and had a look from underneath nothing suspicious looking... put the cover back on and added three new bolts.

Got a question for you dealer working or know the routine people out there.
Took the car in for turbo whistle earlier on, and they did a free health check of the vehicle. Would they have removed the protective cover under the engine?


Just waiting for lappy to recharge before take in for another spin and check the MAP pressures at the same time...