I have recently purchased a used Skoda Superb 2.0TDI CR (170bhp 4x4) and im a bit confused by some of the comments made on this forum regarding engine noise.

I am not necessarily unhappy with the amount of noise from the engine and am very happy with the car so far, however i keep on reading how quiet and smooth the 2.0CR 170 engine is, i have even read one post that said they can't even tell the engine is running upto about 3,000rpm!

I have found with my car it's quite apparent the engine is running even at idle, and if revved to 3,000rpm it becomes quite loud (Can hear a lot of engine noise even if the stereo is playing at about 50% volume). I have not owned a Diesel car before so the only thing i can compare it to is my dads Skoda Octavia 1.9PD 105bhp which reviews say are noisy engines. I would say that my Superb is only slightly quieter, if any, than my dads Octavia. Is this what you would expect or should my engine be a lot quieter?

I just wondered what other people thought about the amount of engine noise from their 2.0TDI CR engines? And if there's potentially something not right about my engine?

BTW my car is a 2009 with 18,000 miles on the clock so not high mileage.

AFAIK, they sound smoother than the PD units, which sound a bit coarse IMO.

I have the 170tdi 4x4 estate elegance, I can confirm this engine is really quiet, that is until you floor it, then you get the normal engine grunt you would expect. But should be silky smooth and wisper quiet.

I can hear mine, but it makes a lot less noise than the tyres and is way quiter than a Mondeo I had. The noise is there but only in the background and to be honest, it's a nice sound for an engine.

sounds like having a honeybee under the hood

Well it does sound like my engine may be louder than others then.

Does anyone know if the engine changed at all between 2009 (when my car was manufactured) and now?

Well it does sound like my engine may be louder than others then.

Does anyone know if the engine changed at all between 2009 (when my car was manufactured) and now?

As far as I am aware the TDI 170 has been the same common rail engine all through. All I can say is that I have a TDI 170 with DSG, but not 4x4. It dates from October 2009. When cruising at anything above 35 mph, the diesel engine is quieter and just as smooth as was the V6 petrol engine in my previous Rover Sterling automatic. Even when extended, the engine does not get noisier than that V6. The only time I notice it is a diesel is when I first start it up, or at slow speed in traffic, when the diesel noise does come through a bit, but not to an objectionable level. At motor way cruising speeds the engine is very quiet.

I have recently purchased a used Skoda Superb 2.0TDI CR (170bhp 4x4) and im a bit confused by some of the comments made on this forum regarding engine noise.

I am not necessarily unhappy with the amount of noise from the engine and am very happy with the car so far, however i keep on reading how quiet and smooth the 2.0CR 170 engine is, i have even read one post that said they can't even tell the engine is running upto about 3,000rpm!

I have found with my car it's quite apparent the engine is running even at idle, and if revved to 3,000rpm it becomes quite loud (Can hear a lot of engine noise even if the stereo is playing at about 50% volume). I have not owned a Diesel car before so the only thing i can compare it to is my dads Skoda Octavia 1.9PD 105bhp which reviews say are noisy engines. I would say that my Superb is only slightly quieter, if any, than my dads Octavia. Is this what you would expect or should my engine be a lot quieter?

I just wondered what other people thought about the amount of engine noise from their 2.0TDI CR engines? And if there's potentially something not right about my engine?

BTW my car is a 2009 with 18,000 miles on the clock so not high mileage.

Mine November 2010 with 16K miles is still quiet.

Phil.

To the original poster - I would check the engine oil level and age. My experience of VAG engines (PD & CR) is such that the noise level within the cabin increases quite dramatically when the oil level is lower, more even when the oil is older... I would often know 4-5k miles before the "Check oil level" warning was displayed due to the increase in noise. I've just taken delivery of a MY12 Superb 140CR TDI Estate and can confirm that it's the quietest car I've ever owned, a list that includes VW Passats, VW Bora, VW Jettas, Octavias and a 1.9PD Superb.

Thanks for all the responses.

I will check the engine oil level in the morning. According to the log book it has done about 8,000 miles since the last oil change. I will look at getting the next service done early to be sure the engine oil is good.

To the original poster - I would check the engine oil level and age. My experience of VAG engines (PD & CR) is such that the noise level within the cabin increases quite dramatically when the oil level is lower, more even when the oil is older... I would often know 4-5k miles before the "Check oil level" warning was displayed due to the increase in noise. I've just taken delivery of a MY12 Superb 140CR TDI Estate and can confirm that it's the quietest car I've ever owned, a list that includes VW Passats, VW Bora, VW Jettas, Octavias and a 1.9PD Superb.

I have taken delivery of the same 140bhp elegance combi... so quiet my boss commented who has a 5 series... top of the range. ;-)

I've had a 170 for nearly 2 years now (59 plate) with 50K on the clock.

Immediately noticed on very first run a sharp increase in Noise, Vibration and Harshness between 12 - 16K revs - even feel it strongly through the pedals & gear lever. NVH is fine below & above this range - motorway driving is OK.

Non-petrol heads remark about the harshness at this rev range when I drive them so I'm sure it's not me.

Always had typical family saloon diesels from VW, Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall & BMW - the NVH varied (Old Avensis T180 was spectacularly quiet - and thirsty!) but none were as bad as this.

All the dealers I have approached have said it is a characteristic of the 170 despite the numbers of posters on here saying otherwise.

Love the car to bits but the NVH has driven me mad at town speeds where this rev range is common to the point where I am off to VW and the newly-tweaked Passat with regret in November.

Hey ho.

All the dealers I have approached have said it is a characteristic of the 170 despite the numbers of posters on here saying otherwise.

Love the car to bits but the NVH has driven me mad at town speeds where this rev range is common to the point where I am off to VW and the newly-tweaked Passat with regret in November.

Hey ho.

Er, won't the engine be the same? Or am I missing something obvious here?

No - going for the 140 and from a test drive its silent by comparison - shame really.

No - going for the 140 and from a test drive its silent by comparison - shame really.

I have the 140 CR and which is extremely quiet,more so than my previous 130 pd Octavia L & K, and knowledgable passengers in my Superb say it is not like a diesel. On the motorway, the only noise is that from the tyres. Despite having done only 2400 miles, I have found on journeys to and from Ealing and Southampton, if I keep speed down to 70 or the occasional few mph over, the consumption works out to just either side of 60 mpg, the speed of 70 seemingly being the point at which the mpg increases.

Immediately noticed on very first run a sharp increase in Noise, Vibration and Harshness between 12 - 16K revs - even feel it strongly through the pedals & gear lever. NVH is fine below & above this range - motorway driving is OK.

My 170 DSG (38K miles) has recently started making an awful humming noise between 1200-1500 RPM, I can often feel an accompanying vibration through the steering column. It sounds like a harmonic resonation. It starts quite suddenly at about 1200 as you pull away. As you slow and the gearbox changes down, putting the revs back into the range, you can hear it start up again. Bleeding irritating, it is. Grrr.

Any ideas?

As a side question, I wonder if anyone here can tell me if the 4 x 4 option adds noise ?

In choosing model I was thinking of the 170 and the 140 but also about 4 x 4 option. However I also want DSG and as far as aI can see you can't get a 170 4 x 4 DSG. So I seem set on a 140 DSG 4 x 4. I'm glad to see people here saying that the 140 is actually quieter and doesn't suffer from this allegded rough band cited in the 170.

But will the fact of 4 x 4 itself add noise ?

I might here also venture a general comment to put things in context, that I think almost eveyone will concur with.

The Superb is a fundamentally quiet car and the engines aren't noisy - would you agree with me here ?

We're just talking abouit relative differences - correct ?

yup agree.. my superb combi is considered quiet.. blocks out road noise when all windows are closed.. even when windows are open.. not much engine noise unless i give it w workout

The engine of my SuperB Greenline (1.6TDi CR) is pretty noisy at low revs (up 'til 1800-2000 rpm). Sounds like a tractor But if I'm driving a highway or a motorway, it's quite quiet.

Now that I've got rid of the crap Dunlop Sports Maxx tyres with the outrageous sawtoothing, my diesel is as quiet as a mouse. Even hear the missus nagging now! (Might have to get those crap tyres back!!)

Hello

 

I bought an used Superb 2.0 CR TDI 140hp and I hearing an awful humming noise between 1200-1500 RPM, too.

 

What will be the cause of this noise?

Hello

 

I bought an used Superb 2.0 CR TDI 140hp and I hearing an awful humming noise between 1200-1500 RPM, too.

 

What will be the cause of this noise?

 

 

Potentially lots of things but I'll give you some things to check that are easy checks,

 

 

Put the ign key in so the dash lights come up but don't start it

 

Can you hear a whirr under the hood for about 30 seconds then the sound of a plunger popping back when you remove the key and wait for 20 seconds?

 

That will confirm your egr valve is actuating

 

The second one and favorite is do the key again and listen on the rear seat for another whirr

 

This will be the lift pump actuating and then start the car and listen if this noise gets louder as you increase the rpm

 

Other things to check are all air hoses under the hood for splits, it doesn't sound engine related from what you say, well the lump itself anyway

 

Listen around the drivebelt for this sound, ask someone to rev it for you and listen for bearing rumbles

 

You could also check the clutch for dmf wear, simply sit in the car and rev to 1500rpm and then push the clutch in or engage the DSG into D (keep foot on brake) and listen if this noise shows up/goes away or not, an unbalanced/worn flywheel will drum.

 

 

If it only does it in motion swap the wheels around as you may have some sort of tyre wear that is causing the tyre to resonate at certain speeds etc, hth

Edited 8 July, 201312 yr by Supurbia

Hello

I bought an used Superb 2.0 CR TDI 140hp and I hearing an awful humming noise between 1200-1500 RPM, too.

What will be the cause of this noise?

Is it the same as the sound clip you posted on the other thread? If not, could you record it and put it on here?

I sold my 170 estate for this reason and this reason only the vibration at 1500 revs.i tried every thing to stop it but to no availe drove me up the wall.

 

bill