Low frequency boom in cabin

[Nick_H]

Hi s4lty, sorry you're still having problems. Certainly some pressure issue involved, similar to when you go up a mountain. Tyres obviously contributing to much of the noise, if only I could turn the clock back I'd never have got 18" wheels. Like you the ride is firmer than expected. One reason I bought the Superb was the Autodefuhl review which raved about the cars silence and even compared the ride to a car fitted with air suspension!

 

Suffice to say I shall treat all future reviews with a huge dose of scepticism. Shame because the rest of the car is brilliant.

Columbo have you been out in another car to see if it effects you in the same way ?

[Columbo]

Columbo have you been out in another car to see if it effects you in the same way ?

 

No Nick, other than a test drive in a 2.0 diesel which seemed fine, but that was a very short drive. I know I'm going to have accept the tyres, should have done my homework, but the engine should definitely be quieter and the suspension less firm.

Been busy lately, when I've more time I'm going to have to find a solution. Just to add, although the engine is noisy, it's still very refined. Maybe it'll quieten down over time.

[s4lty]

Hi Columbo,

 

I find my 2.0TSI engine (220) pretty quiet and perceive the noise as coming from the cabin itself especially when driving over pot-holes.  Tyre noise is pretty normal but changing to 17s made the ride a shade smoother but was marginal and certainly hasn't "fixed" my problem. The 18s definitely slam over pot holes and speed bumps.  I guess you checked that the pre-delivery suspension blocks were removed from your front struts right?

 

Steve

[Columbo]

Hi Columbo,

 

 I guess you checked that the pre-delivery suspension blocks were removed from your front struts right?

 

Steve

 

Errr no.

 

Thanks, I'll check that out.

[s4lty]

Apparently, if you jack the front sides up a way you should see brightly coloured u shaped discs around the dampers inside the dust boots...

[MartiniB]

Low frequency boom partly solved by swap tires

from stock

215/55r17 Pirelli Cinturato P7 94W

to

225/55r17 Michelin Primacy 3 97Y

 

change weren't planed on ~17000km, but one(thank God rear) blew up ..
https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/434028-tire-pressure-monitoring-system/

 

rattles from suspension still not solved, will continue here
https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/414829-suspension-rattle-dull-thud-over-uneven-surfaces/

 

[Tapped73]

Hi 

 

I’ve just had a test drive in a 280 sportline hatch. The boom was unbearable and I am now bitterly disappointed having pretty much decided a Superb was my next car.

 

Interestingly my friends new Kodiaq had exactly the same issue and I noticed it in the first 1/4 mile of riding in it.

 

im a chartered mechanical engineer and worked in the car industry for 10 years. That type of noise is not tyre-driven. The noise is driven by the body structure and it’s response to road inputs

 

I will try another example I think, and in estate form to see if the body shape/different tailgate affects it

 

 

[Super280]

22 hours ago, Tapped73 said:

Hi 

 

I’ve just had a test drive in a 280 sportline hatch. The boom was unbearable and I am now bitterly disappointed having pretty much decided a Superb was my next car.

 

I will try another example I think, and in estate form to see if the body shape/different tailgate affects it

 

 

 

The only boom I am getting, in my 280PS, is from the exhaust when changing gears over 3,000 RPM not under full throttle, seems like sort of pressure release, I am looking for a way to reproduce that boom when I want, great sound. 

[Tapped73]

28 minutes ago, Super280 said:

 

The only boom I am getting, in my 280PS, is from the exhaust when changing gears over 3,000 RPM not under full throttle, seems like sort of pressure release, I am looking for a way to reproduce that boom when I want, great sound. 

Sadly this was nothing to do with the power train!

[MartiniB]

@Tapped73

VAG's marketing experts have made research -
90% of population can't hear difference between diesel and petrol engines,
then also rattles and low frequency boom will not be recognized by same count of customers

 

just with Passat they had to do something in 2015
but for Superb exactly same parts still are on production line
https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/414829-suspension-rattle-dull-thud-over-uneven-surfaces/?do=findComment&comment=4886034

 

few examples from Russia, how to fight,
but in EU that kind of changes will make car illegal :(
https://www.drive2.com/l/7023860/
https://www.drive2.com/l/7147142/
https://www.drive2.com/l/7433929/
https://www.drive2.com/l/9795116/

[xman]

Ok so I'm not a Superb owner (yet) but here are a couple of observations/suggestions for people who are experiencing this problem(s)

 

1. All Skoda vehicles that I've driven show considerably more road noise and noise transmission of road defects than other vag group cars. I think that's all part of the plan for VW. Cheap should mean cheap means less. Audi's should be quieter than VW's which should be quieter than Skoda's. Not sure where Seat fit it there.

 

2. Lots of online reviews (usually written at launch) praise the latest Superb, and even salesmen wax lyrical about them being like a rolls royce. Yet 1st test drive as a passenger in a higher spec Superb recently and was immediately somewhat disappointed that rear wheel roar was still very evident as it was in the Fabias and Octavias I've owned and driven. And the "sublime" ride quality is somewhat of an exaggeration.

 

3. As far as mysterious bumps, booms and low frequency fluttering, may I suggest you all look underneath your car as from what I've seen its a good possibility that the car is fitted underneath with whole body length plastic shields. These aren't all that substantial, i.e. a bit flimsy and they are held on by relatively few fasteners around the edges. I suspect these may the source of these troubles. They could probably flex under the turbulent airflow over rough surfaces, and could also act as a large volume resonant cavity i.e. low frequency amplifier. If this is the case then the wedging of a few piece of foam between body and tray in strategic places may help reduce or cure these woes. Indeed this might be an excellent place to put soundproofing foam (between tray and body), provide it didn't end up trapping/holding water of course. It will be interesting to just try banging these panels in the middle with your fist and listen/observe. Not sure my dealer would approve of me doing that in his showroom though.....

Edited 20 December, 2017 by xman

[GedDragger]

XMAN, my conclusion precisely re the placing of the various VAG brands. Glad it’s not just me then!

[2wheelsgood]

Just for info .mrs got home from work complaining of strange noise from the back seat area ,I'm like yeah yeah course there is ,next time out with her and there it was a sort of resonating booming noise ! bit of detective work traced it to the voice amplification picking up and amplifying the fan when the AC was turned up high in this hot weather .

[GedDragger]

1 hour ago, 2wheelsgood said:

Just for info .mrs got home from work complaining of strange noise from the back seat area ,I'm like yeah yeah course there is ,next time out with her and there it was a sort of resonating booming noise ! bit of detective work traced it to the voice amplification picking up and amplifying the fan when the AC was turned up high in this hot weather .

Weird! Not heard of that before.  My issue is definitely road wheel noise as it gets far worse on rough tarmac and old concrete roads and is speed related.  I’m planning to invest in some closed cell insulation for under the boot carpet (Dodo pro barrier MLV) and some silent coat 4mm insulation to line the spare wheel well and bodywork at the rear of the vehicle.

[facet edge]

2 hours ago, 2wheelsgood said:

Just for info .mrs got home from work complaining of strange noise from the back seat area ,I'm like yeah yeah course there is ,next time out with her and there it was a sort of resonating booming noise ! bit of detective work traced it to the voice amplification picking up and amplifying the fan when the AC was turned up high in this hot weather .

It wasn't the mother-in-law then?

[alf.onso]

On 01/10/2017 at 19:14, MartiniB said:

few examples from Russia, how to fight,
but in EU that kind of changes will make car illegal :(
https://www.drive2.com/l/7023860/
https://www.drive2.com/l/7147142/
https://www.drive2.com/l/7433929/
https://www.drive2.com/l/9795116/

 

So what do these actually do? Only thing I could figure out is that they add mass to a certain points od suspension and that way eliminate certain vibrations/thuds/rattles?

And are you 100% sure that they are illegal in EU?

[MartiniB]

On 24/07/2018 at 22:52, alf.onso said:

And are you 100% sure that they are illegal in EU?

such kind of changes must be certified(homologated)

[alf.onso]

46 minutes ago, MartiniB said:

such kind of changes must be certified(homologated)

 

Even if no new holes are drilled?

[MartiniB]

^^^

try out :)

[alf.onso]

13 hours ago, MartiniB said:

^^^

try out 

 

I have a strong plan to do so

But first I must consult with my Skoda dealer and local goverment agency responcible for car's homologation. 

[GedDragger]

Ok, so I’m just back from a long continental trip (3,000+ km),much of which was towing a large, twin axle caravan.  Thoughts/observations as follows:

 

• 19” wheels and low profile tyres work so much better on the smooth and less coarse European tarmac than they do on UK roads.  Whilst driving solo abroad I remained in sport suspension mode throughout and enjoyed much better body control with no real detriment to the comfort.  Back in the UK switched into comfort for commuting this morning as I feared for the safety of my spine!
• Road nose (or lack thereof) in Europe was fantastic.  The moment I returned to the UK the roar from the tyres was mmediately obvious.  My conclusion simply has to be then that Skoda Superbs are not tested with UK tarmac in mind.
• Stability with the van on the back was most acceptable and not significantly worse than my previous vehicle, a Volvo XC90, whilst economy and power were noticeably better (23mpg towing and c.45 solo).
• Having said that, I feel that the rear springs are a tad too soft with rear deflection under load rather greater than I would have liked.  I also feel that the back end is rather too loose and under-damped when pressing on (even in DCC sport mode). It’s a shame that with electronically adjustable dampers fitted as standard to the L&K they didn’t go the whole hog and  include self-levelling as well as a sport+ mode for the dampers.
• The DSG box (6 speed, not the latest 7 gear version), whilst infuriatingly jerky in parking and commuting, was great for towing and the ratios are suitably well spread for regular use of 5th and occasional forays into top gear with the van on the back.
• The engine (190 bhp TDi) is a peach - smooth, quiet and torquey. Unfortunately, the DPF cleaning programme is just plain bonkers. How the system can justify running a cleaning cycle after nothing but towing and motorway running is beyond me, but run it, it did.
• The Columbus entertainment system drove me mad. It randomly dropped the Android Auto connection meaning that I had to abandon Waze and rely on the car’s own satnav. Some of the routes that it took were questionable at best and crazy at worst.  The system also randomly refused to read brand new, formatted SD cards in one of the two slots and then would, without warning, acknowledge their existence.  Also, turning the car off part way through a track would result in it picking them up 20’ earlier than you had left them when you continued your journey.
• I really don’t like the offset driving position. I wish it had been apparent when I first test drove the car, but I am finding that sitting approximately 2” to the left of the centre of the steering wheel is causing me to adopt a slightly crooked position which is less than comfortable on long journeys.  The seats are also rather wider than would be ideal for me, but accept that this is a purely personal perspective and they may be spot on for other, larger drivers (I am 5’ 8” and of average build).

I had planned to keep the car for at least 3 years or even longer (I kept the Volvo for an unprecedented 7 years) but I am finding that the gripes above are becoming so irritating that I am now looking at alternatives.  IMHO, it’s a great shame that this car seems to have been compromised by VAG’s efforts to keep Skoda ‘in it’s place’ within the pecking order.  Meanwhile, I may have to bight the bullet and spend the extra dosh required to get a vehicle with a propellor, a three pointed star or a Thor’s hammer on the front.  I’m sure that none of these will have as much space or equipment as the Skoda (unless I go mad with the options list), but equally I’m hopeful that they won’t be as frustrating as my experience with the Superb has been.

[xman]

Good unbiased review. I hadn't realised that there was an offset, but I have hardly driven mine much yet.

[MartiniB]

20 hours ago, GedDragger said:

The Columbus entertainment system drove me mad. It randomly dropped the Android Auto connection meaning that I had to abandon Waze and rely on the car’s own satnav. Some of the routes that it took were questionable at best and crazy at worst.

Columbus screen position is far from optimal, i prefer separate phone's 5.7" screen for navigation,

Waze, Google Maps and sometimes both at same time

 

me too recently returned from 5k Km trip around Europe and can say, on the highway this car is perfect,
but in Stuttgart and Brussels i found same awful roads as my daily roads in Riga
 

[Penpusher]

On 13/08/2018 at 12:30, GedDragger said:

• Road nose (or lack thereof) in Europe was fantastic.  The moment I returned to the UK the roar from the tyres was mmediately obvious.  My conclusion simply has to be then that Skoda Superbs are not tested with UK tarmac in mind.

Which countries did you visit?  I find Belgian motorways are very noisy and can be quite rough in places, though to be fair they have improved in recent years.