Hi, just picked up a 2001 A6 and there's a couple of things strange. The front windows go down ok but then stop half way on their way up and then suddenly go back down. The only way to get them up is just by putting them up bit by bit. Also, the ride on the highway is really rough over 70 mph. It's like a studder. The car has Continental tires. I hope it's easy as a good balancing. Any ideas? Thanks, Robert

The windows can be flaky, they have a sensor that stops them from going up if the detect any kind of resistance. Are you trying to roll them up while driving or is it just when you are parked. I know mine can keep freaking out when I am driving and there is a wind coming in that sets off the trigger.

As for the vibration, I had the same thing. Could be tires, could be your wheels. For me it was a combination of both. I had bad tires and I had a bent rim. Go get them checked out.

Your windows have bad clips. Do a search for window clips and you will find all the info you need.

welcome to the forums.

Jeff

thanks, and thanks for the welcome too. The tires balance and or wheels were my first hunch there but the window clips I never would have guessed.

Window clips are notoriously bad, as is the window regulator.
As for the ride, some tires or tire/wheel setups are more sensitive than other as regards to tire pressure. Probably needs to be about 34 or 36 unless you have 18" + wheels.
A shop had overinflated my tires and you wouldn't believe what it did to my ride... I checked everything but that!:) at first!
However, balancing your wheels is definitely in the top 3 to check. See if your rims are bent too. Any shaking/wobble? If so where do you feel it? Steering wheel or seat?

Hi, the vibration is more in the seat and floorboards than steering wheel. Thanks, Rob

I have seen many issues WRT vibration in audi's, and have been doing a lot of searching. I will sell my A6 primarily because of this issue, in the spring.

I have an A6 that has a vibration that it seems cannot be fixed - I feel your pain. In the past year, I have bought 3 sets of tires and wheels, and in different sizes, had them balanced at 4-5 different hi-end shops, etc. Still, I have this vibration. Service manager at two different (German) Audi dealerships have ridden in the car as well, say that its the tires - I tell them the tires are 3x new, they say ?? Funny thing with mine is, that the vibration is not present all the time, only every now and then, which is a confusing issue. (not at specific speeds, and yes in the whole car, not the wheel)

Anyway, I have replaced all 4 rotors, 4 upper control arms, tie rod ends, and lower control arms. Also new springs and shocks. Basically most of the driveline is new except the axles themselves.

I have surfed here and other audi forums, talked to other folks and here is my best guess:

1. The Audi is very sensitive to vibration. New tires seem OK for a few miles but then vibration returns. The 18"s on there now are better than the 16" ever were. Audis seem to need balancing every 6 months as a general rule - this does seem to help my car and I have heard this from others as well.

2. I may have a problem in the transmission. I have read that the torque converters, and other parts can cause tranny vibrations, which will shake the whole car. I cannot believe that an axle can cause this type of vibration, but I can believe a torque converter could. Funny thing about this, however, is that it doesn't get worse w/RPM - seems to be relative only to road speed, and intermittently so.

3. There is some other mystery joint, wheel bearing, etc that is the key to this whole thing.

Anyone has input I'm all ears. But this is not a hijack, just providing my situation to help in your SA.

Wish you luck,

Smash

ORIGINAL: workprep

Hi, the vibration is more in the seat and floorboards than steering wheel. Thanks, Rob


Rear wheels then. Check tire pressure at all 4 corners, then have a shop check your rear rims and tires. YOU could have a bent rim ot defective tire. Warped rotors can cause vibrations too. Is it at a specific speed like 55-60mph?

with regards to your wheels, be certain to verfiy that both rims of the wheels are straight and true. I once had a wheel that was perfectly straight on the outside rim but was out of true on the inside rim. This caused the tire to be slightly out of round but it was the wheel that caused it. It did not matter how many tires were replaced they all caused a slight vibration at highway speeds. Also do you have a quattro model or front drive.What year is your A6?

Those questions I just asked should have been addressed to Smash.

Thanks

JC, I guess we are hijacking, but I have a 2001 4.2 Quattro and that was 3 different wheel AND tire sets, not just tires. Crazy huh?

Smash

After buying new tires myvehicle had a vibration.At first we though it was balance so we rebalanced all of them a few times. Then we replaced all the tires - one at a time. Then weswappedwheels - one at time. The vibration got a bit better each time but never disappeared.

Since I drove 50 miles each way for work each day we did the work on Saturdays. As you can quess - this took a few months and wasted a lot of time. The problem didn't goaway until the tires finally wore out and I bought a different brand of tire. I couldn't believe how smooth they were.

Bottom line -- sometimes it is just the type of tire. I now buy Yokohama Avid TRZ when possible and stay away from Hankook

^ agreed! Especially when you get to 19's!
Buy Vredestein, contis, Michelinand you will probably have no vibration issues.
I heard of vibration issues with Khumos, Hankook, and HP Exclaim...

^ agreed! Especially when you get to 19's!
Buy Vredestein, contis, Michelinand you will probably have no vibration issues.
I heard of vibration issues with Khumos, Hankook, and HP Exclaim...

I just bought my '03 A6 the other day and found this same vibration/humming/pulsing. The car has 60K miles and I didn't notice it during the test drive, but I didn't get going more than 45mph then. The first time I got myA6 over 60mph I felt the vibration coming from the floorboards. Nothingcoming throughthe steering wheel. I don't think it is the tires or wheels because the vibration/pulsing is much slower than the tire rotating and it is very regular. Also don't think its the tranny because the vibration is still there even if I shift into neutral. Anybody made any discoveries to solve this problem?

Step one!

Have the rear tires balanced -Ask them to make sure the wheels are not bent and to make sure there are no cord separations.