2015 Passat TDI surging/pulsing sound on freeway

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
A few days ago I noticed a surging/pulsing sound while driving with the music off for a few minutes.The sound is a steady surge, that fades in and out, I'm not sure if I never noticed it, but its easy to hear so I don't know. It happens over around 40mph but is easier to hear on the freeway. The RPM's don't change so I don't really think its engine related...maybe something with the wheels or tires?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 

rustycat

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Location
seattle
TDI
2015 passat sel
A few days ago I noticed a surging/pulsing sound while driving with the music off for a few minutes.The sound is a steady surge, that fades in and out, I'm not sure if I never noticed it, but its easy to hear so I don't know. It happens over around 40mph but is easier to hear on the freeway. The RPM's don't change so I don't really think its engine related...maybe something with the wheels or tires?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
So, it doesn't sound like the engine, there are no malfunction lights on the dash and the rpms are steady. My guess would be tire sound on pavement.
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
So, it doesn't sound like the engine, there are no malfunction lights on the dash and the rpms are steady. My guess would be tire sound on pavement.
thanks for the response! I assume its tire related, just never heard a steady pulsing sound like that from a tire and I'm coming from a lifted 4 Runner. The tires are Sumitomo and have plenty of tread life left so I cant figure out why they would be so loud:confused:
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
UPDATE...
Did a bunch of research on the pulse/surge noise and found out it could be from a nail in a tire....the other day I noticed a good size nail in my front passenger tire but haven't had a chance to get it pulled and plugged at discount tire. Going to try that tomorrow or Tuesday and follow up on here...fingers crossed:D
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
UPDATE...

Nail had nothing to do with it...tires have cupping on the inside (from previous owner) but otherwise in good shape. So not sure if they are the culprit. Drove a few hundred miles the past 2 days and notice the noise is loudest over 60mph. I checked under the car for loosed plastic etc. and everything was fine.

Probably unrelated but the TPMS light came on once and stayed on (didn't blink) on the drive home today. Tire pressure was fine when I checked so not sure why that happened.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
With cupped tires, you could be generating harmonics being transferred through the axles, etc at various speeds, depending on the type of road surface. I bought a Honda CR-V years ago with badly cupped tires and the noise they made drove me nuts on highways. When I bought new tires, the noises were gone.
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
With cupped tires, you could be generating harmonics being transferred through the axles, etc at various speeds, depending on the type of road surface. I bought a Honda CR-V years ago with badly cupped tires and the noise they made drove me nuts on highways. When I bought new tires, the noises were gone.
That is my worry since the tires probably have 80% tread left... the guys at discount said the tires are fine besides the cupping and its probably driveline/bearing (which it could be) but I think a new set of tires would solve it. I just don't want to take that gamble and be wrong
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
Tires are strange bedfellows. We bought a new Hyundai Santa Fe with Kohomo (sp?) tires on it. I religiously rotated them every 8K miles and kept the air pressures right. They made so much noise, I brought the car back to the dealer thinking a wheel bearing was gone. It wasn't....it was those damn Korean tires. At 55K I pulled them and put on Goodyear tires and the noises are gone (at 65 K now).
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
Tires are strange bedfellows. We bought a new Hyundai Santa Fe with Kohomo (sp?) tires on it. I religiously rotated them every 8K miles and kept the air pressures right. They made so much noise, I brought the car back to the dealer thinking a wheel bearing was gone. It wasn't....it was those damn Korean tires. At 55K I pulled them and put on Goodyear tires and the noises are gone (at 65 K now).
No kidding, sounds like I might need to just get a new set then:mad:
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Its the tires, inside wear is alignment related also. You will have the noise as long as you keep those tires. on my 2013 passat sel, when I sold it back to VW with 56k, the tires, front and back had no cupping, and were even across tread, 7/32 left on the Conti's. Thats because I had set it up zero toe both front and rear, See the thread on alignment.
 

2015 PASSAT

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Location
San Diego
TDI
2015 Passat TDI
Its the tires, inside wear is alignment related also. You will have the noise as long as you keep those tires. on my 2013 passat sel, when I sold it back to VW with 56k, the tires, front and back had no cupping, and were even across tread, 7/32 left on the Conti's. Thats because I had set it up zero toe both front and rear, See the thread on alignment.
I'll take a look at it, then keep these tires for a few more months and then get an alignment and new set
 
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