I have had this car from new (2019) and it was not long before the wife pointed out that she could hear an intermittent squeal coming from the front of the car. Being slightly hard of hearing, I couldn't hear it but assumed it was brake squeal so did nothing about it. However 3 years on and I have finally got hearing aids as I was diagnosed as having poor high frequency hearing problems, so I can now hear the squeal!! Trying to isolate where it is coming from, it appears most often between 30 and 40mph when on a light throttle. Applying the brakes with a left foot does not make it stop, but either taking my foot off the accelerator OR pressing it harder stops the squeal immediately. I can reproduce the noise using a light throttle at around 30 - 40mph and it does not matter if I am driving in a straight line or going around a bend in either direction.

 

I am not exactly bothered about the squeal as the car performs as expected with no other issues, but wondered if my car is unique or if this happens on other members cars? Any ideas anybody?

 

Dave

 

My wife can here a regular high pitched sound from new, it's still happening 3 years later. Daughter can hear it. Annoys wife greatly so she always drives with the music on.

No one at the dealer can hear it. Like you my high frequency hearing is reduced, so I don't.

From what my wife says it implies to me some relief of pressure, a concept I've discussed with the dealer, with as you might guess, no buy in that there's any issue.

 

Thanks for your reply. I am pleased I am not the only one, so it must be a 'feature' of the 1.0TSI. I agree it sounds like a pressure relief valve opening and since I have had my hearing aids, I hear it every time I go out in the car. I am surprised that if this is the case and its a 'feature', that its not been mentioned on here before.

Are these manual or DSG 1.0 TSIs.  Don't know if the following comments are useful, but here goes.

 

I've not noticed any such squeal in my 2019 1.0 SE Tech DSG, but I am 74, no doubt a bit of high treble loss.  However, as a hifi enthusiast, I reckon my hearing is pretty good for my age, even though I do need to get my ears microsuctioned every so often and in fact just had them dome again 2.5 weeks ago.  My hearing feels odd following the treatment - in fact super-sensitive in the treble that might just highlight any squeal for me.  The hearing gradually returns to normal over 2 weeks.

 

I do get a little high pitch tinnitus sometimes and that might possibly mask any modest engine squeal.

 

I am actually rather finnicky about noise in cars, particularly road noise which I find wearing, not that my Karock was ever bad in this respect, but I've taken several measures to reduce this over the years, the latest being changing to AW tyres.  I'd have thought any such noise reduction measures would bring a squeal into prominence, but not as far as I can hear and I do detect the engine & wind noise just a fraction more, now things are quieter elsewhere.  Not that that worries me, the engine was virtually inaudible before & wind noise never bad.

40 minutes ago, croquemonsieur said:

Are these manual or DSG 1.0 TSIs. 

 

Mines a manual. I was out in the car yesterday and tried to identify some more parameters when the squeal appears. So, its at around 2500rpm on a light throttle in 3rd or 4th gear when its most noticeable. Its possible that a DSG changes up a gear before then? I have also tried to reproduce the squeal when stationery but with no luck.

 

It is definitely an engine noise, as backing off the throttle OR slightly increasing the throttle will immediately stop the noise.

Yes you're right about the DSG.  It does generally when in Standard Drive Mode, want to be in as high a gear as it can get away with and as soon as possible, even on the overun going downhill and I can't at the moment think when the car might be in on a light throttle at 2500rpm.  Perhaps sometime I should try using the manual gear change mode to see if I can replicate your squeal, but for me that would be learning new tricks.  I find standard Drive Mode + just so very easily slipping into Sport Mode, when wanting to overtake or go on steeper uphills, covers all driving situations.

I have the same problem. I have no hearing problem nor am I not too sensitive but the squealing sound is there. My wife hears it, my children, and my friends. The guy at the mechanics also heard it but says he can’t find what it is, where it is exactly, somewhere in the right front probably. 
 

I hear it on all gears with very light throttle. It is most evident when in gear 2 or 3 at around 2,000-3,000 rpm. Very very annoying for a car that is only 3/4 yrs old and only rolled about 37,000 km. 

 

I drive a Karoq 2020 manual. 
 

I am to leave the car at the mechanics for one week but I doubt they will locate the problem unless it gets really worse. 
 

I believe it has to do with something that connects to the throttle/gas/accelerator because the squeal goes away directly when taking the fort of the accelerator, or adding more gas. The sound is on a very light throttle. 
 

Surely, someone has isolated the problem and solved it? 

2 hours ago, Maceo said:

I have the same problem. I have no hearing problem nor am I not too sensitive but the squealing sound is there. My wife hears it, my children, and my friends. The guy at the mechanics also heard it but says he can’t find what it is, where it is exactly, somewhere in the right front probably. 
 

I hear it on all gears with very light throttle. It is most evident when in gear 2 or 3 at around 2,000-3,000 rpm. Very very annoying for a car that is only 3/4 yrs old and only rolled about 37,000 km. 

 

I drive a Karoq 2020 manual. 
 

I am to leave the car at the mechanics for one week but I doubt they will locate the problem unless it gets really worse. 
 

I believe it has to do with something that connects to the throttle/gas/accelerator because the squeal goes away directly when taking the fort of the accelerator, or adding more gas. The sound is on a very light throttle. 
 

Surely, someone has isolated the problem and solved it? 

 

You are spot on with the diagnosis - mine is exactly the same.

 

I haven't managed to find the cause yet and have just learned to live with it. It could be described as a 'feature' of the engine to which there is no cure, but if your mechanic does find a cause, please share. Mine has done it from new and it has not got worse or better in 4 years of driving.

Vacuum related, start with the various solenoid valves for vacuum operated actuators, the brake servo, look to see if there is a vacuum regulating valve that allows air in under high vacuum conditions to prevent the lines collapsing, it will almost certainly have a small filter where the air is drawn in.

 

One of the on line parts diagrams should show all the components.

 

At a certain airflow the thing will be whistling, increasing the vacuum by reducing the throttle will take the airflow above the resonant point, decreasing it by accelerating will drop it beneath.

@ J.R. , this sounds interesting. Can you explain some more about this? I am not sure what I should look for and locate. And What to do if located?

 

This whisteling high frequency sound (although at a low level) is really disturbing.