Hello everyone!

 

I've been running into a weird issue with my 2020 Scala 1.0 TSI DSG lately, and was wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing.

 

Sometimes, very intermittently, there is a weird clacking noise that sounds like it's coming from the right-hand side of the car, specifically somewhere behind the glovebox or the passenger footwell. To me it doesn't really sound metallic, more like a heavy wire or something similar tapping against plastic. It tends to happen the most when I'm cruising at about 60-70km/h, but not always. It seems to happen more commonly when making low right hand turns at speed, but happens on straights sometimes as well. No other symptoms, just a really annoying sound that's happening commonly enough to be annoying.

 

I've yet to dismantle the passenger side trim so that I could get a better look. I did open up the glovebox to check if there's anything loose near the cabin air filter, but didn't find anything that seemed out of place.

 

Any ideas for what might be causing this?

Possibly a heater flap motor.

On 11/06/2024 at 13:06, eske said:

Hello everyone!

 

I've been running into a weird issue with my 2020 Scala 1.0 TSI DSG lately, and was wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing.

 

Sometimes, very intermittently, there is a weird clacking noise that sounds like it's coming from the right-hand side of the car, specifically somewhere behind the glovebox or the passenger footwell. To me it doesn't really sound metallic, more like a heavy wire or something similar tapping against plastic. It tends to happen the most when I'm cruising at about 60-70km/h, but not always. It seems to happen more commonly when making low right hand turns at speed, but happens on straights sometimes as well. No other symptoms, just a really annoying sound that's happening commonly enough to be annoying.

 

I've yet to dismantle the passenger side trim so that I could get a better look. I did open up the glovebox to check if there's anything loose near the cabin air filter, but didn't find anything that seemed out of place.

 

Any ideas for what might be causing this?

I'm experiencing something very similar to what you're describing. Did you ever find out what caused the noise?

1 minute ago, Vidde said:

I'm experiencing something very similar to what you're describing. Did you ever find out what caused the noise?

Unfortunately not. The problem actually went away by itself for a good while, but returned a couple of months ago.

Me and a friend tried to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, and the closest we got to replicating it was by tapping the bottom engine cover plastic on the passenger side. It might be that it or some other piece of plastic trim is loose and has just enough room to flap against the force of the wind, but I'm not too sure.

If you find out what's causing it for you would love to hear!

1 hour ago, eske said:

Unfortunately not. The problem actually went away by itself for a good while, but returned a couple of months ago.

Me and a friend tried to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, and the closest we got to replicating it was by tapping the bottom engine cover plastic on the passenger side. It might be that it or some other piece of plastic trim is loose and has just enough room to flap against the force of the wind, but I'm not too sure.

If you find out what's causing it for you would love to hear!

Alright thanks for the lead, I will go and have a tap on the engine cover and see what I can find. Actually now that I think about it, on the occasions that I have heard the noise I think there has been some crosswinds going on, so it could make sense that something is flapping around a bit in the engine bay. I will report back if I find anything.

Or what @Crasher suggested earlier.

Just now, rum4mo said:

Or what @Crasher suggested earlier.

It's a good suggestion, I suppose it could be that too. But if it was, wouldn't I have issues with the climate control as well?

7 hours ago, eske said:

It's a good suggestion, I suppose it could be that too. But if it was, wouldn't I have issues with the climate control as well?

This is particularly interesting as I posted this thread just yesterday. Is it possible to somehow confirm that the heater flap motor is not behaving as it should? Or is that a job for a mechanic?

Checking the operation of the many flap motors using a scan tool like VCDS should reveal "what is being asked for" is not "what is happening" - and that should confirm if it is a flap motor assembly and which one it is.

If it is a flap motor, what it is doing is "hunting" or has broken a bracket so the motor teeth are slipping over the flap mechanism teeth.

Hunting happens when the system's positional feedback for a flap motor has become intermittent so when the system demands a position change, the motor responds but the system is not receiving good confirmation of the flap now being at that new position - so it changes the voltage drive to the flap motor and maybe it now has moved past the required position due to something like contamination on the positional feedback track or its wiper, and a correction drive voltage is sent out - repeat repeat repeat etc, so that flap motor and flap end up moving back and forwards repeatedly, hence the clonking.

On 05/09/2025 at 10:17, rum4mo said:

Checking the operation of the many flap motors using a scan tool like VCDS should reveal "what is being asked for" is not "what is happening" - and that should confirm if it is a flap motor assembly and which one it is.

If it is a flap motor, what it is doing is "hunting" or has broken a bracket so the motor teeth are slipping over the flap mechanism teeth.

Hunting happens when the system's positional feedback for a flap motor has become intermittent so when the system demands a position change, the motor responds but the system is not receiving good confirmation of the flap now being at that new position - so it changes the voltage drive to the flap motor and maybe it now has moved past the required position due to something like contamination on the positional feedback track or its wiper, and a correction drive voltage is sent out - repeat repeat repeat etc, so that flap motor and flap end up moving back and forwards repeatedly, hence the clonking.

Right, I understand what you're saying. Something tells me that would probably result in more rhythmic, or even sounding, clonks tho? I don't want to hijack this thread completetly but at least for me the clonks are very irregular and, unless I am imagining stuff, seems to depend a bit on the wind and maybe also the type of road surface.

However, the type of sound and the location of the sound does make me believe it could be something like a heater flap on the loose.

Typically if it is a flap motor issue, you will hear the noise as soon as you switch on the ignition - even before engine start, as long as the cabin fan is running.

This sounds ('scuse the pun) like the problem that led me to explore the function of a mystery flap under the bonnet of my Scala (https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/534869-mystery-flap-under-bonnet/)

Same as you - irregular rattle/flapping noise becomes noticable when running 50-60mph+ , and in recent windy weather. That suggests to me it's caused by rushing air. Putting felt pads on the mystery flap didn't sort it, sadly.

My car is used but new to me, so I've booked it in to the dealers for them to have a play with. I'll post updates if there are any.

Maddening - in so many ways the car is really refined and quiet, at least compared to anything else I've owned. This noise spoils it somewhat, though having radio/podcast on will mostly drown it out.