Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice or shared experiences. I’ve got a Skoda with a DSG automatic gearbox, and I recently have been getting a droning noise and noticeable vibration, especially:

Under acceleration

Around 2,000–2,500 RPM

Stronger at 65-70 mph

Through the steering wheel and cabin

I took it to a gearbox specialist, and after a test drive and inspection on the ramp, they couldn’t find anything obviously wrong apart from a slightly worn dual-mass flywheel. While the car was running on the ramp, there was a very faint humming noise under the engine, but we couldn’t pinpoint the source.

What I’m wondering:

Could this be due to an aftermarket driveshaft?

Could it be incorrect fitment or the driveshaft not seated properly?

Has anyone else had a similar issue? It's one of those where you can feel vibration through the wheel as well as noise near the engine

How likely is it that a transmission bearing would cause this kind of issue, especially if it began right after a driveshaft change?

Is there any advice you could give me as to what the cause of this vibration and droning could be? I don't think stuff like tires and wheel bearings because I know that sound is different.

Having experienced exactly that on our previous MK2 Octavia I'd be 100% certain that's a worn rear prop shaft coupling.

They are about £100 each but Skoda will only sell you a complete driveshaft and coupling assembly for about a £1000.

Okay i see. So a few months back I replaced the driveshaft on both sides of the car, (mine is a fwd) with aftermarket shafts because the garage i used said they wouldn’t be much different to oem so could it be the case that I can replace the coupling assembly or would that have been done when I replaced a driveshaft because I dont remember anything mentioned about that?

I rang the garage and they tell me the coupling would of been replaced if they are doing a driveshaft so leads me to belive as I had already suspected to maybe be a transmission bearing or something else. My advice from the gearbox specialist was to just wait until there's more of an obvious noise but it really makes the otherwise relaxing experience of a superb more irritating.

On 15/07/2025 at 09:49, skomaz said:

Having experienced exactly that on our previous MK2 Octavia I'd be 100% certain that's a worn rear prop shaft coupling.

They are about £100 each but Skoda will only sell you a complete driveshaft and coupling assembly for about a £1000.

Do you think relpacing the driveshaft with a skoda one would fix my issue? I'm assuming the aftermarket one i got fitted that the garage chose doesn't mate very well to the dsg? I have heard dsg gearboxes and particularly sensitive to anything like this.

Ah. I may have misled you there .. mine was a 4x4 and it was the flexible coupling on the driveshaft to the rear wheels that was the issue on mine. Yours is fed so won't have that. It does sound like a driveshaft issue though.