Hi everyone, I have a problem in my new Octavia 1.4 TSI SE bought three weeks ago. There is  a very low frequency body boom/reverberation which is triggered by the slightest bump in the road and even at very low speeds. It gets very loud when I am on an uneven road surface and makes me feel quite queasy. I've even tried wearing earplugs but the volume still seems loud, I have read that this may be because the sound at low frequencies is partly carried to the eardrums by the bones of the skull! On a typical motorway it seems much quieter but this may be due to the increase in road/wind noise obscuring the lower notes.

I took the car back to the dealer and test drove it out on the road with the chief mechanic, he acknowledged the noise (though without actually agreeing it was too loud) and said that they had had another owner take their car back for the same reason, this owner had apparently eventually accepted the problem. I am going back in a couple of days to try their hire car which is a similar engined model and see if the noise is present on that, this will help determine if the noise is a fault on my car or just typical of this model in general.

The car is behaving well in all other respects but this problem is spoiling my driving enjoyment. Has anyone else had this problem and if so what did you do about it and was it successful e.g. is there a sound deadening kit available that has worked for you, for example? The tyres are 205/55 R16 Michelin but it is not normal tyre 'roar', the pitch is much deeper than that. It is not the engine, which is quiet.

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Hi and welcome aboard.

Go on to the Octavia section and someone there might be able to help you.

Welcome, is it a mk2 or mk3 Octavia? Get the problem posted in the relevant section and Im sure the advice will be on hand

Hi & welcome

Welcome.

hi ,

I have just been test driving the mk3 octavia , 1.4tsi elegance (i already own a nmk2 tdi vrs) i first drove the estate version (14 plate) car was absolutley fine , no boom and little road noise , a very good car.

Later on that day I drove a mk3 octavia 1.4tsi elegance hatch back , immediately as I pulled out ont the road for a test drive , I heardthis low level rumble at all speeds and road surfaces, it was though a rear window was open , but it wasnt .On returning from the test drive I explained to the dealer what I found (no comment by them)and unfortunately because of this noise I ddnt want to procede with the purchase , I was dissapointed as it is a great carin the Elegance spec and having owned the VRS for 4 years I am more than happy with Skoda.

On checking the web i found this link Low frequency 'boom' in cabin - Fixed - Skoda Rapid - BRISKODA.net page 4 and if it is correct could solve the problem

 

Newboater, you are a star!
I just went out to look at the two stoppers on the car body. They were set to their lowest level. I adjusted them up notch by notch testing the boot closure until it would not latch closed. (Needed a special screwdriver, but my set had one)
I then backed them off one notch to allow the boot to latch and went for a drive.
My initial opinion is that it has resolved the booming issue. I will do some driving on worse roads when I have more time and when it's not dark and raining. Right now though I am very happy!

This theory is also backed up by my weekend drive with the family. It was really cold when we left home and the booming was not as bad as usual.
On our return journey it seemed worse. Thinking about it now, on the return journey the temperature was much higher which meant the boot rubber stops were softer allowing more movement, thus more resonance. They are big lumps of rubber.

Of course, I have the boot set to its tightest fit now, so if the temperature goes down, the rubber will be harder and the boot may not latch again. I have left my tools in the boot so I can adjust as needed. I may back it off a bit more so as not to strain the lock mechanism.

Bidey, adjust your boot stoppers and hopefully your nightmare will be over and you can enjoy the car once more..

 

I will suggest this to my dealer and fingers crossed it will cure the problem and I will then happily purchase the mk3 octavia hatch