Very unusual handling
 

Guys need your help to understand what's going on with my car. I'm now confident I purchased a dud.

Over the past few weeks I've been noticing the car isn't has silent inside as it used to be. When I drive very slowly, and I mean just let the car roll forward, it almost feels like I don't have tires. I feel a very light shake on the pedal and under my seat. It's very hard to explain. It's not rough like uncomfortable, but it's noticeable and annoying. I can feel it when I'm making right turns and left turns and when I accelerate. At high speeds it's still there but much better.

I've spoken to the dealer and I have an appointment this Saturday for them to take a look.

But I've been reading about it and it could be a few things (or maybe it's just me and the car is fine). Does anybody else who owns an 2009/10 A4 feel some of the road feedback in the steering/pedal?

1) Could be alignment - but when I let go of the wheel, the car drives perfectly straight
2) Could be my wheel nuts are not tightened properly - I haven't had time to check myself but could this cause it? Is it still safe to drive?
3) Someone on a BMW forum (Low speed vibration - need help to diagnose. - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)) tried to explain a similar problem and they mentioned bushings and other garbage which I have no clue about.

Comments guys?

Thanks!

Re: Very unusual handling
 

That doesn't sound good... I've been thinking myself about alignment issues... Things have ESP in them so I would imagine if it's a hair off then it will compensate but a what cost? ..have you tried with esp off?

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Thanks sumnon,

Tried with ESP off yesterday and I don't know if it was just psychological, but I found it to be a LITTLE smoother.

I'm taking my car in on Thursday for them to take a look at.

Here's a silly questions, could it be something with the breaks? I'm no mechanic so I'm just throwing this out there. Something like warped breaks or stuck calipers?

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Did you notice any drifting off to one side with ESP off? Like a classic "one front wheel not quite pointed straight"? If the car is still straight then alignment is likely not the culpret..however one thing leads to another...

Re: Very unusual handling
 

I have vibration issues at highway speeds - but it doesn't sound related to what you're having. My issue is potentially related to deformed Pirelli's

Re: Very unusual handling
 

...anything from the visit...? ;)

Re: Very unusual handling
 

I have had issues like this with improperly torqued wheel bolts, I am interested to hear what the mechanic had to say

Re: Very unusual handling
 

just dropped the vehicle off today and will be leaving it there until sat. dealer gave me a 09 A3 as a loaner vehicle. was impressed also with how well it handled although wasn't too impressed with the ride quality/smoothness. after getting used to the pushbutton start it felt nice to actually turn a key to start the vehicle for once.

i left the dealer with a whole laundry list of things to check.

- the handling issue
- a little seat vibration right at the end of braking
- passenger reverse light out
- paint spots that i can't get out

also the minimum oil light came on again after just 28 days of topping it up with 1L castrol. their going to do an oil consumption test.

regarding sumnom's alignment question... i turn ESP off and left the car drive without touching the wheel, it stayed stayed swaying to either side.

maybe it's just me.. maybe i'm asking for perfection....i really hope it's nothing but i'll let you know when i find out.

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Got the car back from the dealer on Saturday.

- changed the reverse light
- the transmission jerk while upshifting they are ordering a transmission filter to replace
- the paint spots they are getting their detailer in who has a special compound to remove them
- vibration issue apparently it's being caused by my winter tires. i'll wait till summer when i get my summers on and will see if it changes. i've read articles about this being a known issue and that changing the control arm bushings fix it... (i have NO idea what a bushing is...)

Re: Very unusual handling
 

bushing is just a rubber /plastic mount that absorbs the vibration.

i've had my control arm replaced -- car actually handles better after it and eliminated a huge % of the vibration that occured.

they're now looking into the driveshaft as another source of the vibe (they've already replaced 4 tires)

Re: Very unusual handling
 

im having a similar vibration but only at 40km/h it started after i got my clutch replaced, it sounds like the vibration is coming from the hanging bearing on the driveshaft/propeller shaft but im not to sure.

Re: Very unusual handling
 

So my car went back to the shop yesterday...

They changed the ATF and are now checking the results of the oil consumption test. Results show that the car barely passed so Audi says to check for scoring under some thing or other... Apparently whatever they are doing is quite the task and my car has to stay there another day or so...

They gave me a Corolla last night as a rental... in the snow...

I was laughing at others on the drive home last night from TO to Markham. "...suckers with no Quattro!..." I screamed.

Now I'm one of them... :(

Re: Very unusual handling
 

could've been worse... your toyota could've run away from you... gotten it's pedal stuck you know...

Re: Very unusual handling
 

what was wrong with the transmission OH9EH4?

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Well when I first took delivery of my vehicle I took it in after a few weeks because I could feel hard downshifting. When the car slowed down at a red from 3-2 and 2-1, the car would jerk/shake a little. They did a flash of something or other as suggested in a TSB. Now I've feeling hard upshifts. So when I'm at a stop light and accelerate, auto shifting from 1-2 and 2-3 feels like I'm going uphill... serious shift shock. More so when it's cold out but still predominant when the car has warmed up. For a luxury sports sedan I don't think this should happen. Shifting should be smooth and seamless (not so much DSG but def not Chrysler-like)...

Re: Very unusual handling
 

LOL! You and I have a lot to talk about my friend

"for a luxury sports sedan I don't think this should happen"

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Poker, mind my ignorance... but not sure I follow..

Let's talk...

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Its a wheel bearing.

Re: Very unusual handling
 

how do you know it's a wheel bearing?

people have said control arm also..

Re: Very unusual handling
 

Does the noise change proportionally with your speed?

Does the noise suddenly get louder when you put a side load on the front end going around a curve) .. if yes.. its a wheel bearing. 200$ plus labor.