Hi to everyone!

I am new to this forum.

In April 2016 I have purchased brand new Skoda Fabia estate 1.2 tsi DSG SE l.

Since then I have big problem with road , tyre noise constant low frequency buzzing noise in the cabin.

I went back to dealers on three different occasions but they say that the noise is characteristic of the car.

Is there any solutions to this problem?

I will very much appreciated any help in this matter.

The noise in unbearable on longer journeys.

Car is fitted with Dunlop sport maxx 215/45 r16 86h tyres.

Please help

Welcome to the forum.

 

The solution would be different tyres, but that is not cheap or certain to get you the tyres that you find less annoying.

Adding extra sound proofing is another option.

?

Have you experimented with different tyre pressures within the safe range of the tyres,]

starting near the higher pressures then reducing until you maybe get to a more acceptable noise.

The Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres in that size have a low db rating of 67, but the manufactures do the tests so will use the best set up they know for the noise test.

Does the noise change with speed?

Does it get noiser the faster you go?

Does it change if you take the car out of gear while driving?

The Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres you have are wide, low profile and have a directional tread pattern.

All these features will not help with tyre noise.

If the tyre pressures are kept ( too ) low then they can develop an uneven feathered pattern on the inside edge of the rear tyres.

If you rub your fingers along the inside tread edges of the rear tyres does it feel the same in both directions?

If the leading edge of eack tread block has become higher than the trailing edge of each tread block then this will create tyre noise.

This will produce a droning type noise which gets louder the faster you go.

As GoneOffSki above said try a higher tyre pressure.

Or try swapping the tyres front to back.

Do not swap the tyre from side to side though because they will end up travelling in the wrong direction.

When you buy tyres don't buy directional ones.

 

Hope this helps

Thanks AG Falco

My wife has a 1.2 SE Combi on 15" wheels, (Kumho ecowing ES01 185x60?)

 

It's a pretty quiet car. The tyre noise does vary with the road surface, but a half decent surface is OK.

Some of the newly resurfaced motorways in the midlands are _really quiet_

 

I had the use of a 1.2 SEL Combi demonstrator/loan on 16" wheels a few weeks ago, and it was significantly noisier and less comfortable - I was disappointed by it, expecting at least the same, if not better from the higher specification car.

 

Both cars are 2016 registered.

 

 

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Edited to add, both cars 5 speed manual.

Edited 9 August, 20169 yr by johnh510

Hi

Thanks for help

Iam not a tyre expert

The noise I am expieriencing is constant buzzing noise at all speeds.

I have been told that this may be rear torsion suspension or is related to hard compound of Dunlop tyres.

Also that changing to Goodyear efficient grip tyres improve ride comfort and noise problem.

Dunlop Sport Maxx are not a hard compound tyre.

I have used them lots on Mk2 Fabia vRS in 205/40 R 17 because i like them in Summer, 

but i have wrecked a fair few with potholes and ironworks, the sidewalls are supposedly XL but damage easily.

 

None of that matters, what does is the are noisy.

That is compared to the same size and speed rated (load rated) i have sometimes on from Pirelli, Continental, Maxxis & even the Tigar i now have on.

& new Noise Labeling is about the noise outside a vehicle not in it.

Can I fit 15 inch alloys with 185/60 r15 tyres to mkIII Skoda Fabia estate 1.2 tsi DSG SE l ?

You could,

but maybe look at fitting 195 tyres to your 16" rims if you really feel the need to spend.

(195/50R 16)

http://kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator

 

Before doing anything i would try a car the same as yours on other tyre types,

or maybe borrow someones spare winter Tyre / Wheels and see if they are making the car as you want it.

Edited 9 August, 20169 yr by GoneOffSKi

Can I fit 15 inch alloys with 185/60 r15 tyres to mkIII Skoda Fabia estate 1.2 tsi DSG SE l ?

Yes you can, and as it happens, i might be able to help you with a swap to check the noise levels, i have the 185/60 R15 Nexxen N Blue HD, which i find quiet.

 

I am based in London, so i don't know how that might work.

Thanks Aredeth90

I am based in south London

Thanks Aredeth90

I am based in south London

I have this weekend and the next one free, as my wife is away, and i won't join her until the 23rd.

 

If you want to arrange something, we could potentially set up a meeting. PM me in any case. R

My Roomster Scout had wide, low profile tyres 205/45 R16

 

My Roomster SE has standard profile tyres 195/55 R15

 

The reduction in tyre noise and the improvement in ride comfort have to be experienced to be believed.

I have a 110 estate but a monte carlo, I got mine just over a month ago and its come with Bridgestone Turanza's ER300 which apparently have a db rating of 71. I can't say ive even gave the tyre noise a second thought

Edited 9 August, 20169 yr by Jeffchiz

I have found a lot of comments from previous owners of Skoda Fabia estate 1.2 elegance complaining about harsh ride and loud noisy tyres. Most complains regarding 16 inch alloy wheels fitted with Dunlop sportmaxx 215/45 R16 tyres.

Really horrid stories .

Skoda uk admitted to know about complains but done nothing about it.

What they did different with mkIII they changed elegance to se-l version.

Problem with harsh ride and annoying low frequency noise still existing but Skoda uk is not admitting of receiving many complains regarding above problems.

In my personal opinion it is typical misleading of customers to sell car at premium price and get less comfort and quality.

SE version is much better ride and hugely less noisy then SE-l.It is only because SE comes as standard on 15 inch alloys.Se-l is standard on 16inch alloys with worst possible tyres.But be aware future buyers.You can not opt out for 15 inch alloys when you buying SE-l version.

To end this story I have to add that one new owner who can not put up with the harsh ride sold his car with significant loss after couple of weeks of ownership.

Edited 9 August, 20169 yr by Pit1970

Some people on the new Polo forums are complaining about harsh ride on 16" - my wife's Polo 1.2TSI 110PS SEL has 16" and they are okay for us, Conti tyres. If Fabia with the 1.2TSI 110PS engine, has the larger front brakes ie 288mm discs with ATE callipers, you might find that you need to be a bit careful about which 15" wheels you fit, that will probably be the reason Skoda fitted these cars with 16" wheels at factory.  The 15" VW alloys I fit to wife's car in winter, only have minimal clearance at the callipers, but so far, one winter having passed okay, so good.

Edited 10 August, 20169 yr by rum4mo

We've got 17" wheels, Bridgestone Potenza tyres and sports suspension on our 6 month old monte, no problem with harsh ride or tyre noise.

To end this story I have to add that one new owner who can not put up with the harsh ride sold his car with significant loss after couple of weeks of ownership.

I'm not having a go but surely they should have picked up how bad they thought the ride was on the car at the test drive stage? if it was so horrendous they couldn't keep the car for a fortnight after delivery more fool them for buying it.

I have a Fabia with 16" wheels and I also found the ride and road noise unacceptable. Reducing the tyre pressures from 37 psi (which was what it was delivered with) to 30 psi all round did solve the road roar problem completely. The ride is also a lot better but still too jittery at times. There is still far too much thumping and thudding on bad roads though, and I doubt that I will keep this car as long as I had intended for this reason. Before I found that reducing the tyre pressures improved matters I too was looking at trading it in for a new Golf, which I may still do sooner rather than later. I've not driven a Mark 111 with 15" wheels so I don't know how much better they are. This was a completely unexpected problem because I have had two Fabias before (both Mark 1s, an early Classic and a late Elegance) and both were absolutely fine in this respect. It's very frustrating to find that a new model creates a new problem instead of being better. 

They are lighter and built down to a price and sound deadening is lacking.

 

The 215 tyres were not necessary for road holding with the All New Fabia, just fitted for style over function.

There was no need to opt for them anyway, but choices are good....

They were on VW, Seat and Audi in the same class of vehicle but then they are heavier cars.

The ride in mine with 15 inch is perfectly fine. Certainly not harsh at all. However the 15 inch also has 60 % sidewall ratio which is a bit more than the 45 on 16 inch. Cosmetic wise options are worse for 15 inch though.

Like Briskodian's mrs we also have Kumho Ecowing tyres on 15 inch wheels and except for one local road which is notorious for noise, we have no problem. I would add that we run with pressures of 2.1 bar all round rather than 2.4 as the car is more comfortable and corners better as a result. Do be aware that some road surfaces are bad for noise. There is a particular stretch of road going into Exeter which is said to be the most noisy road in the UK but after 15 years use, the authorities still have done nothing about it.

I'm running 2.4 bar all round on my SE, with the standard 15" wheels and factory Kumho tyres. Rides nicely, although there is one patch of roundabout which it really doesn't like. But the roads in Manchester are pretty terrible all round.

Our Fabia SE has 15" wheels 1 Conti and 3 Dunlop Sport tyres, running at 2.4 bar, no real road noise at all. For the poster considering a Golf Mk 7 (I also have  a VW so follow the VW Forum) avoid the 18" shod vehicles because the comments are the ride is much harsher and noisier than the std 16" shod cars, note also that there are two different rear suspensions used on the Mk7 Golf - the lower powered cars have a beam axle and the higher powered ones have a multilink setup. The rear suspension setup on the Fabia compared to the Polo may also be a factor in the road noise with the larger wheel and tyre combination.

I am always on the look out for a new car and I have have found a Fabia SE 110 TSI estate I rather like the look of but has 17th inch Prestige alloys fitted. Is there much difference in fuel consumption or road noise compared to standard wheels and tyres? 

 

Many Thanks. 

threadbear, I took a new estate with the 17" wheels cross country to Wales loaded with a motorcycle engine in the back. The noise and ride comfort was horrendous compared to my SE Hatch with 15" alloys and my past two estates with the same 15" alloys. You just cannot compared the ride comfort between the two wheel sizes. Even loaded, the 17" wheels transmitted every single bump and road imperfection into the cabin with a very very high level of noise. I was glad to get out of it at the end of the day having covered over 600 miles. As is usual, the cabin itself was comfortable and roomy, but it was just the noise and ride comfort that was severely lacking. By comparison my hatch with it's 15 incher wheels was like a limousine.