I'm at a loss but I'm hoping someone here has experienced this problem and has a fix. Whenever it is hotter than 90F, my car begins to make a grinding noise that can be heard when turning the steering wheel. It is also audible when starting from a stopped position. It's not a mechanical grind like you hear when your PS pump is low on fluid. It seems to be like a rubber or plastic expanding and rubbing up against something else. As soon as the temps drop (after dusk) the noise goes away completely.

Please note: I have a 98 2.8L with 102k miles.
I've had the CV boots replaced, tie rod ends replaced, and control arms replaced. More recently I performed a PS fluid flush last weekend. That helped the problem a little bit as it does not sound as bad but nontheless, it's still there.

I'm hoping the Audi aficionados here can help me diagnose this.
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

could it be your tires expanded from the heat and rubbing something? hmm. that's a tough one. i would be look into the ps pump a little closer?

 

my 2001 2.8 makes a kind of rubber or plastic squeeling noise when the out side temp is hot, especially if the oil temp is up (like 215-225). This only happens under those conditions though and only turning the wheel to the right, silent going back to the left, havent found the cause yet though so i dont have any fixes.

 

I've asked about this in the past & no one seemed to have experinced it.

Mine's a grown, when I turn the wheel or drive slow and only when it's hot out like maybe 90-92 but definately 95+. I can feel it through the steering wheel.

The dealer says they never heard of the problem related to hot weather.

I can feel only the left lower ball joint vibrate and make some noise when the wheel is turned. So I think the lower front control arm needs to be replaced. The straight one.

The noise drives me crazy but I don't drive the car that often and it doesn't seem to bother my wife.

My control arms only have 20,000 m on them. To replace or not?

 

What you describe is exactly what is occurring on my wife A6 too. It's driving me crazy not being able to troubleshoot it done to one specific thing. Oh well, looks like the temps are starting to go down here so maybe I can wait till next summer to try and find a fix for it.

 

The mystery is why does it only do it when it's hot out?

It would make more sense to me if it did it in cold weather.

 

seeing as it happens only when hot out makes me believe that it has to be a rubber or plastic piece rubbing up against something else. Rubber and plastic expands with heat...but what is expanding and against what is still a mystery.

 

It's a conundrum wrapped in a mystery.

Are the shocks gas filled? When I get under the car & someone turns the wheel it seems to be the ball joint in the front lower control arm,left side.

 

I have the same exact problem on my 2000 A6 2.7T. Only when it is hot. I know it is coming from the right side I can also get out of the car when it is doing it and push down on the right side fender and it makes the noise also, which leads me to believe that is something to do with the shock, maybe a bushing.