Hey all,

 

Had my steering rack replaced for the following symptoms :

 

groaning whiney noise when turning left or right at slow speed whether left or right ( I stated to the dealership that it does NOT make this noise if you have the clutch in or out of gear). They diagnosed it as the steering rack and replaced it but as I suspected, the noise is still there.

 

I've also stated the following symptoms to them which I think along with the groaning noise on turns point to a gearbox problem but I'd appreciate your opinion :

 

The drivetrain has some slack somewhere, noticeable if you are off the power at for example 40mph and then put your foot down - the revs will jump up slightly with no increase in road speed until something catches up (It's not clutch slip it doesn't go up enough)

If you come off the power with any amount of turn applied in either direction for example a roundabout you get a metallic clunk noise like there's backlash somewhere. It also does this when you reapply power. The service manager told me this is normal and they all do it, which frankly I don't believe as I've never had a car do it before.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction so that I can give them some ideas before the warranty runs out? I took it to a friends garage and he said something is amiss with the drivetrain, possibly something inside the box or a cv joint or similar, but that first thing they'd do if it was them after checking driveshafts is to drop the gearbox oil and see what state its in.

 

Thanks for reading

Sounds like a tricky one to acurately diagnose even with the car, let alone on a forum.

I'd be checking the DMF personally

Firstly thanks for the reply would the dmf cause the groaning on lock? I had my usual mechanic remove the starter motor and he said there was barely any movement in the dmf? I should also add however, if you put your foot down on the clutch and let it off there is a metallic slapping sound also.

I should add, the noise is there with any amount of turn away from straight ahead, particularly turning out of where I live or into the estate where my now ex Mrs lives.

Is the noise there while stationery so if you apply any lock you can hear it or just when moving?

Sounds like DMF.

Is the noise there while stationery so if you apply any lock you can hear it or just when moving?

 

You can run from hard left to hard right if you're stationary and there is no noise. You can do the same as long as you've not got the car in gear whilst rolling, as soon as you're in gear you can hear it again.

 

Edit : Which is why I think its something to do with the gearbox, or perhaps something to do with the differential. Will try and record the noises shortly am off to currys to get the sky tv deal they have there

Edited 20 March, 201610 yr by -mike-

That is unbelievably bad fault finding from the dealer at your expense.

Does the groaning noise increase with wheel speed or rise with engine speed?

That is unbelievably bad fault finding from the dealer at your expense.

Does the groaning noise increase with wheel speed or rise with engine speed?

 

It does indeed rise with engine speed, I guess at high speed you can't hear it over the pd clatter but certainly I can go around a roundabout up to 20mph and hear it quite clearly. The technician that came out with me could hear it too. I sent them a reply to their email video when they sent me a video saying that a tpi fitted what he was hearing that it did not do it whilst the drive was disengaged but they fitted it anyway! Thankfully it isn't at my expense! If it was It would have gone to my trusted mechanic who said at the time there's no way its the steering rack.

 

I guess I should say : The noise is evident whether you're in first second or third as long as the speed of the car is low enough to hear it over tyres and engine. It may well do it in other higher gears but I'd have to be doing some speed that defies the laws of physics around roundabouts to hear it!

I think you may have a shot bearing/CV joint. If turning right the noise is louder than if you turn left then it will be the left shaft that's knackered.

I think you may have a shot bearing/CV joint. If turning right the noise is louder than if you turn left then it will be the left shaft that's knackered.

 

The noise is pretty much the same both directions! Have taken a video but not sure it can be heard! I've also recorded shut down with clutch in and out, will upload to youtube in a minute!

 

Anyone wanting sky tv or broadband - currys have an offer on currently £16.31 a month for line rental, unlimited bb and the family bundle! Don't really want sky tv but its cheaper than their line rental alone!

Here is the noise from using the clutch, unsure if related :

 

https://youtu.be/WPz4CUKnFx4

 

And here is a starup and shutdown video. First shut down is with clutch in, second with clutch out

 

https://youtu.be/l033WtGKrxk

Figured I'd update this: rang the UK customer services number today, to query if the metallic clack noise is indeed normal as the service manager tried to tell me and they said no way is it normal and it needs diagnosis.

I have a feeling I'm being fobbed off as they have replaced a part that didn't need changing in the hope I'll forget about it :/

Thanks for the reply mate! The clunking can now be heard whilst on and off the power straight ahead at slow speed but its a metallic noise not a clunk as such - the kind of noise you'd get if you slapped two ratchets together? The DMF is a possibility as something has quite a bit of slack in it to the point where you can see the revs jump slightly if you plant your foot from no power. It's not enough of a jump to be clutch slip however, and you can floor the car in 5th from low gear with absolutely no slippage whatsoever.