My VRS has developed a noise from the back end which sounds just like a wheel bearing, a horrible whiny moaning sort of noise.

It increases with road speed and is really noticeable when I go over a pice of smooth tarmac and the normal tyre noise quietens down a bit.

The car is going in to the stealers next week for its 2nd oil service so I will ask them to look then.

Just wondering whether this is a common problem?

Wind noise from the rear quarterlight window seals can be alarmingly loud and almost impossible to see any defect to cause the effect.

You sure its from the wheel? Have you had anyone sit in the back and listen to where the noise eminates from?

Wind noise from the rear quarterlight window seals can be alarmingly loud and almost impossible to see any defect to cause the effect.

You sure its from the wheel? Have you had anyone sit in the back and listen to where the noise eminates from?

Definetly a mechanical noise, sounds exactly the same as an Orion we had a few years back and that turned out to be a wheel bearing,

I just find it hard to believe that one could be knackered after only 20K.

As a skoda tech i would say it would poss be your rear tyres thats making the noise, Have a look and see if the inner edges have stepped its a common fault on octy 2. And does sound just like a wheel bearing. Hope this helps.

Ours makes a noise just like this when the tyres get to about 22,000 mile gets worse and worse until i change by which point they are noticably out of shape every time it happens i convince myself its wheel bearings

I expect you're right that it's the wheel bearing.

I had one go on my last mk2 Octy at 10k, and one go on my current Octy at 25k (rear). Both replaced fine under warranty.

Edited 27 January, 201016 yr by wega3k

Ours makes a noise just like this when the tyres get to about 22,000 mile gets worse and worse until i change by which point they are noticably out of shape every time it happens i convince myself its wheel bearings

Noticeably out of shape? That must be rather a lot to be able to see it by eye?

Surely that is something wrong with the car design rather than tyre wear. There is plenty of tread left on both rears aswell, would rather not have to replace them as the noise is really annoying!

I expect you're right that it's the wheel bearing.

I had one go on my last mk2 Octy at 10k, and one go on my current Octy at 25k (rear). Both replaced fine under warranty.

I hope that is all it is, at least its an easy fix!

For some reason I keep thinking its something really bad, I think its just me being protective of my pride and joy!

I hope that is all it is, at least its an easy fix!

For some reason I keep thinking its something really bad, I think its just me being protective of my pride and joy!

Have you checked the inner edge of your tyres yet as i would bet my last pound it was tyre related, All the years ive been a skoda tech i think i have swapped 3 rear wheel bearings!!!! front wheel bearings another matter they get changed on a regular basis. if you look at your car sat on a level surface you can see the negative camber basicaly in lamens terms the tyre is sitting/riding on the inner edge. And over time the tyre gets uneven tyre wear and causes a rumbling sound just like a wheel bearing. TRUST ME i see it day in day out!

Noticeably out of shape? That must be rather a lot to be able to see it by eye?

Surely that is something wrong with the car design rather than tyre wear. There is plenty of tread left on both rears aswell, would rather not have to replace them as the noise is really annoying!

oh yes very noticable one tyre was barely legal the other had about 2.5mm left but they had done 28,000 the previous dunlops managed 30,000 but the noise started much earlier so probably around the 20k mark

front wheel bearings another matter they get changed on a regular basis.

How come (assuming the cv joint boots are ok)?

Some bearings last well over 100k, some last 10k. Inconsistencies in the manufacturing process maybe?

Front wheel bearings are generally under more stress than the rear bearings as they are encountering higher loads from more than one direction.

Heavy impacts from potholes can have a detrimental effect on bearings as well, the rears don't generally take as much of a hit as the fronts.

I expect you're right that it's the wheel bearing.

I had one go on my last mk2 Octy at 10k, and one go on my current Octy at 25k (rear). Both replaced fine under warranty.

I will second that, one rear bearing at about 35k and one front at about 50k - both replaced under warranty. Make sure that the dealer has the correct tools (4x4) before you let them dismantle the rear, they started mine only to find out they could not complete the job without a particular socket and had to give me a demonstrator to get home! Slightly disappointing when using a franchised dealer, mind you the experience at that dealer was always disappointing, needless to say I no longer use them and have found a far better dealership who seem to know what they are doing and are polite and helpful into the bargain.

How come (assuming the cv joint boots are ok)?

Cv joint boots and wheel bearings are totaly different units, admited the fit together but you need to get a workshop manual/ haynes manual and educate yourself, lol.

Had a 08 plate octy vrs diesel in today with suspected rear wheel bearing noise road tested with customer and that turned out to be the usual rear tyre prob, to prove to customer we swapped tyres from another vrs and guess what quiet as a mouse, so my advise is get your tyres checked by someone who knows what they are talking about. you could have a feel at your tyres and gently rub your hand on the inner edge of your tyre and if in 1 direction it will prob feel smooth and try rubbing it the other way and if it feels rough its the tyres that have worn uneven.

Hi,

I agree with sherlocks vrs, i have a octy vrs 07, i felt sure that i had rear wheel bearing trouble.

I took the car for its service under the 3 year warranty and there was no fault with the bearings.

Following this we started getting a slow puncture on one of the rear tyres. :wonder:

I took the tyre to be repaired, only to find out that the inside edges of the rear wheels were wore to the canvas at about 25k miles, :( (they still looked pretty reasonable on the outside)

New tyres were the cure for me, all is well again

Cv joint boots and wheel bearings are totaly different units, admited the fit together but you need to get a workshop manual/ haynes manual and educate yourself, lol.

Aren't they lubricated by the same grease source?

Had a 08 plate octy vrs diesel in today with suspected rear wheel bearing noise road tested with customer and that turned out to be the usual rear tyre prob, to prove to customer we swapped tyres from another vrs and guess what quiet as a mouse, so my advise is get your tyres checked by someone who knows what they are talking about. you could have a feel at your tyres and gently rub your hand on the inner edge of your tyre and if in 1 direction it will prob feel smooth and try rubbing it the other way and if it feels rough its the tyres that have worn uneven.

I have had the back wheels off and checked the tyres, all is wear wise!

I would have checked the bearings myself, but it was raining and the calipers were rubbing a bit so couldnt hear any bearing noise.

It seems to have developed into a bit of a donk aswell now, more noticeable at high speed.

Aren't they lubricated by the same grease source?

In a word NO. wheel bearings on octy 2 are sealed for life and are lubricated when made. Cv joints use a molly based grease which when you take the boot of the joint you can re pack the joint. On some early types of bearings (called taper bearings) you could split the inner and outer bearing race and re grease but in 26 yearsas a motor tech ive never seen a cv joint that shares the same grease source as you say.

I have had the back wheels off and checked the tyres, all is wear wise!

I would have checked the bearings myself, but it was raining and the calipers were rubbing a bit so couldnt hear any bearing noise.

It seems to have developed into a bit of a donk aswell now, more noticeable at high speed.

Before you waste money changing a bearing, change the rear tyres and whilst getting that done have your rear geometry checked and adjusted to Skodas revised camber settings (do a thread search on here). This "rear tyre noise" is a very common problem on this forum and its usually the rear suspension geometry..........it was with mine.

Before you waste money changing a bearing, change the rear tyres and whilst getting that done have your rear geometry checked and adjusted to Skodas revised camber settings (do a thread search on here). This "rear tyre noise" is a very common problem on this forum and its usually the rear suspension geometry..........it was with mine.

Surely new tyres are more expensive than a bearing? Besides, it is still under warranty so they can fix it for free!

Surely if revised geometry settings were issued a Dec 08 built car would already have them, or have new settings been issued since then?

It's interesting timing that this thread should appear as I have exactly the same problem.

I've noticed the general road noise of my car has been increasing recently, until the last week it's officially started to be 'worryingly' loud

First thought was bearing, but then checked the tyres. Fronts will need replacing soon, bit disappointing after 9k miles over a year, but I do enjoy a spirited drive now and again. These are conti sport contact 3's.

Rears are still on presumably the original tyres - sport contact 2's - and both need replacing. One is down to the wear indicator, one is not far off.

I've read loads of posts from mk5 GTI owners who have this noise problem and it does seem to be down to how the tyre is wearing - SEAT owners suffer too.

I've just ordered 4 new Vredesteins so I'll get the rears fitted next weekend and see what happens to the noise - if no joy, the fronts will be replace too.

Surely new tyres are more expensive than a bearing? Besides, it is still under warranty so they can fix it for free!

Surely if revised geometry settings were issued a Dec 08 built car would already have them, or have new settings been issued since then?

Not sure whether the camber settings on mine have been changed mine is an early 56 reg pd VRS but this is very very common for a FWD car to wear the rear tyres like this ask any tyre shop its a result of the rear suspension set up ie design rather than camber as my tyres were out of shape but still even;y worn across the tread so camber is fine

Not sure whether the camber settings on mine have been changed mine is an early 56 reg pd VRS but this is very very common for a FWD car to wear the rear tyres like this ask any tyre shop its a result of the rear suspension set up ie design rather than camber as my tyres were out of shape but still even;y worn across the tread so camber is fine

Indeed.

There's 2 issues with Octy II/Golf V/Leon 2/A3 II/Altea rear tyres.

First there's the camber issue. This causes wear on the inner edge. In a bad case the outer of the tyre is fine but the inner edge can be down to the casing. This is what the revised camber setting fix.

Then there's the road noise and mis-shaping issue. If you search on the web, other FWD cars do it, but it seems particulalry bad on the above cars that share a platform. The tyres wear in a sort of sawtooth pattern- if you run your hand over the surface you can feel the steps in the tread. This makes the droning sound- exactly like a knackered rear wheel bearing.

It's interesting timing that this thread should appear as I have exactly the same problem.

I've noticed the general road noise of my car has been increasing recently, until the last week it's officially started to be 'worryingly' loud

First thought was bearing, but then checked the tyres. Fronts will need replacing soon, bit disappointing after 9k miles over a year, but I do enjoy a spirited drive now and again. These are conti sport contact 3's.

Rears are still on presumably the original tyres - sport contact 2's - and both need replacing. One is down to the wear indicator, one is not far off.

I've read loads of posts from mk5 GTI owners who have this noise problem and it does seem to be down to how the tyre is wearing - SEAT owners suffer too.

I've just ordered 4 new Vredesteins so I'll get the rears fitted next weekend and see what happens to the noise - if no joy, the fronts will be replace too.

My Leon is suffering with it now. I suspect this is why it had 4 budget tyres on when I bought it at 20k miles: maybe it had the camber issue and wore them out?

The rear tyres are still the budget ditchfinders and they are now driving me mad. I will ditch them soon, and I will be fitting non-directionals (probably Conti SC3) so that if they start to wear they can be swapped side to side (and rotate the other way). Apparently the wear is caused by the fact that while the front tyres brake and accelerate, the rears brake only, causing the uneven wear. That makes sense to me. Whatever it is, it isn't camber, as the wear is even.

Edited 30 January, 201016 yr by cjb

Mine started at 18500 miles, or so, tyres changed at around 26000 and noise went. They had the 'stepped' wear - like the sawtooth described above. Did sound just like a bearing.