Audi Q7 vibration under load 6th, 7th and 8th please help!

[wobblybox]

Hello all, I am really struggling to find the source of a vibration in a 2010 Audi Q7 with 57k, it has the 8 speed automatic gearbox. I only have the car 6 weeks and it's been for 2 of them trying to diagnose a vibration that's only really happening under load in 6th, 7th and 8th.

If going up a hill in 7th gear at 65 mph and I accelerate hard enough to stay in 7th and not kick down, I get a strong vibration/sensation through the pedals, floor and body of the car, it is a high speed vibration like a hammer drill, the sensation increases when it changes to 8th and increases again when load is applied. As soon as I throttle off the vibration disappears. In the passenger side I can't feel it when someone else is driving.

It has been checked for the propshaft bearing among other things and a recent diagnosis pointed towards the gearbox, as far as I can make out the 8 speed automatic gearbox is bombproof, I have no other gearbox issues other than a slight ghost like 'wooooooo' noise when it goes from 1st to 2nd, the noise happens everytime.

The vibration is very annoying and it's going back again to the dealer. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this in a quattro and found the problem?

I am of the understanding that the propshaft bearing is going to be replaced as a box tick, the cayenne/touareg have the same platform and suffer this issue but at lower speed and it's more violent.

Any help is greatly appreciated, if you need any clarification please ask.

Edited by wobblybox on Wednesday 5th September 22:32

[GreenV8S]

wobblybox said:

it's going back again to the dealer

Since you bought from a dealer, it isn't your problem.

Edited by GreenV8S on Thursday 6th September 12:14

[wobblybox]

Well it kind of is... It's been off road for 2 weeks, I need a 7 seater and I want the car I paid for. I believe the dealer is doing his best to sort it and I was hoping to glean some information/help from anyone who may have experienced and resolved a similar problem. Thanks for your input though.

It's technical help I am seeking folks not consumer advice (at this stage anyway....!)

[GreenV8S]

I know you aren't interested in the consumer rights perspective, but if you're planning to try to fix the problem yourself, I'd advise against it unless you're prepared to waive your rights. And if you're planning to tell the dealer's mechanic how to fix the problem, in my experience that's unlikely to be well received. Anyway, hopefully others will be able to offer opinions about possible causes. For my money, this is exactly what warranties are for and the seller needs to fix or refund.

[Mignon]

In a similar thread in 2016 it turned out to be faulty tyres.

[wobblybox]

GreenV8S said:

I know you aren't interested in the consumer rights perspective, but if you're planning to try to fix the problem yourself, I'd advise against it unless you're prepared to waive your rights. And if you're planning to tell the dealer's mechanic how to fix the problem, in my experience that's unlikely to be well received. Anyway, hopefully others will be able to offer opinions about possible causes. For my money, this is exactly what warranties are for and the seller needs to fix or refund.

I see your point... I bought the car for big money, the power steering pump developed a fault within the 1st week and was replaced, between that and trying to diagnose the vibration it was off the road for 2 weeks, I foolishly took it back.. This was primarily because the courtesy car provided to us by the garage broke down (it could only happen to me) it did go again ok but caused a massive faff as my fiancee was driving it miles away from home and it went into limp mode, I had to give up sleep post Nightshift to retrieve her. I got another garage to look at it to confirm there is a problem and for a 2nd opinion. He believes it may in the gearbox, this garage suggested leaving it in to Audi for a diagnostic. I rang the garage I bought it from and he's reluctant to do this as he'll be at the mercy of Audi who charge megabucks per hour for labour and could really say anything uptonand including it needs a new gearbox.

I was hoping someone here would say, absolutely know that problem, I had it myself and it was the chickenbone rambler valve in the front dorsal wheel pinion or something to that effect.

I won't commit to anyone repairing the car and ultimately it's going to back to the garage where I bought it from one way or the other. I posted here out of frustration to try and get a steer.

[wobblybox]

Mignon said:

In a similar thread in 2016 it turned out to be faulty tyres.

I had all tyres changed to kumho tyres at the same time, I also had roadforce balancing done to absolutely confirm it wasn't tyres.

[Mignon]

You had the tyres changed after it started or before?

[wobblybox]

After, it vibrated from day one when I picked it up. Didn't realize till I started going uphill in 8th. New tyres = no difference.

[GreenV8S]

Rejecting the car may actually turn out to be your quickest way to a working car. You have the right to reject within 30 days without question. After that the seller has the right to attempt to repair before allowing you to reject it. If you're still within the 30 days, rejecting would get your money back and put you in a position to buy another similar car straight away. Otherwise you could be stuck without the transport you paid for while everyone discusses the problem.

[wobblybox]

I bought the car on 27th of July (trade in and cash totalling £17850). A few days after having it I rang the dealer explaining I felt a vibration when driving and that the power steering was making a horrendous noise (all ok on test drive) car went back a week after that so 2 weeks after purchase date, the car remained in the garage for 2 weeks while they sorted the power steering pump and attempted to find source of the vibration. In this time I had a courtesy car provided by them, it consequently broke down but restarted and didn't give anymore bother but I lost confidence in it, we have 2 very young children and I didn't want to be stranded. The power steering was fixed and I was told they couldn't find the source of the vibration and that it may be the tyres even though I had replaced all 4 tyres with kumho crugens. I got a roadforce balancing carried out last week (my father is seriously ill and has been in hospital hence the delay) if anything this has made the vibration not worse but certainly more noticeable because it goes so smoothly! I again rang the garage and he palmed me off, I took it to another garage I use and after a road test he thinks it could be in the gearbox.... I gets funny ghostly noise like a 'wooooooo' when it changes from 1st to 2nd, everytime it changes from 1st to 2nd in fact... I rang dealer and told him that the garage I got the diagnostic from recommended I took the car to Audi for further diagnostic and possibly a test of the transmission oil to check for water due to a potential fault that draws coolant in. I rang the dealer and told him this and I think he's been on the toilet ever since as he's not returning my calls or texts..... He did text saying that he wants to avoid going to Audi as the cost would be horrendous, I understand that and am willing to do what is required to have the car right. I don't want to return the car at this stage as I can't find the same car at this money even in the UK ... However the fact that he's avoiding me is really annoying me. The thing is, it's a family business with a great name that's been in business since 1925. In a text he stated that he's already had substantial cost replacing the steering pump £600 and any further costs would be unsustainable and that he'd have to 'buy the vehicle back' not refund... Since it's now approaching 40 days but he had the car back for 13 of them I'm not sure how this works in consumer law. After not seeking consumer advice I guess that's what it is coming too... A call to trading standards maybe required

[GreenV8S]

The fact you have let the dealer avoid his liabilities for so long does weaken your case but you still have considerable rights.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/how-cit...

Has anyone apart from you noticed the vibration problem? I believe it would help your case to have confirmation of the problem from an independent professional mechanic, preferably in writing.

[wobblybox]

Consumer law in Northern Ireland may be slightly different, I took advice from trading standards today and they suggested that as I have been amicable and worked with him it would strengthen my case. I paid a deposit with a credit card and as the fault was reported within 30 days and that he has failed to repair it despite being in for 2 weeks I am in a good position. I am also able to recoup and expenses for inconvenience. His options at this stage are, repair the car, replace the car for a like for like, pay someone else to repair the car or refund the total amount.

Yes I have had another garage do a diagnostic and he felt it may be a gearbox issue and that it should go to Audi for a gearbox oil analysis to see if there's water ingress. This has invariably led the dealer to place himself in a dark room listening to whale music while he sucks his thumb for he's now not returning my calls...

I'm writing a letter to him as we speak then it's off to small claims court, solicitors and or trading standards.

[Glennhogg]

Hi Wobblybox,

I am hoping you worked out what was wrong with your car as I too have a similar problem with my 2011 Q7. When I get to about 60mph and put my foot very slightly on the accelerator, I can feel a vibration through the accelerator pedal I have had the gearbox diagnostically checked and its fine, new tyres, balancing and I've just had the prop shaft bearing changed... and its still there!!!!

Please, please, please tell me you worked out what was wrong?

Cheers Glenn

[wobblybox]

I’m afraid I didn’t get to the bottom of this. The dealer agreed it was there and took it back and I got a full refund. The thought of a new gearbox terrified me. I did find out that quite a few people complained about a vibration in the early ZF 8 speed box. I also discovered a lot of ambiguity about if and when it should be serviced with transmission fluids etc.

There’s an awful lot of stuff that can vibrate in cars and especially so in big 4x4’s. We ended up with an XC90 and the diff st itself costing £500 to rebuild.

Sorry I can’t help you, there’s nothing worse than a vibration

[littleredrooster]

High-mileage autoboxes can suffer from a problem with the lock-up clutch slipping, which gives exactly these symptoms. In a high gear, it fails to lock up completely and alternately slips and bites, causing the driveline vibration. It won't show up on diagnostics.

[spikeyhead]

wobblybox said:

Sorry I can’t help you, there’s nothing worse than a vibration

The Beach Boys disagree

[Ermiri880]

wobblybox said:

Hello all, I am really struggling to find the source of a vibration in a 2010 Audi Q7 with 57k, it has the 8 speed automatic gearbox. I only have the car 6 weeks and it's been for 2 of them trying to diagnose a vibration that's only really happening under load in 6th, 7th and 8th.

If going up a hill in 7th gear at 65 mph and I accelerate hard enough to stay in 7th and not kick down, I get a strong vibration/sensation through the pedals, floor and body of the car, it is a high speed vibration like a hammer drill, the sensation increases when it changes to 8th and increases again when load is applied. As soon as I throttle off the vibration disappears. In the passenger side I can't feel it when someone else is driving.

It has been checked for the propshaft bearing among other things and a recent diagnosis pointed towards the gearbox, as far as I can make out the 8 speed automatic gearbox is bombproof, I have no other gearbox issues other than a slight ghost like 'wooooooo' noise when it goes from 1st to 2nd, the noise happens everytime.

The vibration is very annoying and it's going back again to the dealer. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this in a quattro and found the problem?

I am of the understanding that the propshaft bearing is going to be replaced as a box tick, the cayenne/touareg have the same platform and suffer this issue but at lower speed and it's more violent.

Any help is greatly appreciated, if you need any clarification please ask.

Edited by wobblybox on Wednesday 5th September 22:32

[GeniusOfLove]

littleredrooster said:

High-mileage autoboxes can suffer from a problem with the lock-up clutch slipping, which gives exactly these symptoms. In a high gear, it fails to lock up completely and alternately slips and bites, causing the driveline vibration. It won't show up on diagnostics.

My first thought was torque coverter lockup clutch, having experienced exactly these symptoms. Five years too late for the OP though!