I have a 2004 Jetta TDI with 5 speed manual and 90,000km (56,000mi). I have owned the car for three years and it had 55,000km (34,000mi) when I bought it. I bought it from a Volkswagen dealer as a lease return. Its still covered under the additional warranty VW tacks on when you buy used from them. The vehicle has had its oil changes at the dealer since I bought it and I haven't had any work done on it other than a recall, I think it was a brake light switch.
I have started noticing a front end vibration along with a bit of a roaring noise, or maybe a drone. It starts at around 40 km/h (25mph) and is most noticable at 80 km/h (50mph) and seems to disappear at 110 km/h (68mph) and doesn't reappear all the way up to 160 km/h (100mph). The noise and vibration is independent of engine speed, the pitch and volume depends on the speed of the car regardless of gear or coasting in neutral. Accelerating, braking or coasting doesn't seem to change anything.
The car drives fine. It tracks straight as an arrow and there is no vibration or wobble in the steering wheel, other than the same general vibration that is also felt through the floorboard.
The car has alloy wheels which get swapped for steel wheel mounted snow tires in the winter. Both sets are rotated front to back (both sets are directional tires) when they get changed. I might put on 12,000 km (7,000mi) a year on the car, so the tires are rotated in half that distance each time.
I've inspected the tires and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with them. Nonetheless I switched the front tires to the snow tires and the vibration is exactly the same.
I've had the front end in the air and put the car in gear and when the dial shows 80 km/h the vibration is very prominently present, though maybe not as bad as when you're actually driving down the road. With it idling in 5th with the wheels in the air I wasn't able to pinpoint the location of any noise or be able to tell that anything sounded particularly wrong, but there does seem to be a sound associated to the rotating wheels. Should the CV joints be completely silent or do they make some noise? What about the wheel bearings?
I've checked for play in the wheels and attached components and everything seems solid, but I'm no mechanic. When I rotate the wheels by hand there seems to be a slight brake drag on them, but no real noise. However, if I change the direction of the rotation I get one distinct click each time it changes. I'm not sure but I think this may be coming from the are of the driver's side inner CV joint. I've also checked the rotors for unusual heat after a highway drive and there is none. I haven't noticed any change in noise or feel when turning, and haven't noticed any clicking in sharp turns at low speed. I didn't find any cuts in the CV boots and no sign of slingage, everything is pretty clean.
The vibration feels like something that is rotating is out of balance. The sound is pretty smooth and consistent though, not like the whump whump of an out of balance wheel or something.
I believe I've eliminated the tires and wheels, as well as the rear end, as the possible cause since its still there with the car in the air. So, could it be a wheel bearing? CV joints? Something wrong with the axles?
The car is due to go back to the dealership for a glow plug recall and failing coolant temperature sensor which I hope is covered under warranty.
Any suggestions, insight or help is appreciated. Thanks guys.
I have started noticing a front end vibration along with a bit of a roaring noise, or maybe a drone. It starts at around 40 km/h (25mph) and is most noticable at 80 km/h (50mph) and seems to disappear at 110 km/h (68mph) and doesn't reappear all the way up to 160 km/h (100mph). The noise and vibration is independent of engine speed, the pitch and volume depends on the speed of the car regardless of gear or coasting in neutral. Accelerating, braking or coasting doesn't seem to change anything.
The car drives fine. It tracks straight as an arrow and there is no vibration or wobble in the steering wheel, other than the same general vibration that is also felt through the floorboard.
The car has alloy wheels which get swapped for steel wheel mounted snow tires in the winter. Both sets are rotated front to back (both sets are directional tires) when they get changed. I might put on 12,000 km (7,000mi) a year on the car, so the tires are rotated in half that distance each time.
I've inspected the tires and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with them. Nonetheless I switched the front tires to the snow tires and the vibration is exactly the same.
I've had the front end in the air and put the car in gear and when the dial shows 80 km/h the vibration is very prominently present, though maybe not as bad as when you're actually driving down the road. With it idling in 5th with the wheels in the air I wasn't able to pinpoint the location of any noise or be able to tell that anything sounded particularly wrong, but there does seem to be a sound associated to the rotating wheels. Should the CV joints be completely silent or do they make some noise? What about the wheel bearings?
I've checked for play in the wheels and attached components and everything seems solid, but I'm no mechanic. When I rotate the wheels by hand there seems to be a slight brake drag on them, but no real noise. However, if I change the direction of the rotation I get one distinct click each time it changes. I'm not sure but I think this may be coming from the are of the driver's side inner CV joint. I've also checked the rotors for unusual heat after a highway drive and there is none. I haven't noticed any change in noise or feel when turning, and haven't noticed any clicking in sharp turns at low speed. I didn't find any cuts in the CV boots and no sign of slingage, everything is pretty clean.
The vibration feels like something that is rotating is out of balance. The sound is pretty smooth and consistent though, not like the whump whump of an out of balance wheel or something.
I believe I've eliminated the tires and wheels, as well as the rear end, as the possible cause since its still there with the car in the air. So, could it be a wheel bearing? CV joints? Something wrong with the axles?
The car is due to go back to the dealership for a glow plug recall and failing coolant temperature sensor which I hope is covered under warranty.
Any suggestions, insight or help is appreciated. Thanks guys.