2015 B8 A4 suspension rattle...... Help!

[SE_Technik_190]

We've had this car since 2017 and for the last 18-24 months have had a rattle that's getting slowly worse.

Rattles briefly after passing over a bit of rough road or undulation in the surface, possibly slightly more prevalent if accelerating lightly? Very noticeable at low speeds but maybe because road noise is less. Sounds to me like a worn damper bush or maybe anti-roll bar link or bush. I have had a good look at the suspension with wheels off and trays removed but a bit limited what I can do on the driveway with basic lifting tools. Also from the drivers seat it sounds like it is coming from front passenger side of car.

At the last MOT I explained all this to my friendly MOT tester so he had a real good look at the suspension and did find a broken rear spring :yikes:, everything else checked out ok. I/we thought this must be it but after replacing the spring it is still there and still getting slowly slowly worse.

Really want this fixed in case it's something serious, and also have a family tour of Scotland coming up in a couple of months and really don't want to do a full weeks driving with the rattle bugging me....

Before I send it to a VAG specialist with a blank cheque option of 'FIX IT!' does anyone have any idea what it might be, anything common on this model that fails and rattles this way without being obvious?

[gareth23]

I had a similar annoying rattle on my B7 and 3 different garages looked at it with nothing found, I replaced a track rod due to a split boot and noticed the noise disappeared for a few days so I thought it must be related to the rack. Turned out to be the spherical joint on the end of the steering rack.

The diagnosis involved putting the car on a 2 post lift so the wheels were free, I turned the steering wheel backwards and forwards and the mechanic could only just hear a clunk as the steering changed direction, he then side loaded the end of the rack with a crowbar and the clunk disappeared. One new spherical joint later and it was silent.

Cant recall the cost but it wasnt much and didnt take long to fit.

[SE_Technik_190]

Thanks, will certainly look at that as a possibility. I want to have at least a good idea of what it isn't, before I hand it over to someone who may just go through the shotgun parts swapping procedure of repair..... (i.e replace anything that moves until it is fixed, regardless of cost or investigation!)

[Crasher]

before I hand it over to someone who may just go through the shotgun parts swapping procedure of repair...

AKA, firing the parts cannon. We have a taxi customer with a 2017 A4 that has done a few miles and it developed a rattle like this last year. We found the caliper carriers were worn very badly and in a way we had not seen before, when we called TPS they had two pairs on the shelf. We booked it in for a few days later and when we went to have the carriers delivered they had sold both pairs and we had to order another pair in so it is obviously an issue. Also we found the pads someone had fitted were a loose fit and the discs made an odd noise on initial operation so he ended up with new genuine discs and pads as well.

[SE_Technik_190]

AKA, firing the parts cannon. We have a taxi customer with a 2017 A4 that has done a few miles and it developed a rattle like this last year. We found the caliper carriers were worn very badly and in a way we had not seen before, when we called TPS they had two pairs on the shelf. We booked it in for a few days later and when we went to have the carriers delivered they had sold both pairs and we had to order another pair in so it is obviously an issue. Also we found the pads someone had fitted were a loose fit and the discs made an odd noise on initial operation so he ended up with new genuine discs and pads as well.

This had occurred to me as I typed my initial post. Just had the same issue on my old landrover after new pads. It's something I need to take a wheel off and check for again, but to be honest it doesn't sound like it as in my experience rattling brake pads do sound quite high pitched, like a metallic rattle heard with the window open, but I'm getting a knock/clunk that's coming through the car body.

Thanks for the suggestion though, it's one more thing I need to tick off the list for the process of elimination.