At my 35,000 mile service, my dealership recommended that I buy four new tires since one tire didn't match the other three and they no longer made that specific model. Since there was sufficient tread left on all four tires, I declined, and drove my car home. This is when the droning sound began (or at least it's the first time I noticed it). I brough the car back the next day and had the service manager drive it to diagnose the drone. He came back and stated that the drone was, coincidentally, caused by that odd tire and again suggested buying a new set of tires. I again declined. Now, five months and 7,000 miles later, the drone has become incredibly loud... it sounds like I'm driving a lifted Wrangler. This morning I had a brand new set of four Yokohama's put on in hopes that the drone would go away, but it didn't, and to be honest, I wasn't entirely surprised.

I have another appointment with my dealership tomorrow morning and I'd like to arrive with suggestions of what it might be so they don't give me bad advice again. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

I assume its quattro? If so you should have listened to the dealer! The problem with mismatched tires is not the noise, but the damage it does to the quattro system.

You can always look at cv joints or wheel bearings as a possible cause.

 

That's strange; I bought the car Certified Pre-Owned with mis-matched tires (and a THIRD type of tire as a spare!) Had the dealership I brought it too recently told me mis-matched tires would damage the Quattro system, I would have immediately put new tires on, however, they suggested the switch since one of the tires was nearing its tread life (the odd tire). Can the damage done to a Quattro system be corrected?

 

Parts would have to be replaced. I would call audi of America and tell them you were sold a certified car with mismatched tires and see what they say. Aoa is pretty strict about CPOs, mine was one, and I'd bet that is against policy.

If that doesn't work just go to another dealer with your new tires and don't say anything about this whole fiasco!

 

Actually, I would probably get it fixed at another dealer first, then contact aoa to let them know about the crappy dealer.

 

Unfortunately I have to go to the dealership I brought it to for my 35,000 servicing... the next closest dealership is 55 miles from me, and I just can't take that much time off work. Hopefully the damage done wasn't too bad and the work will be covered under the CPO warranty. Regardless of the outcome, I'm definitely going to call AOA and complain about the dealership I bought it from.

I'll still have the CV joints and wheels bearings looked at though... when I drive next to fences, parked cars, curbs, etc., I hear a metallic "ticking" sound coming from my front right wheel. I assumed the drone and ticking were seperate issues, but maybe not...

 

Just for clarification, were you suggesting that the droning noise could be coming from the transfer case due to the mis-matched tires/Quattro issue, or were you just stating that it's a destructive thing to do in general? I don't want to mention the transfer case to the dealership if, by chance, the transfer case hasn't suffered any damage.

Thanks again for your help.

 

I believe that the damage would be limited to axles and differentials due to one wheel spinning at a different speed than the other.

 

Thanks for the help Shane. As it turns out, I had two bad front wheel bearings, and thankfully, replacement was covered under my CPO warranty.

In regards to the potential axle/differential/transfer case issue caused by mismatched tires, are there any signs of damage that I should look for?

 

I don't know of any signs other than noise. You could change the differential fluid and look for metal shavings.

I would call aoa and ask for their advice as this could have caused damage that won't become a problem until later. The dealership was obviously trying to cut cost by not replacing the tires.