Hi All,
Wonder if you can help me here, tonight my car (2000 2.7t) developed a weird clicking/grating noise from behind the steering wheel. It only seems to appear when turning the wheel in a clock wise direction and just when theroad wheels are being brought back to the straight ahead position. The only way I can describe it is that it is like one of those racks that spin around in a shop that move on marblesin the base. It does not make a great deal of sense as the noise is only there when the wheels come back to the straight ahead position,not when the steering wheel is in the straightaheadposition and the road wheels are at and angel.It is not dependent on the positionif the steering wheel but the roadwheels andonly at low speeds.

It has been very cold tonight soI am hoping it was just the plastic behind the wheel being cold and contractingand it will go when things warm up. Wondering if anyone knew of this problem and what it could be.

I am not sure if it is a bearing, the fact that it is so specific to a combination of steering wheel and road wheel position would support that this was not the case.

Thanks for the help
James.

PS: anyone know of a Audi mechanic in the Lancaster area I know of one but he is always busy and will not come out to look at a car in his car park if you just want a quick opinion, he has to have it booked into his shop.

 

Wow, Earlier today i had the same problem, but only when i turn the wheel to the left and then back to center... Its cold here to, so im guessing (hoping) thats all it is, but who knows. The noise is very quiet and my solution is turn the music up and it goes away.

 

Thanks trapped nice to know I am not alone, do you have any information on what is causing the problem?

ok I got the direction wrong it is in a clockwise direction, that is when I hear the clicking. Any ideas on what my problem could be and how to solve it?
Thanks
James

 

I am thinking that it could be power steeringfluid levelor tie rod related by using the search on here but that does not tally with what I am hearing from the car. There is no noise from the road wheels just from behind the strearing wheel when turining the steering wheel anti clockwise when the car is moving slowly.
Any opinions?
HELP!!!!!!!

 

This issue has been going on for a while, I have the same thing, but nobody TRULY knows.

 

fluid level??did you check that at least[:-]

 

could be tire rod or control arms... however I have seen a few A6 with a lose steering rack bolt that just needed tightening....

Mine makes noise too and has small vibrations in few occasions... Think I am due to tie rods!

 

Hi guys I check the fluid level and that seamed to be ok. I also jacked up the car and grabbed the wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock to see if there was any play in the wheel. There was none in any direction so I don’t there is any play in the tie rods.

I am not sure how anything other than something in the steering column, the other thing that I have noted is that it only happens when the car is not moving very fast. For example when backing out of a parking space, out of the drive, turning the car around.

Can anyone explain who the suggestions(power steering fluid, louse bolts and tie rods)would cause a noise to emanate from behind the steering wheel. I am not sure if it is something that is out of sorts or louse behind the steering wheel.

I am sending it in for new tiers and an alignment soon so I will ask them to tighten up everything in the steering system. (I have a wobble thought the steering wheel so I am thinking the tiers need balancing)

Thanks
James

 

This is what others have said -- Sorry -- I didn't get the names of the people that made the post.

1. Spray some white lithium grease where the rubber parts meet. This is in the interior , into the steering column.

2. Had a weird problem this past week - turning the steering wheel to the left 45 degrees or more while the car was stationary or barely moving produced a noticeable creaking sound that I could at times feel through the steering column. The creaking sound occured only when the wheel was quickly turned left, but not right or back to center.
Did a little research, a couple other A6s and A4s reported the same affliction, which was solved by a little grease on the tie rod ends.

3. Took it to my independent shop this morning, they found that a tie rod end which was installed on the left front wheel 3K miles ago lacked lubrication, and greased it a bit - problem solved


4. It is interior and it is the interior steering column joint. Try changing the tilt and telescopic up and down and in and out. That will at least temporarily fix it.

 

Thanks NH_USA I had foubnd those in the forums but have not had chance to try anything out yet. I need to get the wheels balenced it developed a vibration and the steering wheel started to wabble the other day. So I will get them to align everything and get the bolts tightened. If I find a cure I will post it on here.

For now the search continues and we will see what happenes.
James