2015 GSW w/ DSG mild "thunk" when starting

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
My 2015 GSW is exhibiting a mild "thunk" noise when I start to drive it. It doesn't seem to happen all the time and it only seems to happen after it's been parked for a while. I don't remember it doing this when I first bought it since I started noticing it after I did all of the services that were due last (DSG, fuel filter, oil filter, and oil change). I have a VCDS and followed the DSG and filter procedures by the book.

The sound is similar to the locks clicking when you start to move but with a more solid heft to the sound (more of a *thoomp* than a click in the door) and it almost sounds like it's coming from the windshield wiper area (sound travels but my wife and I almost thought it actually was the wipers lodging into their parked position at first).

I'll try to record it if no one has any ideas where or what to check, but has anyone heard anything like this?
 

Blue_Hen_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Location
Slower, DE
TDI
owned: 96 B4V, 06 Golf, 12 NMS, 15 GSW
The wipers do have a slight movement to them, by design, to keep the blades from becoming stagnant: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21267

I have not noticed a thunk from this though.

The only thunk I get is from the parking brake sticking sometimes and breaking loose when I start off. This happens after the car sits for awhile, and particularly when it has been wet. It happens identically in both my Mk7s, the GSW DSG and the GTI manual.
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
It does sound like the wipers and it does sound like it's coming from that general area, but the thread you linked indicates the wiper movement is done when the car is turned off whereas the noise in mine is when I start it.

When you say parked for a while do you mean overnight or a week? I think mine is overnight or longer. Haven't really heard it after an hour or two of being parked. We're never wet over here, though, temps (at the time of this posting) are currently 97 but most of the day was 110!
 

Blue_Hen_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Location
Slower, DE
TDI
owned: 96 B4V, 06 Golf, 12 NMS, 15 GSW
It does sound like the wipers and it does sound like it's coming from that general area, but the thread you linked indicates the wiper movement is done when the car is turned off whereas the noise in mine is when I start it.

When you say parked for a while do you mean overnight or a week? I think mine is overnight or longer. Haven't really heard it after an hour or two of being parked. We're never wet over here, though, temps (at the time of this posting) are currently 97 but most of the day was 110!
I'm talking overnight or even several hours of sitting.

If I wash the car or it rains or even if it's just the typical muggy as hell and everything is sweating (including inanimate objects) weather he have.... then the parking brake sticks and makes a racket when it breaks loose when you try to start rolling.

Maybe I just have a HULK SMASH grip on the brake when I park. I dunno.
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
OK, thanks for that information. I'll try and record it in the morning and post it.
 

STOKTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2016
Location
Ohio
TDI
2015 Golf MK7 TDI
My wipers make a noise/slightly move when I put my car in drive. Scared me at first but now I am used to it. Glad to know it is something that should happen
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
My wipers make a noise/slightly move when I put my car in drive. Scared me at first but now I am used to it. Glad to know it is something that should happen
We seem to be experiencing a similar issue, but I'm not sure whether it's supposed to happen. The thread Blue Hen linked to is talking about the wipers adjusting when the car is turned off.

I haven't been able to get a decisive sound recording yet.
 

RIP TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
TDI
'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
Same here as Stoktdi, my wipers make their reverse adjustment after a start, not a stop.
 

Mrrogers1

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Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Location
Omaha NEEEBRASKA
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT, 2011 Jetta TDI DSG, 2015 Golf Sportwagen S TDI DSG
We seem to be experiencing a similar issue, but I'm not sure whether it's supposed to happen. The thread Blue Hen linked to is talking about the wipers adjusting when the car is turned off.
I haven't been able to get a decisive sound recording yet.
Yup, it's when you start it and I believe it's after you put in reverse (maybe even drive) and start rolling. That is my experience usually in the morning after it's sat overnight. I'm sure there is a timer of some kind, maybe the same one that dictates if the trip computer gives you fresh "from start" numbers or compiled numbers from a trip/started like 30min earlier.

a) it's highly unlikely that it's the DSG or something else
b) it's totally normal
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
OK, well I was able to get a recording but not sure if it helps figure it out or makes it more difficult :)

Anyway, do you guys see the arms move? I don't really see movement from the wipers when I hear the sound. Before I made this thread I thought the sound was coming from the wiper area (already figured it was not likely to be the DSG or something major like that, except I was concerned if maybe the pump or filter could be the source) but didn't notice any movement so ruled it out and started looking elsewhere.

Do I need to really stare at it or is it so slight that it's not really going to be obvious?
 

RIP TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
TDI
'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
Its obvious on the passenger wiper from the driver's seat. Temporarily raising your seat if you sit low should help.
 
Last edited:

Mrrogers1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Location
Omaha NEEEBRASKA
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT, 2011 Jetta TDI DSG, 2015 Golf Sportwagen S TDI DSG
OK, well I was able to get a recording but not sure if it helps figure it out or makes it more difficult :)

Anyway, do you guys see the arms move? I don't really see movement from the wipers when I hear the sound. Before I made this thread I thought the sound was coming from the wiper area (already figured it was not likely to be the DSG or something major like that, except I was concerned if maybe the pump or filter could be the source) but didn't notice any movement so ruled it out and started looking elsewhere.

Do I need to really stare at it or is it so slight that it's not really going to be obvious?
No, I think you should just look in the rear view mirror and drive away. :D

As the saying goes around here, "Drive more, worry less".
 

RIP TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
TDI
'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
Confirmed that the reverse adjustment occurs both after starting and after stopping.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
It is one of those silly things the Germans thought was a nifty little feature, but only ends up stressing components beyond what a reasonable duty cycle would entail. Like placing the HVAC in recirc mode every time the car is in reverse... then you get to replace that little motor more often. :p

My personal favorite was tying the sunroof AND recirc to the sat-nav, so when you went in a tunnel, it would close the sunroof for you and put the car on recirc to keep fumes out of the cabin while passing through a tunnel. :cool:
 
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