Loud sunroof wind deflector motor...Fixed
08-09-2014, 01:04 PM
#12
I think this problem is being misdiagnosed by most people here. I bought a grease gun this morning and some thick (non-petroleum) grease so I could tackle this noise. After reinstalling the motor it was silent the first time and then the second time I engaged it it was just as loud as it's ever been.
So I start troubleshooting. I remove the motor and engage that by itself: no noise at all when it's on other than then the sound of a motor. Then I put some lithium grease between the motor and the gear housing; the thought there being that maybe the gear housing is acting as a speaker for the motor and transferring vibration. No improvement.
Finally I applied some pressure to the motor in several directions. I noticed that when pushing it down from above it was completely silent and as soon as I removed pressure it would start making a racket again. Given the rhythm of the noise and the fact that the motor has the same rhythm when it's running separately from the gear housing I'm suspecting that tolerances in the motor are out of spec and a little force is taking up the slack and shutting it back up. Totally speculation on my part though. I'm nearly certain a permanent fix would be a new motor.
So how about a temporary (maybe permanent) fix? Take some paper and start folding it until you have a block of paper about 1/4" thick. Don't just fold cardboard over on itself as it will compress with time. So now you have your 1/4" thick piece of folded paper. This is where it gets fun. Just jam that bad boy in between the motor and the top of the car. That should shut it up. No lube necessary.
The next person that does this should test my theory that it's the motor orientation and not the lube breaking down. To do this, don't remove the motor at all. Just grab it and apply downward pressure and then run your sunroof through the cycle. If the noise is gone then we know it's not the lube.
Since this is not an area that generally sees high heat or is exposed to the elements I highly doubt the lube is failing. It's our motors that are failing and some are getting lucky and eliminating the sound after lubing the box simply because they're re-orientating the motor. This is why the sound comes back for some.
So I start troubleshooting. I remove the motor and engage that by itself: no noise at all when it's on other than then the sound of a motor. Then I put some lithium grease between the motor and the gear housing; the thought there being that maybe the gear housing is acting as a speaker for the motor and transferring vibration. No improvement.
Finally I applied some pressure to the motor in several directions. I noticed that when pushing it down from above it was completely silent and as soon as I removed pressure it would start making a racket again. Given the rhythm of the noise and the fact that the motor has the same rhythm when it's running separately from the gear housing I'm suspecting that tolerances in the motor are out of spec and a little force is taking up the slack and shutting it back up. Totally speculation on my part though. I'm nearly certain a permanent fix would be a new motor.
So how about a temporary (maybe permanent) fix? Take some paper and start folding it until you have a block of paper about 1/4" thick. Don't just fold cardboard over on itself as it will compress with time. So now you have your 1/4" thick piece of folded paper. This is where it gets fun. Just jam that bad boy in between the motor and the top of the car. That should shut it up. No lube necessary.
The next person that does this should test my theory that it's the motor orientation and not the lube breaking down. To do this, don't remove the motor at all. Just grab it and apply downward pressure and then run your sunroof through the cycle. If the noise is gone then we know it's not the lube.
Since this is not an area that generally sees high heat or is exposed to the elements I highly doubt the lube is failing. It's our motors that are failing and some are getting lucky and eliminating the sound after lubing the box simply because they're re-orientating the motor. This is why the sound comes back for some.
08-10-2014, 06:47 AM
#13
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So the grease fix isn't really a fix, it's just incidental.The issue is that the as the car ages, the tolerances between the motor and the gear assembly housing (ie the space between the motor and the thing it rests against when you clamp it down) widens and the motor is able to vibrate against the gear housing.
To fix it, you need to add a damper between the motor and gear housing. I just added couple strips of electric tape, covered by duck tape. This is enough to again press the motor tight against the gear housing to the point where it's can't vibrate and resonate. My S8 sun roof has been dead quiet since then.
To fix it, you need to add a damper between the motor and gear housing. I just added couple strips of electric tape, covered by duck tape. This is enough to again press the motor tight against the gear housing to the point where it's can't vibrate and resonate. My S8 sun roof has been dead quiet since then.
05-11-2015, 06:19 PM
#14
AudiWorld Member
So the grease fix isn't really a fix, it's just incidental.The issue is that the as the car ages, the tolerances between the motor and the gear assembly housing (ie the space between the motor and the thing it rests against when you clamp it down) widens and the motor is able to vibrate against the gear housing.
To fix it, you need to add a damper between the motor and gear housing. I just added couple strips of electric tape, covered by duck tape. This is enough to again press the motor tight against the gear housing to the point where it's can't vibrate and resonate. My S8 sun roof has been dead quiet since then.
To fix it, you need to add a damper between the motor and gear housing. I just added couple strips of electric tape, covered by duck tape. This is enough to again press the motor tight against the gear housing to the point where it's can't vibrate and resonate. My S8 sun roof has been dead quiet since then.
Also, maybe related or maybe not, I noticed that the wind deflector is going up and down every few minutes. It seems its trying to find the correct position or something. Anyone know if your issue was related or why this would be going up and down in addition to the noise?
05-11-2015, 07:08 PM
#16
AudiWorld Super User
Im going to try the 1/4 inch damper this saturday!
Also, maybe related or maybe not, I noticed that the wind deflector is going up and down every few minutes. It seems its trying to find the correct position or something. Anyone know if your issue was related or why this would be going up and down in addition to the noise?
Also, maybe related or maybe not, I noticed that the wind deflector is going up and down every few minutes. It seems its trying to find the correct position or something. Anyone know if your issue was related or why this would be going up and down in addition to the noise?
05-12-2015, 11:37 PM
#17
I think this problem is being misdiagnosed by most people here.
....
Finally I applied some pressure to the motor in several directions. I noticed that when pushing it down from above it was completely silent and as soon as I removed pressure it would start making a racket again. Given the rhythm of the noise and the fact that the motor has the same rhythm when it's running separately from the gear housing I'm suspecting that tolerances in the motor are out of spec and a little force is taking up the slack and shutting it back up. Totally speculation on my part though. I'm nearly certain a permanent fix would be a new motor.
So how about a temporary (maybe permanent) fix? Take some paper and start folding it until you have a block of paper about 1/4" thick. Don't just fold cardboard over on itself as it will compress with time. So now you have your 1/4" thick piece of folded paper. This is where it gets fun. Just jam that bad boy in between the motor and the top of the car. That should shut it up. No lube necessary.
The next person that does this should test my theory that it's the motor orientation and not the lube breaking down. To do this, don't remove the motor at all. Just grab it and apply downward pressure and then run your sunroof through the cycle. If the noise is gone then we know it's not the lube.
....
Finally I applied some pressure to the motor in several directions. I noticed that when pushing it down from above it was completely silent and as soon as I removed pressure it would start making a racket again. Given the rhythm of the noise and the fact that the motor has the same rhythm when it's running separately from the gear housing I'm suspecting that tolerances in the motor are out of spec and a little force is taking up the slack and shutting it back up. Totally speculation on my part though. I'm nearly certain a permanent fix would be a new motor.
So how about a temporary (maybe permanent) fix? Take some paper and start folding it until you have a block of paper about 1/4" thick. Don't just fold cardboard over on itself as it will compress with time. So now you have your 1/4" thick piece of folded paper. This is where it gets fun. Just jam that bad boy in between the motor and the top of the car. That should shut it up. No lube necessary.
The next person that does this should test my theory that it's the motor orientation and not the lube breaking down. To do this, don't remove the motor at all. Just grab it and apply downward pressure and then run your sunroof through the cycle. If the noise is gone then we know it's not the lube.
05-30-2015, 10:30 AM
#18
AudiWorld Newcomer
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Where is the deflector motor? I just got my 05 A8L (70K miles, southern car) after three A6's. The prior owner disconnected the deflector motor because of the grinding noise. Problem solved, but it would be nice to have a deflector.
FWIW, this came with the 19" rims that, while hideous originally, are beginning to grow on me.
2005 A8L
Dark Blue with the Peanut Butter Interior (DK the factory color names).
100% stock, and probably staying that way except for a K&N.
I think its going to be A8's and S8's until I'm too old to drive.
FWIW, this came with the 19" rims that, while hideous originally, are beginning to grow on me.
2005 A8L
Dark Blue with the Peanut Butter Interior (DK the factory color names).
100% stock, and probably staying that way except for a K&N.
I think its going to be A8's and S8's until I'm too old to drive.
05-30-2015, 09:07 PM
#19
AudiWorld Super User
Where is the deflector motor? I just got my 05 A8L (70K miles, southern car) after three A6's. The prior owner disconnected the deflector motor because of the grinding noise. Problem solved, but it would be nice to have a deflector.
FWIW, this came with the 19" rims that, while hideous originally, are beginning to grow on me.
2005 A8L
Dark Blue with the Peanut Butter Interior (DK the factory color names).
100% stock, and probably staying that way except for a K&N.
I think its going to be A8's and S8's until I'm too old to drive.
FWIW, this came with the 19" rims that, while hideous originally, are beginning to grow on me.
2005 A8L
Dark Blue with the Peanut Butter Interior (DK the factory color names).
100% stock, and probably staying that way except for a K&N.
I think its going to be A8's and S8's until I'm too old to drive.