Droning sound?

[fabill]

Anyone else aware of a droning sound?

On journey home from the dealership I was soon aware of a muted but constant droning. This was in marked contrast to the 'drone-free' 1.1 DSG Kamiq which I'd had for the previous three years. I've had the Karoq now for a few months and, with the exception of the droning, I'm pleased.
At this point I have a confession: Karoq test drive was exclusively in-town streets. Previous car was 1.1 Kamiq SE DSG. The three years with it had been a superb experience and I assumed the more expensive Karoq would be at least if not more refined. In some respects it is but the droning is a nuisance. And, I'm constantly aware of it at speeds above say 30mph. And it's not confined to spells in ECO ACT mode. It's ever present. 

So, what's the source? Initial thought was the tyres. However, on different and varying texture surfaces the sound levels/frequencies change, but the drone is ever present.
Next thought: wheel bearing. Soon eliminated that by the standard check - left/right movements of steering wheel on smooth surface produces no change in drone.
I have discovered however, in normal driving if I drop the DSG into neutral the drone seems to be eliminated. I say 'seems' because it might still be there but masked. What I can say, for certain, in neutral I'm no longer aware of it. Of course that doesn't solve the issue in normal driving mode. So, is it the engine? Or, could it be the DSG?
I've not reported this to the dealership. It would be a waste of time. I can just imagine: 'We can't hear the drone you're referring to!'

Obviously, I'm not alone in this regard. The droning is referred to in the Skoda Karoq Forum.  So, is it an inherent issue with the 1.5 DSG Karoq? Or, peculiar to only certain examples?
What do you think?

Finally. Other than the drone the 1.5 DSG Karoq car is a superb machine. Eliminate this and I'd vote it most refined I've owned in over 63 years.

Edited 27 March by fabill

[Karock]

My manual 1.5 SEL Karaoq also drones on some road surfaces I Assumed it was the   tyres as the frequency varies with road surface. It occurs both with Bridgestone Turanza's ( Summer tyres) and Kumho (winter tyres).

[fabill]

So, not just DSG, manual too!

Just had a though: could it be resonance from the exhaust system?

Next outing I’ll select manual mode. That’ll let me extend revs which, if the exhaust is the source, will change the resonance hence drone.

I’ll report outcome. 

[barcudcoch]

6 hours ago, Karock said:

My manual 1.5 SEL Karaoq also drones on some road surfaces I Assumed it was the   tyres as the frequency varies with road surface. It occurs both with Bridgestone Turanza's ( Summer tyres) and Kumho (winter tyres).

Agreed, I've had several different cars which all exhibited some droning even on good road surfaces when they started to wear.

@fabill Have you checked the tread depths? Especially at the rear.

[Karock]

All rear tyres about 8mm tread depth so doI  not think it is caused by wear. My car droned from new!

[croquemonsieur]

Some years ago, as part of quite a few noise reducing measures on my 1.0 DSG Karoq SE tech, I attached a SS exhaust pipe short extension piece, bought from Amazon.  The original car was pretty quiet, but I do like car journeys to be as serene as possible and one noise source among several I was aware of, was a modest low frequency drone from the engine / stroke exhaust system, around 1500-2000 rpm when going uphill with engine working harder - otherwise, save the 1st minute idling from cold, the engine is unaudible (the 1.0 is said to be the quietest Karoq).  I saw that the exhaust pipe ended under the car rear and thought it might help to terminate further back + I did wonder if their was a risk of gases getting into the car through the rear hatch - no doubt a totally unfounded fear.

 

Whether this exhaust extension made a difference I don't know, but another modification that I've noted before in Briskoda, amongst the several I did - damping down the solid rear parcel shelf (mine thankfully isn't the roll top variety) with fairly heavy materials, almost eliminates that slight drone + also noticeably reduces road noise from the tyres. Of course scientifically one should do modifications one at a time, to really determine the effectiveness of any single measure, but I couldn't be bothered taking the exhaust extension off now, to check if it actually makes a difference.

[fabill]

1 hour ago, croquemonsieur said:

Some years ago, as part of quite a few noise reducing measures on my 1.0 DSG Karoq SE tech, I attached a SS exhaust pipe short extension piece, bought from Amazon.  The original car was pretty quiet, but I do like car journeys to be as serene as possible and one noise source among several I was aware of, was a modest low frequency drone from the engine / stroke exhaust system, around 1500-2000 rpm when going uphill with engine working harder - otherwise, save the 1st minute idling from cold, the engine is unaudible (the 1.0 is said to be the quietest Karoq).  I saw that the exhaust pipe ended under the car rear and thought it might help to terminate further back + I did wonder if their was a risk of gases getting into the car through the rear hatch - no doubt a totally unfounded fear.

 

Whether this exhaust extension made a difference I don't know, but another modification that I've noted before in Briskoda, amongst the several I did - damping down the solid rear parcel shelf (mine thankfully isn't the roll top variety) with fairly heavy materials, almost eliminates that slight drone + also noticeably reduces road noise from the tyres. Of course scientifically one should do modifications one at a time, to really determine the effectiveness of any single measure, but I couldn't be bothered taking the exhaust extension off now, to check if it actually makes a difference.

 

Note with interest you have the 1.0L DSG Karoq. Moving from the 1.0 DSG Kamiq that was my preferred choice but, at the time none were available in the spec I wanted, hence the 1.5L.

Having read your post, if I could wind the clock back I'd have waited until a 1.0L came along. Other than some tyre noise normal driving in the Kamiq was pretty much a silent experience. 

That was replaced only when accelerating hard by a non-intrusive thrum. I liked that thrum 😊     

 

I'm now going to keep an eye open for a 1.0L KAROQ appearing at local Skoda dealership and book a test drive. That way I'll be able to experience first hand.

 

Anyway, notwithstanding, the Karoq is a fine machine indeed.       

 

PS. Haven't tried the manual mode I mentioned in previous post. Will though and come back with outcome.   

Edited 28 March by fabill

[MickA]

As above post, is it just the noise from the rear, roll up load cover rather than a solid one?

I'm in the throws of car hunting, Kamiq or Karoq not sure yet. One comment brings up more noise from the rear load area, re above comment because of the adjustable rear seats. Do all Karoqs have rear adjustable seats and roll type load covers?

Edited 28 March by MickA

[fabill]

1 minute ago, MickA said:

As above post, is it just the noise from the rear, roll up load cover rather than a solid one?

I'm in the throws of car hunting, Kamiq or Karoq not sure yet. One comment brings up more noise from the rear load area, re above comment because of the adjustable rear seats. Do all Karoqs have rear adjustable seats and roll type load covers?

No. Mine is SE Drive. Fixed non-adjustable seats and cord/moulded parcel shelf.

[croquemonsieur]

Fabill, you'd have to revert to a manual Karoq if you want a newish 1.0.  They stopped doing 1.0 DSGs in 2019, I just got mine in time that year and I couldn't go back to a manual. I'd go for a newer 1.0 DSG Karoq with even more bells & whistles than the SE Tech came with and was hoping they might bring out the mild Hybrid 1.0 DSG that was being talked at one time about. However that doesn't now seem likely, so I'm hanging on to my current car a good many years yet and that's no hardship. I must try a new 1.5 DSG sometime though, just to see how it compares.

[Routemaster1461]

1 hour ago, croquemonsieur said:

Fabill, you'd have to revert to a manual Karoq if you want a newish 1.0.  They stopped doing 1.0 DSGs in 2019, I just got mine in time that year and I couldn't go back to a manual. I'd go for a newer 1.0 DSG Karoq with even more bells & whistles than the SE Tech came with and was hoping they might bring out the mild Hybrid 1.0 DSG that was being talked at one time about. However that doesn't now seem likely, so I'm hanging on to my current car a good many years yet and that's no hardship. I must try a new 1.5 DSG sometime though, just to see how it compares.

 

Just looked at the Skoda brochure. The 1.0

 

https://cc.skoda-auto.com/gbr/en-GB/engine-scenic?activePage=engines&color=K4K4&configurationId=&extraEquipments=&id=GBR%3Bskoda%3B2024%3BNW4DQ4%3B0%3BGYOKYOK%3Bmda20240328103218%3Ben-GB%3B%3B61008%3B61528&interior=HN&modifiedPages=&snapshotVersion=297fde02-1373-481f-a2c8-610cc3ef4274&trimline=NWD|SE6152861008&visitedPages=trimlines|colorsKamiq is still available with DSG

[fabill]

2 hours ago, Routemaster1461 said:

 

Just looked at the Skoda brochure. The 1.0

 

https://cc.skoda-auto.com/gbr/en-GB/engine-scenic?activePage=engines&color=K4K4&configurationId=&extraEquipments=&id=GBR%3Bskoda%3B2024%3BNW4DQ4%3B0%3BGYOKYOK%3Bmda20240328103218%3Ben-GB%3B%3B61008%3B61528&interior=HN&modifiedPages=&snapshotVersion=297fde02-1373-481f-a2c8-610cc3ef4274&trimline=NWD|SE6152861008&visitedPages=trimlines|colorsKamiq is still available with DSG

Hi

That link is to the Kamiq. We were aware the Kamiq was still available in 1.0L DSG. croquemonsieur was referring to the Karoq. It's not available with 1.0L DSG. 

Edited 28 March by fabill

[fabill]

On 27/03/2024 at 17:13, fabill said:

So, not just DSG, manual too!

Just had a though: could it be resonance from the exhaust system?

Next outing I’ll select manual mode. That’ll let me extend revs which, if the exhaust is the source, will change the resonance hence drone.

I’ll report outcome. 

Tried manual mode. Couldn't tell if any change in drone, as increased revs predominated. 

 

One other thought has occurred. When I collected the Karoq it didn't have a spacesaver, just an inflator kit. I swapped that for a Kamiq spacesaver. It's not the same as the one for the Karoq - it's fatter. As a result the boot tray isn't seated around its outer edge, just sits on top of the tyre.

I'll remove the space saver and see if that has any effect on the drone.  

 

[Viffer800]

I reckon it's definitely exhaust resonance

[fabill]

Removed space saver. Drone unchanged.

However, while coasting on a downhill, very, very smooth stretch of tarmac I noticed drone had gone. I tried accelerating and immediately the drone returned. Took foot off the pedal and drone disappeared. 
I conclude from this that the droning is attributable to the engine/exhaust.

Ah well, don’t suppose there’s much I can do about that.