VW MKIV-A4 TDIs (VE and PD) This is a general discussion about A4/MkIV Jetta (99.5-~2005), Golf(99.5-2006), and New Beetle(98-2006). Both VE and PD engines are covered here. |
February 21st, 2009, 18:06
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#1
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Newbie
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01 Jetta TDI: Shimmy / Vibration / Shake
I am at a dead end and can't figure out this problem. Hopefully someone can help???
Over the past 5k miles or so our car has developed a nasty shimmy, shake, or vibration most noticable between 35 and 45 mph under acceleration. The vibration is minimal (if at all) when braking or coasting. I am set to get new tires and an alignment but want to resolve the vibration first.
Here is the car info...
We have a 2001 Jetta TDI that is bone stock with 188,000 miles. Maintenance is up to date for timing belt service, brake fluid flush, auto transmission fluid flush and filter, oil, and intake cleaning. The front sway bar bushings were replaced in the last 10k miles. The shocks are stock original. The tires are 205/60/R15 and are due for replacement.
Attempts to diagnose...
I put the front end in the air and checked for any loose steering drivetrain or supension parts, none were identified. I rotated the tires thinking it was a wheel out of balance, no noticeable difference.
HELP PLEASE!!!
Thanks,
Erick
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February 21st, 2009, 18:09
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#2
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Guelph
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Warped rotor?
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2015 Golf TDI Comfort line
2L, 6spd, Leatherette 4.5L/100 km

2001 Jetta TDI 357,000 km 01M/2002 Golf TDI 285,000 km 01/2010 GSW TDI 115,000 km 6MT/2013 Jetta TDI 47,000 km 6MT
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February 21st, 2009, 18:52
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#3
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Covington, Ga.
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Bad cv joints? If it is nasty can you drive on a 4 lane highway with someone watching from the second car. If you see wheels hopping about you might have a clue.
Where do you live? I live in a smooth road area so my suspension does not suffer the same way that a car driven in Ohio or Michigan might suffer.
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2003 Jetta wagon GLS, 5 Speed, Alligator tune, 34 psi tire pressure, 49.1 US mpg first 35k, 50 next 31.5k, 50.4 next 36k miles, cleaned intake twice and polished end runners last time, Mobil Truck & SUV or Delvac. Koni FSDs, VWs since 1977. Sprint 520 Nozzles for Christmas 2007. Ecodes with fogs and Eswitch. 505,000 miles and counting, original turbo. 2004 Dodge 2500 Cummins HO.
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February 21st, 2009, 19:46
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#4
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wichita Ks
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shimmy/shake
First thing to check is for loose rubber inside of tire. This is done with car jacked up in neutral grip tire top and bottom and very quickly switch top & bottom maintaining contact with tire note if you feel marbles inside tire if so remove loose rubber and rebalance assembly. Another possibility is a bent wheel this can be checked for by simply rotating wheel while holding a stabilized rod to determine runout or woble in wheel. A warped rotor will only cause problems when braking. These are just a few but the first ones I check when I have problems. Thanks cadman1940
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February 22nd, 2009, 10:07
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#6
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Guelph
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I'm still guessing rotor,let us know!
GL!
__________________
2015 Golf TDI Comfort line
2L, 6spd, Leatherette 4.5L/100 km

2001 Jetta TDI 357,000 km 01M/2002 Golf TDI 285,000 km 01/2010 GSW TDI 115,000 km 6MT/2013 Jetta TDI 47,000 km 6MT
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February 22nd, 2009, 10:27
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#7
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Covington, Ga.
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Someone just mentioned a good idea. Jack up car. Spin every tire looking to see how true the tires are. Post results of runout. It is possible that you have more than one tire damaged or running out of true or out of round. Rotating tires might just put another bad tire in the same place. I had a set of tires where one tire would always cause a pull. When it was rotated to the back the pull went away. Same car never had tires that were all that true. Maybe the Brazilian GTI wheels were not that true to start with.
My brother has destroyed at least one tire in a chuckhole. It may be possible that you have done belt damage to more than one tire so that is the reason for inspecting each tire looking at them from the front or back and from the side while spinning. Weird wiggles and weird hump/high spots are problems.
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2003 Jetta wagon GLS, 5 Speed, Alligator tune, 34 psi tire pressure, 49.1 US mpg first 35k, 50 next 31.5k, 50.4 next 36k miles, cleaned intake twice and polished end runners last time, Mobil Truck & SUV or Delvac. Koni FSDs, VWs since 1977. Sprint 520 Nozzles for Christmas 2007. Ecodes with fogs and Eswitch. 505,000 miles and counting, original turbo. 2004 Dodge 2500 Cummins HO.
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February 24th, 2009, 15:21
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#8
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Newbie
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And the winner is... Roadhard and Cadman.
After lifting the car and checking every possible suspension and drivetrain component for the third time I still found nothing. My fear was paying for 4 new tires and the problem not going away. I just got home from the tire place with 4 new tires and the problem is solved. It appears that the tread or belt had seperated in a tire which caused the vibration. When I rotated the tires the vibration went from not so bad in the rear to nearly unbearable when the bad tire was up front. Anyway, thanks again for the help.
Erick
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July 16th, 2016, 05:03
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#9
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Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
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Ever find out what this was? Mine (2005 Jetta TDI) is doing the same thing now. I am leaning toward premature torque converter lockup?
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July 16th, 2016, 05:06
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#10
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Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
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Doh! I see you solved your issue.....but I just put on a new set of treads, and the shop says my axle joints are all okay. Anyone have any other thoughts?
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July 16th, 2016, 16:04
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#11
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: PNW
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IWUScott
Doh! I see you solved your issue.....but I just put on a new set of treads, and the shop says my axle joints are all okay. Anyone have any other thoughts?
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How do they KNOW the CV joints are OK? Possibly bad axles (cheap ones)?
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July 16th, 2016, 17:16
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#12
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NC
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Glad it was tires. Other things to watch for is a inner CV joint, bad wheel bearing and/or a brake caliper sticking causing the rotor to warp and pulse while driving and stopping.
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'04 Beetle TDI w/BEW and DSG
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July 16th, 2016, 18:11
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#13
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lawrenceville PA
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Are the axles original? How many miles on your car? If you have a vibration it can be several different things in addition to the tires. Inner cv joint, inner tie rod, wheel bearing, outer tie rod. You'll need to check them all. While it could be your transmission, I'd sooner think its one of these others unless there is additional info?
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July 26th, 2016, 21:07
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#14
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Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
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I just had the car up on stands again today, to take another look. Seems there may be too much play in the left inner, which I intend to replace (dad did it a couple years ago, before I bought it from him. He has said he wasn't real happy with it (rebuilt) when he got it) next week. Any ideas where to purchase would be appreciated. I also noticed the rear bushing on the driver's side A-arm looks to need replaced also. Might this cause the "shimmy?"
Being new to the site, I am not familiar with where the best place to post the following is. If anyone else feels it valuable and wants to copy/paste somewhere else, please do so. It might help other Jetta owners prevent impending issues.
While checking my axles, I also thought it a good time to work on a couple of beginning rust issues.
First, the fender well lip on the top of the driver's side fender was rusting. I believe this issue is caused by the foam rubber block installed in the fender cavity. It is probably wet most of the time(at least, here IN Pennsylvania) and it sits right up against the fender lip. I will trim it back after painting. Can't see doing so causing an issue.
The second issue has arisen in front of both front doors, at the bottom of the frame, just behind the fender well. When I removed the plastic well liners, I found the space between the liners and the frame packed with mud, sand and leaves on both sides. When the liner is mounted, there is a small slot between the frame and liner, probably to allow drainage? Unfortunately, it appears the cast off from the wheels must get thrown directly into this slot. I intend to attach a bit of screen wire to keep sand and leaves out, when I reattach the liners.
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July 27th, 2016, 02:19
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#15
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: PNW
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There's a fair amount of options out there on CV joints/axles. Need more information: if they're cheap axles don't bother trying to replace the CV joints.
Check at a local VW dealer about that fender. You might still be covered under their extended warranty: 12 years?
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