mbc320sport

Hi! I am been Audiworld for really long time and this is my 5th Audi.

I had my S4(2013) for a year and recently I hear some clunking noise from the front when I drove more than an hour. Usually when I drove thru the bump and uneven road.
I went to dealership for first time regarding this repair on June and they said nothing wrong with the car then they return the car to me.
I spoken to the dealer customer relationship afterward and I told her the noise still here. She said she will spoke with the shop foreman.
The Dealer Customer relationship called me on past Monday and she said bring the car to the dealership and do a test drive with the shop foreman.
I did the test drive with the shop foreman and we hear a clunking noise and ask me to drop off the car with them.
I pick up the car last night and they said they readjust the swap bar because is loose, however, the sound are still there and I spoke with the dealer today and they said drop off the car again on Monday.
I just spoke the AOA and told them my situation and they said they will follow up the repair with me.

Did anyone have the similar problem and what's the best way to followup the situation with AOA and the dealership?

Your feedback is appreciated.

snagitseven

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2829104

Foogie

Glad someone else started posting about this and glad someone put the link to the original thread. Definitely a hot weather only problem IMO. But tons of people are having this issue.

TO407S4

I went to the dealer with the same issue. They said that the number of chassis bolts and knocking noises vary. They believe that 2011 and up have no issues, but they'd have a look at it. Surprise, surprise the blamed my exhaust lol. So since their tuning shop did the install they adjusted the exhaust so it wouldn't hit the sub frame. I'm still hearing knocking.

They verified that my chassis, sways, structs, and suspension are all ok. Guess we are going to have to live with the noise?

thedjm

I've been noticing some clunking/knocking noise on my 2012 at very low speeds when turning. I feel the vibration slightly through the vehicle too.

It doesn't sound good, but it also doesn't sound bad enough or progressed to the point where I care to spend the time bringing it in and going through the back and forth I expect to go through given the experiences I've read about the same problem from a few sources.

That and the fact that it's a lease gives me a nice peace of mind that whatever the problem is will be theirs at the end of the lease.

Audis or VWs 4Life

A number of weeks ago I mentioned a clunking sound coming from the front of my car. Its been really hard to reproduce for the dealer techs. To reproduce it needs to be hot outside (80 degrees plus) and in addition to that the car needs to be driven around for about 30 minutes or so. Then when I go around turns, hit bumps, hit the brakes or gas real hard the clunking sound rears its head loud and clear.

The tech decided to remove the front sway bar and associated bushings. Once he did that we drove the car and we could NOT get the sound to repeat. Car drives like crap without the sway bar btw. Crap, but it was quiet. It appears one of the bushings is failing. There is no visible signs of failure but one of them is failing. Tech put the sway bar back and has ordered a new set of bushings and associated parts. About the only thing not getting replaced is the bar its self. On the drive home I could hear the clunking again, so its definitely the sway bar, no questions asked.

Parts come in next week and I will take her back for the replacement parts. For now I will live with some clunking but at least I know its not dangerous.

Foogie

Please let us know if the new parts do the trick. It's possible there was a bad batch that many of us got. Mine only does it in hot weather as well.

Audis or VWs 4Life

Parts go on this coming Friday,(8/2) I will have results the following Monday (8/5). (I probably won't have a long enough drive until then)

For me it seems outside heat and drive time really make the difference. Without those two the car is quiet.

I had one tech go out with me and I could reproduce the noise (before the appointment). The day I brought it in they drove it and couldn't get it to act up. Since my loaner car situation got screwed up, I told them I would drive it for a half hour and bring it back. After doing that the sound came back, and my tech got to work figuring it out. He took off the sway bar, drove it around and it was quiet. The tech then let me drive it as well to confirm that he eliminated the noise. He put the sway bar back because the car handles like crap without it and there was no real harm just some clunking. On the way home I could hear the clunking noise again. I am nearly 100% sure we found the source. They are replacing all rubber parts tied to the sway bar, since they can't isolate which one is failing and there is no visible signs of failure. I have a feeling the parts are cheap enough that no one cares that all of them are getting changed.

TO407S4

They ended up blaming mine on the exhaust hitting the sub frame once it heats up. They made a modification to the bar that connects to the sub frame to stop the exhaust from falling if anything happens. I haven't heard the noise in the front since. Still hear something in the back. Mind you the weather is also cooler =/

mbc320sport

Picked up my car last Thursday and drove it thru the weekend and finally the noise was gone.
The SA told me they replace the control arms, sway bar and bushings. See below for what they stated on the invoice

"Minutes and Noise Returned. Reinstalled Sway Bar and New Sway Bar links, Test drove vehicle but noise was not heard. Test drove vehicle again to verify and noise returned. Re inspected vehicle checked torque on all suspension components and sub frame. Inspected all suspension bushing and control arms for damage. Added chassis ears to vehicle in front control arm area and upper control arm link. Test Drove vehicle again for 35 to 45 minutes, noise returned was unable to verity from where noise was coming from using chassis ears, again re installed chassis ears on trailing arm bushing and test drove vehicle again for 35 to 45 minutes. Noise was verified coming from lower front trailing control arm bushing. Called TACS and they had me check with chassis ears again to verify noise was coming from lower trailing arms or upper control arm mounts, test drove vehicle 35-45 min to verify noise was coming from lower control arm trailing arm bushings. Replaced front lower trailing arms bushing with new. Again was test driven 35-45 min and noise was no longer present. Vehicle was test driven over night again by shop foreman and was verified that repair was complete."

Now the clunking noise was gone but the dealership was damaged by car. I saw one 1 inch scratch on the right lower side skirts and few scratches on the front lower bumper. Definitely the damage was done by the technician when they test drove the car. Talked to the service manager and he said they will repair the car for me. I will returned to the dealership next monday for repair.

In Addition, the EPC light was on when I drove the car last light. I will see the EPC light still on when I drive the car later today.

My car seem problem keep coming and this is my 5th time going to the dealership for less than a month. My car is only 1 year one and only have 8000 miles.

I will speak to AOA again today to keep them update.