A3 engine vibration on warm start only???? Any ideas????

[rosso rocket]

Although I am a newbie A3 owner to this forum, I am enquiring on behalf of my neighbour who has a weird poroblem with his A3.

The car (http://www.audi-forums.com/#) is a 2006 A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI (170) S-Tronic SE model.

When he starts the car from warm, there is a really bad vibration coming through the vehicle steering wheel and can be felt touching any of the other controls when sat in the driving seat. This happens at tickover speed only. When the vibration starts, the revs drop back slightly from nomal idle speed. As soon as you drive away, the problem goes. When you pull up in traffic, the vibration returns and its really concerning to him and he feels its as though soimething is going to blow in the engine (http://www.audi-forums.com/#). http://www.audi-forums.com/images/smilies/eek.gif
As I said though, it NEVER happens from cold starting.

Miles = 52k - So far:- Cam belt changed, exhaust lambdna sensor changed, full diagnostic carried out by 2 x Audi (http://www.audi-forums.com/#) main dealers - NO FAULT FOUND. An Audi independant could replicate the fault but is unable to diagnose the problem.
Others have suggested it could be an engine mount, vacuum hose or the injector weave loom.
Given the mileage (http://www.audi-forums.com/#), I can't see and engine mount being an issue. The vacuum hoses have been checked and if an injector loom was breaking down, then surely this would happen at all engine speeds and not just when warm?

Has anyone seen this type of problem before and what would you suggestwould be the next course of action to rectify?

[jonathanfenton]

Sell on a cold day and start again... often cheaper than throwing thousands at it

[alankru]

I thought I have read about a similar problem on another thread, but I could be imagining it as I can only find these similar threads:
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?122328-My-Audi-A3-Fails-To-Start-When-the-Engine-is-Warm!
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?122604-A3-1.9-TDI-engine-starts-weird-when-hot

[kalniel]

Although I am a newbie A3 owner to this forum, I am enquiring on behalf of my neighbour who has a weird poroblem with his A3.

The car (http://www.audi-forums.com/#) is a 2006 A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI (170) S-Tronic SE model.

When he starts the car from warm, there is a really bad vibration coming through the vehicle steering wheel and can be felt touching any of the other controls when sat in the driving seat. This happens at tickover speed only. When the vibration starts, the revs drop back slightly from nomal idle speed. As soon as you drive away, the problem goes. When you pull up in traffic, the vibration returns and its really concerning to him and he feels its as though soimething is going to blow in the engine (http://www.audi-forums.com/#). http://www.audi-forums.com/images/smilies/eek.gif
As I said though, it NEVER happens from cold starting.

Miles = 52k - So far:- Cam belt changed, exhaust lambdna sensor changed, full diagnostic carried out by 2 x Audi (http://www.audi-forums.com/#) main dealers - NO FAULT FOUND. An Audi independant could replicate the fault but is unable to diagnose the problem.
Others have suggested it could be an engine mount, vacuum hose or the injector weave loom.
Given the mileage (http://www.audi-forums.com/#), I can't see and engine mount being an issue. The vacuum hoses have been checked and if an injector loom was breaking down, then surely this would happen at all engine speeds and not just when warm?

Has anyone seen this type of problem before and what would you suggestwould be the next course of action to rectify?

No expert here, so just conjecture, but the revs dropping back suggests to me something's putting load on the motor - could be the alternator, fan, water pump or transmission I guess. Loading up the engine could also be causing the vibration. As it only happens when warm my first guess would be to look at cooling systems - was the water pump changed at the same time as the cam belt?

[rosso rocket]

To add further intrigue, the vibration get worse when the car is on an incline i.e. stopped at traffic lights on a hill, with the engine higher than the rear of the car, pointing up the hill.

When my nieghbour came home yesterday, I went round for a look myself and sure enough, with the engine running on idle, you can feel the viration through the steering wheel and literally from the seat of your pants through the drivers seat!!! Most odd. As soon as you apply the mildest of throttle, the problem goes away.
What bothers the driver is that she is really worried that damage is being done at this warm idle speed as it is quite a vibration, I must admit.
Any one else got any ideas as to the problem?

[Lofty79]

Find somebody with vag com and ask them to raise your idle to 900 950 and it should be ok. it may just be a few rpm out from where it wants to be. they are usually just a little under the 1000 rpm

[alankru]

There is a thread about something similar, but I don't think that the original poster got to the bottom of it:
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?87440-Vibration-at-1400-rpm-2.0-tdi-140ps&highlight=vibration

[peter10]

Sounds like a suspect engine mount. This problem is now quite common on many makes.

[rosso rocket]

My friend has just had another garage look at it and they have come back and said the issue is definately the Dual Mass Flywheel, which really needs replacing.
They have quoted nearly £1000 to do this...I know they are expensive but still seems a lot to me..any more cost effective solutions out there?

[jonathanfenton]

My friend has just had another garage look at it and they have come back and said the issue is definately the Dual Mass Flywheel, which really needs replacing.
They have quoted nearly £1000 to do this...I know they are expensive but still seems a lot to me..any more cost effective solutions out there?

There's a sticky n this forum about it.. Maybe worth a read

[jonathanfenton]

Ignore me I must of imagined it

[rosso rocket]

There's a sticky n this forum about it.. Maybe worth a read


Hi Jonathanfenton, not sure where you find the 'Stickies', can you direct me please? The only ones I can see are at the top of the page.
Thanks

[jonathanfenton]

Hi Jonathanfenton, not sure where you find the 'Stickies', can you direct me please? The only ones I can see are at the top of the page.
Thanks

nah i got it wrong it wasnt about the dmfw... it was about the alternator pulley...

[rosso rocket]

Thats OK....was wondering where you meant as I have searched for similar threads with no joy! Will post the outcome of the situation once my friend decides what to do....whatever it is, it sounds like its going to cost a pretty penny to resolve....

[jonathanfenton]

So what was the outcome?