[Progressiv2017]

Hi everyone,

1.5 month old Q3 PRogressive, 2017. Was fine when I bought it... now there are some issues. I must note that I have an excellent comparable - my mom bought a 2017 Q3 Komfort a month before I did.

I've noticed the following:
- loudish engine when idling/running
- loud rattling/sound in general from the exhaust
- when accelerating it's quite loud, sounds like a toy car almost. Certainly doesn't sound like I'm driving an Audi.
- *Grinding* feel through the pedal/front when car is increasing and decreasing in speed. Also, if I'm just cruising along (it can be 40km or 80km, doesn't matter) the grind feeling and sound continues on and off. When I rest my hand on the gear shift knob and can feel the vibration through it.

I've driven my moms Q3 for 2 days and it's absolutely silent, none of the above and it's smooth.

Any suggestions? My boss thinks the gears aren't auto shifting smoothly... something to that extent.

Thanks!

 

[carkarl]

It's very difficult for someone to diagnose by a verbal description of a sound. If you think there is a very abnormal sound, you should have your mechanic look at it and listen to it. But, I would consider exhaust leaks or loose heat shielding based on your description of when the sounds occur.

If you think you might be overreacting and just want more ways to investigate, you should try to make your comparisons between cars more controlled. Make sure you are comparing with the engine cold or warm on both cars, and that you are using consistent gearing and engine speeds on the tachometer. Since you say it is apparent at low speeds too, I'd find a quiet place, drive with all the windows down and internal sound sources shut off (radio, climate control). If you have a quiet enough street or parking area, have someone stand to the side and listen while you drive past. They may hear the sound very differently from an external position than you will with sounds conducting through the car chassis etc.

My 2017 Q3 does make some rough vibrations through the pedals when it hits certain low RPMs under load. It almost reminds me of a chain or gear-driven trolley when it happens. What I think I've realized is that the automatic transmission in "D" will load the engine at much lower RPM than I would ever do in the past with a manual, just barely above 1k RPM. As I slowly learn how this transmission behaves and adapt my throttle application, it happens less often. It also sometimes has an annoying resonance if the air-conditioning compressor kicks in when the engine is idling and the car in "D" such as at a long stop light. When I turn off the air-conditioning, it becomes almost silent from inside the cabin.