Low frequency 'boom' in cabin

[SimonD316]

I picked up my Octavia on Friday and have noticed the booming.

I've adjusted the buffers which seems to have helped, but will check the striker plate tomorrow.

 

I've not had chance to check the striker plate but I did check the Tyre pressures... they were at 50psi all round! I've dropped them to 32 psi and the booming seems to have gone.

[Gerrycan]

I've not had chance to check the striker plate but I did check the Tyre pressures... they were at 50psi all round! I've dropped them to 32 psi and the booming seems to have gone.

50PSI!!! Gentlemen we have a new record!!! .... and not in a good way.

 

32psi might be the recommended pressure but that is a bit lower than many have found satisfactory. You might want to try 35 to 36 psi (which works best for me), but it seems to be a personal thing with some going higher or lower depending on tyre size and type.

 

Glad you fixed your booming. I presume this was mainly noise and not the pressure on ears effect others complained of?

[SimonD316]

50PSI!!! Gentlemen we have a new record!!! .... and not in a good way.

 

32psi might be the recommended pressure but that is a bit lower than many have found satisfactory. You might want to try 35 to 36 psi (which works best for me), but it seems to be a personal thing with some going higher or lower depending on tyre size and type.

 

Glad you fixed your booming. I presume this was mainly noise and not the pressure on ears effect others complained of?

 

I have to say I was shocked it was so high!

 

I did check again last night at a different petrol station but it was after a 50 mile run and the tyres felt warm. The reading then was 36 psi so I'm certain they were high in the first instance. I'll check again when the tyres are cool to see what I get then.

 

For me it was the booming sound - I've not had any noticeable build up of pressure and I've done a few hour plus drives in the last few days.

[Gerrycan]

I have to say I was shocked it was so high!

 

I did check again last night at a different petrol station but it was after a 50 mile run and the tyres felt warm. The reading then was 36 psi so I'm certain they were high in the first instance. I'll check again when the tyres are cool to see what I get then.

 

For me it was the booming sound - I've not had any noticeable build up of pressure and I've done a few hour plus drives in the last few days.

This is such a long thread it is not always obvious that a few different problems have been entered, but basically there are two issues although there can be multiple causes.

The pressure problem is probably the more serious and is caused by movement in the rear hatch door, probably worse on the hatch because it is bigger but can also occur on the estate. Various fixes have been reported such seal replacement, adjustment of existing blocks and striker plate, or some updated blocks from Skoda, I have not experienced this problem except one day when I failed to close the tailgate properly, the car screen indicated it was not secured but since I was only going around the corner I drove off and hit a bump and got a real 'whump' type pressure wave. Enough to say something in old Anglo-Saxon.

 

The other main problem is the booming sound, which I think comes from the very thin but very high tensile/strength steel used on the boot floor and wheel well .

Problems with suspension (dampers mainly), tyre types (hard side walls), tyre pressures, movement from the rear seat back etc have all been identified as stimulating the sound from this natural drum.

Most Octavia are set up ok and don't experience it but it can occur on any type, or motive power or rear suspension.

Mine was minimal but improved a bit by packing some high density foam around the spare wheel and adjusting the spare lockdown plastic nut.

Edited 8 March, 2016 by Gerrycan

[Johnnie41]

This is indeed a very long thread ! My Octavia has the accoustic rear suspension that produces the booming sound, which is worse on rough tarmac. Car has been into 3 different dealers now. First 2 blamed CS2 tyres which I have now replaced with Goodyear F1s which has made no difference to the noise. 3rd dealer has replaced rear shocks, still no difference. Have had dynamat sound proofing fitted all around boot area, still no difference ! Have tried all the other tricks mentioned in this thread. Looks like I will have to live with it, until I can justify swapping to a Superb. 

[Gerrycan]

(Nearly) all cars will be noisier on rough tarmac, mine is no exception, but obviously yours is markedly worse or the 3rd dealer would not have changed the shocks.

It is possible, remote but possible, that the replacement shocks had the same issues as the original shocks.

 

Have you been in a similar car for comparison purposes? Compare the sound issues and what the ride is like?

[Johnnie41]

(Nearly) all cars will be noisier on rough tarmac, mine is no exception, but obviously yours is markedly worse or the 3rd dealer would not have changed the shocks.

It is possible, remote but possible, that the replacement shocks had the same issues as the original shocks.

 

Have you been in a similar car for comparison purposes? Compare the sound issues and what the ride is like?

Yes, whilst my car was having the shocks replaced, I had the use of the service managers VRS for 2 days, which was a 65 plate on 19" extremes. This made the same noise as mine, although not quite as bad. The ride was definitely firmer with the 19" extremes so was glad I hadn't gone for these even though they look great.

 

On the 2nd visit to this dealer, I took a master technician out with me and whilst he could hear the noise, he said they "all do it" !!

 

I expect to get tyre roar with low profile tyres which will be worse on rougher tarmac, but I don't consider this booming/drumming noise is normal. It varies with the movement of the suspension, so there has to be a design flaw if this noise is being transmitted into the bodyshell and the boot is acting like a sound box. 

 

If I knew for sure that installing H&R lowering springs and Bilsteins would cure the problem or at least reduce the noise to an acceptable level, I would do it. 

[Gerrycan]

Interesting that the service manager's car was better than yours considering you have had Dynamat installed as well.

Non OEM springs/shocks are no guarantee of noise reduction although all who have done it usually claim a much better ride but do not necessarily mention reduced noise.

 

When I had a flat tyre in a remote area and late at night recently, I had to put the 16inch spacesaver tyre on and drive a relatively slow 250 km home.

I was amazed at the increase in road noise from the one tyre on our very course road surfaces, even at restricted speeds.

It wasn't the booming noise but I would have had difficulty living with even that for any length of time.

 

If you give the centre of the boot area a good thump does it 'ring' at the frequency you are suffering? If not then it may be something different again.

[Johnnie41]

Yes thumping the steel in the boot area does produce a similar drumming noise. Perhaps I should try a spare wheel and clamp it down to see if it makes a difference.

[Gerrycan]

Yes thumping the steel in the boot area does produce a similar drumming noise. Perhaps I should try a spare wheel and clamp it down to see if it makes a difference.

Worth a try. You would have to consider the heavy rubber tyre would be a pretty good resonance dampener.

 

Only criticism I really have for my car is the spacesaver spare, there are a lot of places a long way from anywhere in Australia (if you  see what I mean).

Still better than relying on a can of gunk. You can imagine how happy the tyre technician is when he has to remove the tyre with all that stuff inside.

[cheezemonkhai]

I've said before on this thread, but dynamat (or similar) the boot floor and spare wheel well.

If you have only the puncture repair kit in the noise is probably even worse due to lower mass.

 

Then get some cloud 9 or similar carpet underlay and put it under the boot carpet.

This will makea big difference (Well it did in my MK2)

[Higgy 69]

I think I just experienced 'the boom'. I lowered just my rear windows about 3" and my ear drums nearly got sucked out! - Not nice.

 

I opened up the front windows along with the rears and I stopped looking like Arnie from Total Recall while being exposed to Mars' atmosphere.

So if your getting this to a degree normally, then I can see the frustration.

28

[hobbie2k]

I think I just experienced 'the boom'. I lowered just my rear windows about 3" and my ear drums nearly got sucked out! - Not nice.

I opened up the front windows along with the rears and I stopped looking like Arnie from Total Recall while being exposed to Mars' atmosphere.

So if your getting this to a degree normally, then I can see the frustration.

28

That's not the boom. That's just buffeting that affects many of the more aerodynamic cars these days, though it can have a similar feeling.

[MadsB]

Someone here in Denmark had success with dynamat on the roof...

Sendt fra min SM-G935F med Tapatalk

[AdamMin]

I've said before on this thread, but dynamat (or similar) the boot floor and spare wheel well.

If you have only the puncture repair kit in the noise is probably even worse due to lower mass.

 

Then get some cloud 9 or similar carpet underlay and put it under the boot carpet.

This will makea big difference (Well it did in my MK2)

Is that dynamat xtreme and dynaliner or just dynamat xtreme ?

[ExSEAT]

Ok so my VRS had been with me a day and I'm noticing this problem is apparent. I'm due at the dealers tomorrow anyway so will be having a word. Its not something I'm going to quietly put up with although it's not too bad at the moment. I've noticed that when it's at it's worse the whole interior is vibrating, the mirrors the sun visors the parcel shelf etc as if the car is at some kind of resonant frequency. I'm going to be friendly about it but the word 'rejection' will be mentioned ha ha.

[AdamMin]

I've said before on this thread, but dynamat (or similar) the boot floor and spare wheel well.

If you have only the puncture repair kit in the noise is probably even worse due to lower mass.

 

Then get some cloud 9 or similar carpet underlay and put it under the boot carpet.

This will makea big difference (Well it did in my MK2)

I used silent coat deadening mats and underlay and seems to work, although doesn't help with the earache but then I suspect that's a different problem !

[LHVRS]

Ok so my VRS had been with me a day and I'm noticing this problem is apparent. I'm due at the dealers tomorrow anyway so will be having a word. Its not something I'm going to quietly put up with although it's not too bad at the moment. I've noticed that when it's at it's worse the whole interior is vibrating, the mirrors the sun visors the parcel shelf etc as if the car is at some kind of resonant frequency. I'm going to be friendly about it but the word 'rejection' will be mentioned ha ha.

Gutted for you, have you checked the tyre pressures? A few people on here have recently picked up their new cars with the tyres being over inflated. Its a joke if MY16 are still having this problem, hope you get it sorted. 

[ExSEAT]

I'll check those tomorrow to be sure. Its not horrendous but it's there. It will work out I'm sure, thanks for the advice!

[glosrich]

Yep tyre pressures can make a difference. Make sure you set them in the car menu if you change them.

I noticed mine has almost stopped doing this after 2800 miles. Tyres have worn a bit etc.

[ExSEAT]

What should I be aiming for guys? 32/34?

[JungleJames]

Check what the car says, inside filler flap. Depends on what you intend carrying in the car. However yes, those figures are the ball park figures you are looking at. Think mine are 32 all round. 34 also wouldn't be a problem.

[cherry evo]

F******k! Do I regret ordering my Octy? 30k miles a year, I don't want any drumming noises or any other nasty noises / cabin pressure. Will be mighty unhappy if mine has any of this nonsense - I'll drive it to Milton Keynes and park it in their office!

[Alpha2110]

Mine is an my 16 and the problem is most noticeable on high grip tarmac , the stuff used up to roundabout and pedestrian crossings. Unfortunately reading this thread I have come to the conclusion is am going to have to live with it, I have had the car 2 months. I don't think skoda are going to do anything as there primary objective is working on the mk4. Unless there is a safety issues, I doubt very much if there going to put any resource into fixing the noise issue on a mk3.

[Alpha2110]

I think the use of insulation works very well for road noise I don't think it will do anything for overpresure effects, I don't think the problem is a simplistic one to fix. It could be a function of the air con pressurising the cabin due to the air vent location. Also coupled with suspention, boot rattle etc. Insulating mat is really only good to stop any sound transmission through metal panels resonating.