Right rear rattle proving hard to solve

[JAXRS6]

At 32K miles, about 40% of them on rough Michigan roads, a couple of rattles have developed -- both in the rear. The one on the left was the Sirius satellite radio hardware & easy to fix; the one on the right has proven more elusive. Took the car in Monday afternoon for these issues only, and still no solution 48 hours later for the right rear -- despite the RS6-certified tech literally riding in the trunk while another dealer employee drove! So at least they are trying:thumb:

This morning the service advisor said they have decided to replace a sensor/pump tucked between the fender liner and the trunk liner near right rear wheel well -- because they can't figure out what else it might be. The pump removes fumes from the gas tank area, he said, and although it appears to be mounted securely, something in or on the pump itself may be causing the rattle. So they have ordered a new one, red flagged for urgency, but none are showing up in the US. That means it will need to be ordered from Germany. Since Audi AG there is closed until sometime after the new year, it may take a while. (Hopefully not a month due to communication snafu, as happened to me before.)

So I'm wondering: Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms or problem? Any ideas/suggestions? :confused: When I rode in the back seat with the seatback folded down, it sounded like metal banging against metal -- like a loose component, rather than a component with a loose part inside. I could be wrong, of course, but my concern is that after all this time & effort, the problem won't be solved even after a new pump is installed.

[gnomik007]

Is the rattle constant or does it disappear after a while of driving?

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by gnomik007
Is the rattle constant or does it disappear after a while of driving?

The rattle sounds when I drive over bumps. "Sharp" bumps bring it on more than, for example, driving over a rounded speed bump. Driving along a dirt shoulder with a "washboard" effect brings it on pretty strong. It does not make noise on smooth pavement, but neither does it disappear after a period of driving.

[gnomik007]

In that case your problem is not the same as I had.In my case it took me and Audi servise about couple of months to figure out what was making the noise.In the end we came to conclusion that it was aluminium heat deflectors around the exhaust in the back of the car.When the car was cold it would make the noise on every bump and in fact the sound was doing on my nerves but after about 30min it went away as the aluminium heated up.Anyway,check how secure these deflectors are hold in place because after reading about your problem I am more than sure that it is them.GOD LUCK:)

[NWRS6]

HI:

I have been dealing with exactly the same problem you have.

My Audi dealer has checked the heat shields, sway bars, exhaust mounts, bump stops etc. Unfortunately, they have no idea as to what it is either.

However, they did notice that the right rear shock is leaking. They have ordered in 2 new rear shocks to see if that solves the problem. My car is going in tommorrow and I will update you on whether the noise is fixed.

[nene]

Has anyone noticed that usually during the Winter time is when most of the rattles seem to occur?
At least in all my other cars that seems to be the case. It's as if stuff just shinks a bit, and now there exists extra space for movement.

I haven't had any of the rattles mentioned, but if I do, I will surely check it out.

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by gnomik007
In that case your problem is not the same as I had.In my case it took me and Audi servise about couple of months to figure out what was making the noise.In the end we came to conclusion that it was aluminium heat deflectors around the exhaust in the back of the car.When the car was cold it would make the noise on every bump and in fact the sound was doing on my nerves but after about 30min it went away as the aluminium heated up.Anyway,check how secure these deflectors are hold in place because after reading about your problem I am more than sure that it is them.GOD LUCK:)

Thanks for identifying that potential problem, but I'm a little confused. At the beginning you write that my problem is not the same as yours, but at the end you seem to say it is the same. I will show this to my dealer later today in any case, but clarification might help.

[NWRS6]

Hi:

Sorry...let me clarify. The symptoms of the problem are exactly the same. I hear a rattle on the right rear over bumps, especially sharp ones.

The difference I believe is our respective Audi dealers and their diagnosis of them. Either of them could be right, and both of them could be wrong in which case, is bad news for both of us.

The rattle has really been annoying and hard to find.

[JAXRS6]

To clarify the clarification attempts::trash:

NWRS6, I was seeking clarification from gnomik007's post, not yours. But I appreciate your feedback -- and I'm curious where you are. Also looking forward to your update after your dealer visit tomorrow.

nene, I'm in Florida now, so cold temps are not a factor -- in this case at least.

I leave soon for the dealer and plan to give them a copy of this thread, emphasizing gnomik007's finding. Any US dealer should be able to access US findings on a particular problem, if AOA's system is working, and I suspect my dealer did use that system since they worked on the problem for three days. But since gnomik007 is in Moscow, I suspect his info about "aluminum heat deflectors around the exhaust" may NOT be available to US dealers thru AOA -- meaning it will be new info here. And I'm just trying to clarify whether he thinks that problem is the same as I have (as he seemed to say at the end of his post starting with "In that case") or not (as he says at the beginning of his "In that case" post.)

Posting one's location in the left column info can be really helpful. I wish more owners would do it. No need to reveal actual town or city; see mine for an example.:)

[NWRS6]

Hi:

Sorry about my post. On a related note, my dealer did check the aluminum heat deflectors around the exhast, and nothing was rubbing.

It seems that this right rear rattle is becmoing more commonplace as our RS6's begin to gather mileage.

I am from Canada.

[DaveyKid]

Rattles, ticks, clicks, clunks - they drive me nuts! This car has more than I'm used to and they all seem to manifest themselves in the cold weather. I've noticed the following:

When below 32 - solenoid-like clicking/ticking from under the dash where the relays are situated. ONLY happens when the car is first started and goes away in the first block of driving. Have a buddy with an A6 4.2 who has the same sounds. Go figure.

Below 32 - Driver and passenger side "B" pillar rattles coming from where the window aligns with it, right at ear level of course.

Below 32 - Left rear seatbelt tensioner area clicks with rocking motion of the car. It's as though the weight that rocks forward to lock the shoulder harness on heavy braking is clicking, metronome style.

Below 32 - Front suspension rattle, oh wait, never mind. That was the idiot dealer, wait, check that, 2 dealers, that forgot to take out the PDI suspension spacers. :(

[gnomik007]

Originally posted by JAXRS6
Thanks for identifying that potential problem, but I'm a little confused. At the beginning you write that my problem is not the same as yours, but at the end you seem to say it is the same.


LOL I guess I got carried away or something:),anyway do check ALL of the heat deflecors because I spent few months hunting down the reason of rattle before I found the real reason.

[gjg]

When I rode in the back seat with the seatback folded down, it sounded like metal banging against metal -- like a loose component,

My partner had the same "rattle" problem on his Avant (also the read was up about 1/2") and - after few weeks of various diagnostics - it turned out that 2 of solenoid valves in the DRC system were defective (not opening). It looked like shocks were not fully functional.

After valve replacement the car is ok, no rattle, and a car is back to is normal "level"

gg

[Aronis]

I have a clicking sound in my front suspension, that I first heard last spring, windows open driving...

The tech could not find anything wrong with it, but certainly could hear it as I drove the car with him walking along side.

The noise happens with a change in the angle of the car vs horozontal. I think it is the mounts for the Leveling Sensor, so it's no big deal, not too loud anyway! LOL.

I had a creak in the rear of my A6 ended up simply being the latches for the folding back seats, a little DW40, and that's gone.

My driver seat was very noisy, but a simple shot of DW40 on the moving parts under the seat fixed that one.

My passengers seat makes some noise when empty! It is somewhere in the middle of the back of the seat, a spring or something, not a real loud one, but it's there.

I had the dreaded Head Liner Creak in my A6, thankfully it's not in the RS6, that one sucked, but was an easy fix, put a piece of sponge between the head liner and the frame of the roof via the vanity light access panel.

My 5 year old M3 had NO RATTLES, not one. Period. (just the cell phone cradle rattled once in a blue moon, a motorolla phone). That car had 60,000 miles on it.

Yes, the RS6 has more rattles than I'd like, but I find them and kill them one at the time!!!!!!!!!

I hope you find the solution to yours and post it please.

Mike

Happy New Year....

Oh, forgot need to get my car inspected ! Yikes its one year old and 16,000 miles. I'm over....LOL

[NWRS6]

Hi All:

After replacing the rear shocks, it SEEMS that the annoying right rear rattle is gone. Hooray!

FYI, replacing the rear shocks on our cars is a very timely process. The shocks arrive empty. The tech has to fill the shocks with the fluid at a certain temperature in a very specific way. The rear shocks cost about CAD$ 2,800 each. Total cost of the job (covered under warranty) was between CAD $7,000-$7,500.
That is approximately US $6,000.

The RS6 will be an EXPENSIVE car to maintain without warranty.

For those keeping the car post warranty, an extended warranty would be a very good idea.

[nene]

I suppose that going with aftermarket suspension (non-DRC) might prove to be a better solution post-warranty.
I think most aftermarket warranties have a limit amount that you can claim per occurrence. Keep that in mind.
Glad all is good. Keep us posted.

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by nene
I think most aftermarket warranties have a limit amount that you can claim per occurrence.

Thankfully the Audi Pure Protection aftermarket warranty I bought thru AOA has zero deductible and my recollection from reading it before buying is that there is no limit per incident. (Actually it is a service contract and "warrants" nothing, like all other aftermarket coverage I've seen, but the effect is the same as a warranty: they pay when things go wrong.)

I will re-check it, tho, when I have a chance & post here if I find it's different than I recall. Coverage goes to 100K miles, which at the rate I've been driving means less than three more years.

I had hoped to keep my RS6 for a very long time, but $6K for a set of rear shocks?:bigeyes: That is really too much! Will ask dealer parts department for confirmation next time I'm there. Hopefully that won't be too long; still waiting for the part that was ordered on 12/30.

[nene]

It seems expensive, but that is the price to pay for new system implementation.
For example, the Carbon brakes for the 911TT is something like an $8KUSD option. However, if you were to actually replace the whole system when it is needed, it was rated at something closer to $20KUSD. So there you have it. That is lots of mulla for brakes.

The DRC system is new and not yet widely used by Audi, thus the parts are quite expensive. Audi has to make the money back somehow for putting together all that R&D!

Glad that your warranty sounds perfect Jax! I need to get one of those. I got my RS6 too early and the protection was not available through Audi yet. They told me it would have been a few more months. Now I just need to go back and place my aftermarket warranty order.

[JAXRS6]

My car developed a second rattle which stumped the dealer after 10 hours of warranty labor for diagnosis. My own investigation determined it was a banging that could be felt under the floor, just below the back of the driver's seat when it's set for my position. I taped a quarter on the floor there & showed dealer tech, who described several electronic components that are tucked underneath. But later apparently he could not find the rattle source after at least four trips onto & off the hoist.

So...AOA tech showed up yesterday. His solution: new rear struts. Should arrive tomorrow. Has been in the shop since 1/18, for 35K service + this. Drivetrain has to be lowered for the strut work, so there's lots of labor yet ahead.

I haven't talked to the dealer tech since dropping off the car, so I don't know the status of the first banging rattle (passenger side, rear wheel well area), for which a component already had been replaced...but that didn't stop the first rattle before my second visit. (Still with me?)

35K service includes timing belt, by the way...which becomes owner expense at 75K, and it's required to keep up the extended warranty (actually a service contract) sold by AOA. Two dealers estimate $1200 cost for owners to replace timing belt when it becomes our turn at 75K mi.

[JAXRS6]

I picked up the beast yesterday after dropping it off Jan 18. The big wait was for DRC component called center valve gas accumulator, according to tech. One in the rear had ruptured, eventually degrading the system and, with pressure gone, causing the DRC's long skinny tubes to rattle. At least that's my day-after paraphrasing of his very technical explanation.

So, struts per se (shock absorbers) were not replaced. Components as described, on top of the rear struts, were replaced. One came quickly, the other was ordered from Germany and arrived in four business days.

Driving on the corrugated lawn alongside a curbless church parking lot near the dealer, I heard no rattles as before. I hope to do some spirited driving very soon; meantime just getting it back is a sensory experience. I swear, it even smells new!

:incar: :incar: :incar:
Other rattle sources were hardware for Sirius, and something else -- but the service writer's description yesterday didn't match what the tech said earlier (during diagnosis), so I want to clarify before posting here.