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View Full Version : B6 Passat general impressions & the quest for the rattle



boggle
22-07-2007, 08:18 PM
I traded in my much loved B5 model 1.9Tdi SE 130 about 6 months. On balance very pleased with the (almost) new TDI SE 140 saloon which has replaced it.

It’s more refined and better to drive. The performance doesn’t seem vastly different, but the smoothness with which it gets there does. I miss my old climate control though (semi automatic replacement is rubbish by comparison – VW marketing swizz). I also agree with the pundits who say build quality has also suffered. It’s not terrible, but it doesn’t feel quite as rock solid as the old B5.

I’ve had a bit of an adventure recently fitting a Towsure towbar (their wiring diagram is wrong!), and found this forum in the process. I also intend to fit a MP3 player, having discovered a thread which describes how to get the radio out (this was puzzling me). Just need to decide where to mount the jack socket.

Anyways I digress, onto the rattle…

I’ve had a good bash at finding this and failed. It’s also been back to the dealer once, but no joy. Can’t say as I’m that surprised it’s a difficult one.

Perhaps more of a buzz than a rattle. Occurs under load, around 2000rpm, and disappers again as revs increase beyond this. Fundamental harmonic of some kind. Sounds like a piece of plastic or a cable in a tray. Located (as best I can tell) around top LH corner of dash. Although location of these noises can be misleading.

I had a dig around on the forum,

I know it’s not the glove box as that’s now sat in the passenger footwell! It’s not the door sills, or the fuse holder, inside the LH side of the dash. I also went under the bonnet and pulled off the bit of plastic that covers the fan inlet. This looked like a prime candidate for a rattling, but no…

With the glove box out I’ve had a passenger push and prod most visible stuff, (as we gracefully maintain a steady 2000rpm) but no joy. I read the thread on this coming from the wheel arch plastics. Mine seem fairly solidly attached. In fact it’s hard to believe this is coming from outside the car. Happy to keep an open mind though.

So if you have tips, tricks or recently found a rattle. I’d love to hear from you.

Quatrelle
22-07-2007, 08:45 PM
Shame about the clim. I suppose it depends on the model - mine is either fully auto or manual.

Can't help with the rattle, beyond saying that the origin of a noise can be very deceiving. I recently spent an hour driving with a sort of 'keys jingling' noise (I was convinced it came from the central armrest area). My wife suggested it came from the back of the car. It transpired that I hadn't returned one of the folding back seats to its locked position.

I'm presuming you've checked the driver's manual 'shelf'?

Best wishes

boggle
23-07-2007, 10:22 AM
Thanks for reply. Yup I suspected the manual shelf at first. But, I've now removed the glovebox completely. (So that can't be to blame).

iaint
24-07-2007, 10:42 AM
I've read about this CD but can't offer any opinions on how effective it is or indeed if it works at all.

http://www.rattlebuster.com/how.html

Has anyone else heard of it for help in identifying rattles without having to drive the car?

Cheers
Iain

angus
24-07-2007, 10:53 AM
I had the same rattle (or buzz) at the same revs from new (140TDI Sport estate).

I took it back under warranty (I couldn`t live with it, the most infuriating noise just at the speeds you do most), and after a day they decided it was the clutch cable which is ( apparently) routed above and behind the glovebox.

It was moved, packed and lubricated which shut it up. Unfortunately, they disturbed the radio which then vibrated but then they put that right. And yesterday they got the glovebox to stop buzzing. Joy!

pp241
24-07-2007, 11:08 AM
I traded in my much loved B5 model 1.9Tdi SE 130 about 6 months. On balance very pleased with the (almost) new TDI SE 140 saloon which has replaced it.

It’s more refined and better to drive. The performance doesn’t seem vastly different, but the smoothness with which it gets there does. I miss my old climate control though (semi automatic replacement is rubbish by comparison – VW marketing swizz). I also agree with the pundits who say build quality has also suffered. It’s not terrible, but it doesn’t feel quite as rock solid as the old B5.

I’ve had a bit of an adventure recently fitting a Towsure towbar (their wiring diagram is wrong!), and found this forum in the process. I also intend to fit a MP3 player, having discovered a thread which describes how to get the radio out (this was puzzling me). Just need to decide where to mount the jack socket.

Anyways I digress, onto the rattle…

I’ve had a good bash at finding this and failed. It’s also been back to the dealer once, but no joy. Can’t say as I’m that surprised it’s a difficult one.

Perhaps more of a buzz than a rattle. Occurs under load, around 2000rpm, and disappers again as revs increase beyond this. Fundamental harmonic of some kind. Sounds like a piece of plastic or a cable in a tray. Located (as best I can tell) around top LH corner of dash. Although location of these noises can be misleading.

I had a dig around on the forum,

I know it’s not the glove box as that’s now sat in the passenger footwell! It’s not the door sills, or the fuse holder, inside the LH side of the dash. I also went under the bonnet and pulled off the bit of plastic that covers the fan inlet. This looked like a prime candidate for a rattling, but no…

With the glove box out I’ve had a passenger push and prod most visible stuff, (as we gracefully maintain a steady 2000rpm) but no joy. I read the thread on this coming from the wheel arch plastics. Mine seem fairly solidly attached. In fact it’s hard to believe this is coming from outside the car. Happy to keep an open mind though.

So if you have tips, tricks or recently found a rattle. I’d love to hear from you.
Hi, Have also had the joy of fitting a Towsure bar to my 07 TDI 140 estate - not that the towbar was the problem just the complete faf in taking out all the trim to get to the rear lights for the bumper screws. Did you fit the 7 way bypass relay (Towsure part WK5) as it has now been over a week since I did the bar but still not done the electrics as want to make doulble sure it will be right. I now have a VW rear light wiring diagram but picked up on your comment ref Towsure's being wrong. What is the problem and is yours working ok ? Thanks Paul.

boggle
24-07-2007, 01:36 PM
I had the same rattle (or buzz) at the same revs from new (140TDI Sport estate).

..snip..

After a day they decided it was the clutch cable which is ( apparently) routed above and behind the glovebox. It was moved, packed and lubricated which shut it up.


Thanks. Great info. Mine is almost certainly the same thing. As sometimes (very rarely) at idle I can prompt this buzz by depressing the clutch. Can't be coincidence surely!

If it's easy to get to the clutch cable from the cabin I'll do it myself (glove box already out). If not it's almost time for it's first service and I'll ask the dealership to do it.

PS. You're right about it being bloomin annoying :aargh4: my wife thinks I'm just an obsessive who should just turn the radio up :o

boggle
24-07-2007, 01:58 PM
Hi, Have also had the joy of fitting a Towsure bar to my 07 TDI 140 estate - not that the towbar was the problem just the complete faf in taking out all the trim to get to the rear lights for the bumper screws. Did you fit the 7 way bypass relay (Towsure part WK5) as it has now been over a week since I did the bar but still not done the electrics as want to make doulble sure it will be right. I now have a VW rear light wiring diagram but picked up on your comment ref Towsure's being wrong. What is the problem and is yours working ok ? Thanks Paul.

Go on then I'll tell you my story.

I rebelled against the price VW wanted to charge me. So I purchased the Towsure towbar and asked my local garage to do it. (Has worked for me in past) I didn't go for the bypass relay I forked out for the pukka dedicated wiring kit WK6772 . It has a little black box that sits on the CAN bus (this lives in boot).

Unfortunately my (normally reliable) local garage dude seems to be having a bad time at the moment. He fitted the towbar, took one look at the wiring and would go no further.

So in the end I decide to do the wiring myself.

The dedicated wiring kits goes:
From the towbar socket to the black box module in the boot. I think 4 wires then run to the front of the car. Two of these need to be connected (via scotch locks thingys) to existing wires loomed up in the drivers footwell. One is on the CAN bus the other ..err..can't remember. Bit of a nightmare to get at. Head in black hole, swearing trying to unpick loom.

The others are a power feed. Which are meant to be picked up from the fuseboard (at RHS dash). This is where the mistake is, there is no power routed to the fuse slots they specify. I phoned the help line and the guy said "oh yeah, someone else said that" :aargh4: Fortunately there is a handy ignition feed you can steal on the fuseboard.

I'm not the most experienced at this sort of stuff and this cost me a considerable amount of time. In the end I think I should have paid. Least it all works though! Once I solve my current rattle obsession and fit my MP3 player adaptor all will be well in my world :biglaugh:

pp241
02-08-2007, 05:37 PM
Hi There not that it's of much to you now but thought I'd update you on my story. The bypass relay picks up the small canbus voltages to the various light functions and by way of a 12v fused supply routes 12v to the towbar socket and so on to the trailer/caravan/jetski etc etc. Anyway after much tooling around I got hold of a vehicle wiring diagram picked up the relevant wires tapped into the boot 12v socket via a fuse and tested the socket which seemed to work. Flushed with sucess I clipped all the trim in and drove to my caravan storage pound, backed up to it plugged in and kept my fingers crossed - it worked! ! ! The cost of the WK5 bypass relay is £29.00 so I guess it was just about worth the aggro ! !

boggle
03-08-2007, 08:40 PM
Hurahh - my rattle is finally fixed. Thought I'd say what it was (in case anyone else has similar probs). See description above.

So after fooling around taking the glove box out and fiddling around with various pieces of the dash. I finally gave in and went back to the dealer again. This time I took a VW technician out on the test drive with me.

It's wasn't in the car at all. Rather, it was under the bonnet. Hydraulic clutch pipe runs along bulkhead. There a filter type thingy held on by clips, somewhere about area where the RHS glovebox starts. This was twisted slightly and was banging against the bulkhead (in sympathetic vibration) at certain frequencies. Hard to find easy to fix.

I am now very pleased to report I am rattle free.

Quatrelle
03-08-2007, 08:58 PM
Good - thanks for getting back - glad you got it sorted!http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/../images/icons/icon7.gif

TimS996
14-08-2007, 06:38 PM
Have exactly the same rattle/vibration as you and others decscribed.

So to get this clear - it's a clutch pipe vibrating against the bulkhead? Have I understood this correctly?