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This is a really long shot as i doubt its common at all, but basically i have this problem:

My RS4 has a really annoying vibrating sound in the dash, under hard acceleration between 3500 4500 rpm, worse in sport mode.

It is nothing serious, just something inside the dash around the drivers side face vent. Sounds like something loose or two pieces of plastic almost touching that vibrate from the engine/exhaust resonance.

I have spent WEEKS trying to find what it is, taken the lower panel off, checked everything, even driving with the lower panel off and my hand in there trying to feel it. Door card off too and nothing in there loose.

I notice it more when its cold, its directly linked to the resonance the engine/exhaust makes, which it more pronounced in cold weather.

I am guessing its a piece of trim, loose bolt, maybe the relay / fuse rack.

What ever it is, its driving me crazy now. Anyone had anything similar?

I had something similar in a old BMW, turned out it was a leaf that had got sucked in due to a ill fitted pollen filter. The leaf could be seen and was extracted using a pair of tweezers.

I cant see that being the problem in your RS4.

I would guess its something to do with the exhaust system, possible rasping, or a loose exhaust hanger/bracket. Whats the mileage and does it have a after market system?

sonny wrote:I had something similar in a old BMW, turned out it was a leaf that had got sucked in due to a ill fitted pollen filter. The leaf could be seen and was extracted using a pair of tweezers.

I cant see that being the problem in your RS4.

I would guess its something to do with the exhaust system, possible rasping, or a loose exhaust hanger/bracket. Whats the mileage and does it have a after market system?

Thanks for the reply,

Its hard to explain but i am sure it is something in the dash area, i will take a look under the panel in the engine bay to make sure there is nothing loose there.

The car has 30k, standard exhaust, i think the exhaust sounds normal, just the natural resonance the exhaust make causes the car to see some very mild resonance (just the deep sound it makes in sport mode).

I will have another look over it tonight, just annoying when there is something no doubt so simple to fix that i just cant find !

Cheers.

Have you checked the ashtray, that there is nothing in there?

Strange this one, hope you sort it out.

lugars4 wrote:This is a really long shot as i doubt its common at all, but basically i have this problem:

My RS4 has a really annoying vibrating sound in the dash, under hard acceleration between 3500 4500 rpm, worse in sport mode.

It is nothing serious, just something inside the dash around the drivers side face vent. Sounds like something loose or two pieces of plastic almost touching that vibrate from the engine/exhaust resonance.

I have spent WEEKS trying to find what it is, taken the lower panel off, checked everything, even driving with the lower panel off and my hand in there trying to feel it. Door card off too and nothing in there loose.

I notice it more when its cold, its directly linked to the resonance the engine/exhaust makes, which it more pronounced in cold weather.

I am guessing its a piece of trim, loose bolt, maybe the relay / fuse rack.

What ever it is, its driving me crazy now. Anyone had anything similar?

i seem to have this, it comes from around the handbrake and centre consol and it seems to be since i fitted my milltek

Mine in around the drivers face vent in the dash (by the door).

When i first got the car i did find some coins had fallen down the back of the ash tray lid, had to take the whole ash try assembly out to get to them.....

Mines in the drivers side door pod. Very annoying! Happens between 3-5k rev's. New DRC!??

RS4pete wrote:Mines in the drivers side door pod. Very annoying! Happens between 3-5k rev's. New DRC!??

Loose outside door handle?

It doesn't sound like it. It seems to come from the an area behind/below the electric window switches.

Thanks for the suggestion. Ill have a look at the handle just to make sure..

RS4pete wrote:It doesn't sound like it. It seems to come from the an area behind/below the electric window switches.

Thanks for the suggestion. Ill have a look at the handle just to make sure..

Having just spent ages trying to find the source of the problem on mine, i have got the door car off and it is defiantly coming from inside the door.

It is somewhere above the speaker, between that and the tweeter.

Really struggling to find the source though, biggest problem is you have to be driving hard to hear it.

It sounds like its coming from the window lift motor assembly.

Just been out and confirmed it is not the lift motor.........

Having been over every possible component inside the door i am baffled. Its just such a hard sound to pin point. Almost like two pieces of metal / plastic almost touching and just vibrate enough to make a buzzing sound.

So.....maybe it isn't inside the door. Just going to have to keep at it until i find it i guess. If only i could replicate the engine at 4000rpm with my head between my legs to find it....

Damn annoying and beginning to stress me out

You can always turn the radio up when driving?

What is the sound insulation like, does it have a moisture barrier there, like a sheet of see through plastic covering the door card, only say this as a part of that my be flapping. I seem to recall a owner on here getting a light breeze through the window switch area. May be related? Have you tried driving the car wit the door card off?

Hi Lugars4 - this is weird. I have EXACTLY the same issue on my 2007 saloon. It started a couple a few weeks ago and I havent figured out what it is either.

Basically the vibration seems to be coming from just behind the dash to the right of the wheel - and also worse in sport mode and under hard acceleration. I checked all the obvious things like a coin in the glove compartment / ashtray etc but nothing!

The one thing that was v weird is I had to re-fill my oil last week, when I drove for the first few times after re-filling the oil, the vibration seemed to completely disapear - maybe this is pure coincidence, or just me messing under the bonet had somehow affected it. Anyway, its now back again..

Mines still under warrently so was thinking about getting the stealers to check it out - but the last thing I want is to tell them it only happens under hard acceleration so some muppet things he has free license to take it out for a spin.

Lewy1000 wrote:Hi Lugars4 - this is weird. I have EXACTLY the same issue on my 2007 saloon. It started a couple a few weeks ago and I havent figured out what it is either.

Basically the vibration seems to be coming from just behind the dash to the right of the wheel - and also worse in sport mode and under hard acceleration. I checked all the obvious things like a coin in the glove compartment / ashtray etc but nothing!

The one thing that was v weird is I had to re-fill my oil last week, when I drove for the first few times after re-filling the oil, the vibration seemed to completely disapear - maybe this is pure coincidence, or just me messing under the bonet had somehow affected it. Anyway, its now back again..

Mines still under warrently so was thinking about getting the stealers to check it out - but the last thing I want is to tell them it only happens under hard acceleration so some muppet things he has free license to take it out for a spin.

Hi,

Its good to know i am not alone in this problem, i have spent many hours trying to source it.

I also considered taking it to Audi under warranty but i doubt they would find it considering the amount of time i have spent going over, under and in the dash / door area. Plus i worry about them spending 8 hours then putting something down to wear and tear and presenting me with a bill.

I keep changing my mind as the where it is actually coming from, it seems louder driving with the door card off, but maybe coincidence.

Also, as i said earlier on, it is noticeably worse driving at night with colder air. Seem to affect the engine note.

Seriously annoying i am sure you would agree....

Did you ever get to the bottom of this problem ?