Hi Guys,
My car is a 2009 A4 TFSI. It has the new 2.0 litre engine which is the 211PS version. The oil filter is on the top of the engine (see later)
On start up in the mornings or after the car has stood for a long period -eg. all day - I get a loudish "uug-squeal" sound for about two seconds. It doesn't happen when the car is cold.

In case things were not as they should be I took the car back to the supplying Dealer for them to look at over 2+ days.The technician(s) had no problem in hearing and acknowledging the noise.
There first thought was that the starter motor was not disengaging properly. Rust on the pinion was mentioned??? Next the fuel pump charging was mentioned but was discounted when I pointed out that the fuel pump could be heard as normal when the ignition was switched on - but that the unknown different noise came at stage two in the starting process when the car is actually started. And so on.

The final diagnosis suggested (so far) is that the sound is made by the oil pump or oil pumping up to the filter which is on the top of the engine. The theory is that the oil drains to the sump when the car is left and when the car is cold it has to pump to the top of the engine and filter - hence the noise ??? They said they had started an A5 in the showroom with the same engine and it made the same sound the implication being that it is a "characteristic" of the car ?? The technician was open about the fact that they are still learning about this new engine. I hope I'm not being "palmed -off" by the Dealers, particularly as I took the car in a.s.a.p. in case there was a potentially serious problem which could affect other components and thereby save Audi a costly repair.

Anyway I've got the car back still making the noise on cold starts.At least the problem, if it is one, is on record. My thoughts on this sort of noise tend to go towards things like a dry bearing on fans, alternator, tensioner etc. Also if a secondary air injection pump is fitted to this model this only activates on start up so this is a possibility. I acknowledge that becausethe noise is brief it is difficult to trace.

Anyway what do you guys think? Would an oil pump make this pronounced squeal? Any Audi tech. guys out there who know what it is for sure?
If you have the same engine could you let me know if your car makes a similar noise on cold starts so I can gauge if it is a "characteristic"??

I now intend to put by concerns to Audi Customer Support via e-mail so that it's on record with them as well as the dealer. I'll also probably post this elsewhere.

Thanks Guys for giving this your consideration.

Rob.

 

The latest from the Dealers says that the factory have released a bulletin which may be applicable to my car.
"The noise according to the bulletin is from the intake system and only occurs during the heat up phase of the catalyst unit.
The noise which they are describing is normal.
The bulletin may or may not apply to your vehicle.Obviously please do monitor the noise and let us know of any further problems"
Any of you guys out there experience anoise oncold start up?

 

Hey Rob,
Sorry to hear your 2.0 is sounding like an old beater on start up. A squealing noise is never an "acceptable" or "characteristic" sound for an engine to be making.
It sounds to me that the noise the bulletin is referring to is the "roaring" sound our air pumps make on cold starts. That is indeed a characteristic sound of the engine and although not very refined sounding, it is normal and harmless.
Be sure to keep all your service records(Audi should keep them but you need to be sure) and complain of this every time you go in for service...or daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Audi should repair this, replace the engine, Lemon Law the car or at least give you an extended warranty if they can't solve the issue.
Let us know how it plays out.

 

Hi Poppy,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah the "vacuum cleaner /roar" sound on start up is well known as a characteristic of the car and relates to the secondary or auxiliary air injection pump for emissions purposes. I'm aware of that one and my car noise is not that. Be sure I will keep at Audi until I get some satisfactory action and I'll update on the outcome
Cheers,
Rob

 

So a squeal is unacceptable, but a vacuum cleaner/roaring sound is? I don't think so. The roaring noise is indeed characteristic of this Audi engine, but that doesn't necessarily make it acceptable. It's a poor design that wasn't thoroughly tested. If it were 'normal' all cars would make it but they don't. Audi shouldn't expect early adopters to have to live with this while owners of future generations that include a redesign that eliminates it don't have to. We're not a free focus group. Toyota learned this when they changed up the rubber compound used in their initial Lexus LS control arm bushings because they made a horrible squawking noise in very cold temperatures. That was 'characteristic' too. But when Toyota changed them in future model years because of a flood of complaints, initial owners saw to it that they got the redesigned ones too. If this roaring noise is just caused by a pump as you say then it'll be a simple matter of Audi redesigning then replacing the pumps.

 

Hi Avant fan.
Agree with you that the vacuum cleaner/roaring sound isn't acceptable on a car. To be fair my car doesn't emit this sound to any great degree but I was aware that this was a "possible" which Audi flagged up. Anyway my correspondence with Audi (UK) has produced some results in that the car is in for investigation all next week .

 

Just got my A4 and I may be in the same boat. I definitely hear the roaring sound, which is quite a shock to me, a new-Audi owner. I would characterize it as a low-flying jet sound. Anyhow, I also thought I was hearing a grinding noise as well, but just wrote it off as part of the jet-noise. I will be listening again and, if I hear it, I will definitely bring it in. Like your Audi, mine only makes the noise on a cold-start.

 

go back to the dealer and ask them to check the tensioner. mine had a squeak sound during a cold start and they fixed it.

 

The dealer listened. The jet engine sound is there and is considered normal for a 2.0. He absolutely agreed that it was awful and wishes that Audi did not design it that way. He also mentioned that if I had the 3.2, this would have been a problem. No grinding sound. I guess I just need to get a vanity plate that says 'Boeing' and move on...

The service manager was great in that he popped the hood and showed me where the noise is coming from (a bunch of holes on the middle-left hand side, close to the front of the car). He also warned me that the sound will be alarmingly loud if I started the car with the hood open.