This may saound a little strange, but I want to check if anyone else is or has experienced the same problem that I am experiencing in my new second hand Audi A6 2.4 (with S-line package, low profiles, lowered suspension, sunroof....as this info may help with an explanation to the problem), with 8000km on the clock.

I love the car it is a stunner, BUT,

I have had the car for 2 weeks, and every time I drive the car, I get the blocked ears sensation (like you get in a plane on take off), at first I thought it was just a problem with me, but 2 weeks down the line it still happens every time I drive the car. It has gotten to the point now where I have ear ache.

Has anyone come across something like this?, if so what was the cause and then solution.

I have notified Audi SA and I will be taking the car in to a dealer (they have not heard of this before, so they say).

As I said up there, I love my car, but if this continues I cannot keep it and will be forced to move over to another brand..............

 

anyone!

 

I'm betting it only happens when the sunroof is open and the other windows are closed at around 35-45 mph. For some reason both my A4 and A6 will develop a harmonic wind pulsing (not sure what else to call it) at that speed. It doesn't appear at lower speeds and goes away as you go faster. You can mitigate it a little by closing the sunroof a few inches. It's possible a deflector would help, but I just go faster than 45 all the time.

 

yep, mine does the same with the sunroof open and windows closed... if you open the other windows ever so slightly it also helps

 

I don't know if he was talking about the harmonic wind-pulse (which i think we all have noticed, and for reference it happens in basically all cars if the conditions are right).

I understand what he's saying when he says it feels pressurized. It's interesting because the Bose sound system reacts to it in my car and increases the volume and treble (a more 'open' sound) when the sunroof/window is opened. Then when i shut it, the sound goes back to normal and it definitely feels slightly like being in a pressurized airplane. This may just be a side effect of how well the car is sealed from the elements, i really don't know what could cause it.

 

Thanks for the reply's.

I know about the sun roof problem, I had that in my 2003 A6, actually in my new baby it does not do it as bad.

But no I am not talking about the sun roof (I would have mentioned it in my 1st post). I am experiencing this with everything nice and shut.

Audi SA, has come back to me and has told me to put the re-circulate button on, and see if this helps, then this will steer them in the right direction to try and fix the problem, as they to have not heard of this problem, to this extreme.

But trust me guys, I first thought that it was me being full of sh*t, but trust me after 2 weeks my ears are killing me...and it is getting to the point where I do not want to drive my car.

 

is your radio off too? maybe its the noise compensation on the Bose gone amuck?

Check all your weatherstripping, doors AND trunk, and see if there are any gaps.

If you play with the climate control (turn it OFF) and then open the windows (to release pressure) and then close the windows, does it continue?

does it start out not doing it and gradually build up in pressure?

 

This is intriguing. No car seals airtight to the point that the fan or A/C will build up pressure in the car. I would expect the windows to keep out road noise -- after all, these are well made cars.

Maybe you have the lunar explorer model?

 

lunar explorer model, hehehehe

Over the weekend I tried to ride my baby (my car that is) as little as possible to try and repair my ears.......so this morning on the way to work, it was not 10min into the drive and the pressure on my ears, was tremendous.....I opened the back tilt on the sun roof and there was instant relief on my ears (the pressure had gone), so I drove like that the rest of the way.
The problem I find is once my ears get irritated, then the radio starts bugging me, and the window noise (when I open a window or sun roof tilt).....but the main cause I think is the pressure in the cabin.

I wonder if there is not something wrong with the air outlet in the vehicle, which is not allowing the air from inside the cabin (so air pumping in from the climate control) to get out, so it builds up inside and the faster I go the worse it gets...........some interesting facts;
- My wife yawns a lot in this car (not getting enough oxygen!!!!!)
- But when she takes the car off alone, she does not experience the same problems

Maybe it is just me then!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I realize how old this thread is, but I am having the EXACT same issue and this is the only hit I could find after googling the problem. Did you ever figure out a solution? I just got a Q7 and it's an amazing car but I'm in pain driving it from the pressure in my ears. My spouse notices it, too, but doesn't bother him as much. What did you end up doing??