Hi,

Can anyone help advise....

I have a 6 year old Fabia VRS and in recent weeks the engine has become very noisy at speed. The revs have remained the same but it sounds much noisier than usual and feels like you want to put it into a higher gear - even when driving at 60mph in 6th.... I took it to a local garage and they said it needed oil but was fine - though I'm stuck in Germany and my German is not good so I think the problem may have ben lost in translation!

Any advice appreciated....

Libby

Hi Libby,

Welcome to the forum. If I've understood you correctly, the engine revs are running high? is this constant or only when under load (accelerating)?

What sort of mileage has the car done?

Hi Libby,

Welcome to the forum. If I've understood you correctly, the engine revs are running high? is this constant or only when under load (accelerating)?

What sort of mileage has the car done?

Do I ask.... Post number #3

Edited 27 September, 201015 yr by Robshaw

Do I ask.... Post number #3

it'd be rude not to

Hi,

Can anyone help advise....

I have a 6 year old Fabia VRS and in recent weeks the engine has become very noisy at speed. The revs have remained the same but it sounds much noisier than usual and feels like you want to put it into a higher gear - even when driving at 60mph in 6th.... I took it to a local garage and they said it needed oil but was fine - though I'm stuck in Germany and my German is not good so I think the problem may have ben lost in translation!

Any advice appreciated....

Libby

Hello Libby - Welcome to Briskoda.

Are you cute?

Hi Jonny,

Thanks for your reply. Sorry, I wasn't very clear - the revs are NOT running any higher than usual, it is just that the engine is generally noisier (at speeds over 60mph) and I find myself reaching for extra gears, though already in 6th. I have had the car for a year and never had this before. The problem started gradually and initially I thought it was linked to the aircon, as seemed to be worse with AC on (though now I'm less convinced as it's just generally noisy at higher speeds, with and without AC). The mileage is 40,000 miles. I cannot see any oil leaks as have had it over cardboard for a week or so. The noise is just generally noisier than usual, no clunking (sorry to be so vague!).

Cheers

Libby

Rob - I'm sure we've met before....

:S It's difficult to diagnose (not that I'm a mechanic) from descriptions really.

One assumes it's had a cambelt and waterpump done? VAG recommend 4yrs or 60k miles whichever is sooner.

Is it down on power then? as you say you're reaching for another gear?

Ive had to recently change 2 of my wheel bearings recently. The was making a loud noise anything over 35mph. There was nothing wrong with the revs.

I don't think anyone on here will be able to pinpoint the cause of your noisy engine, there are hundreds of things it could be. Best visit a VAG dealer to give a more informed diagnosis. Your German may not that understandable but I think they would recognise which parts are noisy pretty soon. Clever the Germans you know and very precise.

are your tyres okay? swap front to rear see if it changes the noise, then at least you know if your in the right area

Edited 28 September, 201015 yr by TrevorB33

air filter slipped down in air box creating a loud induction note?

mines did this

Hi Jonny,

Thanks for your reply. Sorry, I wasn't very clear - the revs are NOT running any higher than usual, it is just that the engine is generally noisier (at speeds over 60mph) and I find myself reaching for extra gears, though already in 6th. I have had the car for a year and never had this before. The problem started gradually and initially I thought it was linked to the aircon, as seemed to be worse with AC on (though now I'm less convinced as it's just generally noisy at higher speeds, with and without AC). The mileage is 40,000 miles. I cannot see any oil leaks as have had it over cardboard for a week or so. The noise is just generally noisier than usual, no clunking (sorry to be so vague!).

Cheers

Libby

Rob - I'm sure we've met before....

Your sound description is vague to say the very least.

Rattling,knocking,tapping are clues, even a blown exhaust pipe can't be ruled out!!!

Having it over cardboard with the under engine cover in place is not gonna leave any clues.

Put car front up on ramps and secure safely, remove under-engine cover and get someone to rev engine whilst you listen and look underneath, (or engine bay).

Have long metal rod to isolate sound location by resting it in different places and listen carefully the other end to your ear??

Have you checked the oil level today? it might be best first doing that as you haven't mentioned whether you've done that check yourself? you would need to ensure the car is parked on a the flat and ideally wait a couple of hours at least for the oil to have drained back in.

If you have been running your vRS with little or no oil(or even the wrong grade) in it for a few months, then the noise could be the result of worsening metal to metal contact of the engine. Which could have caused quite a lot of damage to the cylinder walls,pistons,valves etc.

A suggestion earlier was a slipped down air filter. Unlikely to happen if you've got an OEM filter but worth checking. Open the bonnet, look at the airbox. If all is well you should be able to see a squarish pink/orange or blue rubber surround gasket located under the airbox. I say pink/orangebecause 90% of oem manufacturers color their air filter surrounds this color apart from UFI who use blue.

Edited 28 September, 201015 yr by newskoda

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. The oil is fine and it was only serviced in June. Air filter fine too. The problem is not with the German garage skill but my ability to indicate the problem is only at speed. I had taken it to a garage (as clearly know zilch about motors!) but they just swapped the tyres and said it was fine - however the problem remains....

Think I will have to take a trip back to UK to get this one sorted but thanks for all the great advice.

Libby :-)

When I drive fast, the engine is louder than it was. Only when I am driving fast.

"Wenn Ich schnell fahren, der Motor ist lauter wie es war, nuer wenn Ich schnell fahren"

I take it is RPM related then? The noise goes away when you take it out of gear or clutch it? I only ask as I had a very loud whirring/buzzing noise that started at higher speeds, as I continued it progressed to lower and lower speeds, Always increasing with volume and timbre as I accelerated. It was easy to mistake for engine noise, but it was infact a wheel bearing on its last legs.

Hello libby-physio

I am having the same problem with my car.

I was wondering if you have had any progress in discovering what the problem was????

Sham

When I drive fast, the engine is louder than it was. Only when I am driving fast.

"Wenn Ich schnell fahren, der Motor ist lauter wie es war, nuer wenn Ich schnell fahren"

Show off

Sounds like you may have a leak in the exhuast system. Get it checked and the exhaust manifold gasket. From the description it is hard to diagnose though. Hope you get it sorted.

Edited 2 March, 201115 yr by RAPTURE

That's not accurate, he told her to ask for a sausage sandwich, extra mustard