o.tovey@googlemail.com

New to the forum and looking for advice or responses. Bought a new C8 40 TDI S Line. Love the car, really happy with everything apart from when the car is cold and heating up internally. The new dash which is surrounded in plastic makes clicking/cracking noises as if the plastic is warming up and expanding! Now I know most of the time music or radio will be on but sometimes I like to drive with it off to clear my head.
I’m shocked that a £40k plus car has this defect. Has anyone else experienced this?

Longshanks

Hi there,

I too have a 40 TDI S Line (Avant) and there is minor creaking in the cabin. The same model I test drove had awful creaking, which nearly put me off buying one, but I was assured that it wasnt normal and the dealer looked into the issue with the demonstrator model. I think you’re right to be shocked by the cracking noise, maybe see what the dealer has to say about it?

o.tovey@googlemail.com

Glad it just isn’t me in a way. I’ll contact them tomorrow to report it. If I’m honest I’m not sure if they can resolve this as it all across the cabin. Also not sure I can live with at as it’ll drive my OCD nuts and eventually put me off the car! Nothing should be rattling or creaking in a car this expensive, it’s pretty poor. This is the third Audi I’ve had and the last two were rock solid, this one worries me.

Thanks for the response

o.tovey@googlemail.com

Mine has just been in to the dealer and the rattle/clicks are from the exact same place as you say. When I hold it it stops. What you’ll find is when the car is cold there is no rattle, it’ll be far worse when the car heats up.

The dealer took took the plastic off my dash and sealed the clips underneath. They also added some additional adhesive from what I can work out. Can’t see it but it seems to have done the job for now.

Very disappointing from Audi in all honesty, I can see a recall or TPI at least on this issue. It’s a shame because the car is superb in every other area.

Meyecul

I hate to say it but It’s not ever going away fully. The current line up of Audi interiors has so much plastic with tight tolerances you will have popping and cracking sounds coming and going on a regular basis due to expansion and contraction as well as vehicle flexing over road joints, driveway slopes, speed bumps lane line reflectors etc.. Some models are worse then others and temps both inside and outside the vehicle will play a role in how much you hear, but once it starts, it’s here to stay. You can try and do the suggestion above of removing trim panels and felting and pad etc and this may help in some places but others will start up.

if you spend a few min going around your interior and pressing on trim, door panels etc you will be able to reproduce the cracking and popping and find the worst areas. I did this at the Los Angeles auto show this past year and it was crazy how every Audi model I sat in (virtually all), were filled with crackling plastics. I love my Q7 but I feel this is where Audi is currently cutting corners to save $. I have learned to just live with it but it still gets under my skin when I hear a good snap crackle pop in my over $80k vehicle and yet have been in $18k Kia rental with plastic trim and door panels that are silent and solid as a rock.

Jerry Meng

Got a new A6 yesterday. Have the same issue. Sad and disappointed.

VMAustin

I brought one yesterday as well and hope not. The build quality is similar to other Germans.

Jerry Meng

Software is a issue as well.

Jerry Meng

ONI1013

Yeah my lower touchscreen also had issues. They had to order me one from Germany to replace. Took 10 days to get delivered to California, US. Good as new now.