2013 Rear Suspension Creaking Noise

[audrobotic]

I've heard a creaking/squeak noise from the rear of the car pretty much since new. I finally got tired of it and asked the dealer to take a look. (Still under warranty, about 43,000 miles). A tech drove with me and confirmed the noise. It seems to be most noticeble at low speeds such as parking lot either over speed bumps or when the roadway slope changes a little. The noise also occurs when moving from a stop, and not necessarily always over bumps. There's sort of a swaying (back and forth) quality to the sound. Which is odd to hear from a dead stop and flat pavement.

So the dealer removed both rear shocks and replaced both rear bump stops (bumper) and top brackets (shock mount). They didnt change the shocks they just put the old ones back.

So after driving around after it was "fixed" I still hear the same noise. I'm thinking of trying another dealer. Has anyone had this issue?

[Darksol80]

I have that same issue and I am lowered on H&R's. I am thinking I need to lube the swaybar bushings and maybe spray some lube into the spring perches.

[Lars77]

My 2012 has suffered from the same creaks since new. It has been most apparent whenever the back wheels are not on an eve plane to each other.

Through numerous trips to repair over the past 4 years of ownership the best solution so far has been to lubricate all rubber gaskets, linings and trim pieces around the trunk, rear doors and contact points for the trunk.

Initial thoughts were to blame bushings, suspension and other more logical pieces but so far so good with a little grease around the rubber parts of the vehicle.

There was a similar problem discussed on another Audi forum and that poster claims that it was a slight misalignment of the trunk to the body which shifted over potholes and speed bumps. Small pieces of felt to the contact points and some electrical tape to the latch fixed his creaks.

Let us know if this works for your vehicle and good luck.

[audrobotic]

Wow that's interesting. It's actually at the dealership now. I would have never thought of the trunk as a possible culprit. It sure sounds like the rear suspension and I just noticed that slowly driving up a steep incline will really makes the sound come alive. I have jokingly considered riding around inside the trunk to see I could hear the source. Thanks for the info! If it comes back unfixed I may have some questions about your fix.

[Lars77]

On the last ride along with the service manager he moved from the front passenger seat (heard everything) to the passenger rear. It was in that seat when all creaks mysteriously disappeared.

He then shifted to the rear driver's side as I drove and only subtle creaks could be heard.

Nobody ever thought to sit in the back seat during the other drive alongs and this new detail made us think the creaks were originating in the seats. It may have been a red herring as the creak sounds in my car were either metal on metal or possibly some piece of hard trim. I think we can all agree that for these cars, sound from potholes are more of a dull thud and much different than a creak.

My dealership is really great about trying to resolve this - particularly as it keeps happening again.

With any creak, once you hear it - it'll always bother you.

Let me know what happens. I still have my diagnosis report if it is if any use to you.

[jfo]

Here's another creak story. Mine started after about 3 years with a creak I was sure came from the back somewhere. it was intermittent and only happened with certain bumps or road conditions. One day I jumped in the back while my wife drove and waited for the noise to appear as I moved around in the backseat. I finally traced it to the driver side sun roof! I could make it stop by pushing on part of the panel. It was coming from just behind my head but I was sure it came from the back of the car! I haven't been able to eliminate it and just live with it when on bumpy roads. It seems to be related to the large Avant sunroof and a certain type of movement in the body.

[o1turbo30v]

It's the shocks, if it only makes the sound at low speeds and over bumps.

[audrobotic]

Well the service advisor emailed me the summary of the fix. I'm not very hopeful because basically they just replaced the bump stops again. I'll pickup the car in a couple days. I can see they are trying very hard and these noises can be almost impossible to pinpoint. I didnt even know "jounce" was a word. I had to look it up. Here is the summary:
PERFORM ROAD TEST. VERIFY COMPLAINT. NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. HAVE SECOND TECHNICIAN JOUNCE ON BACK OF CAR. NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. REMOVE REAR SWAY BAR WITH LINKS. PERFORM ROAD TEST. NOISE STILL PRESENT. HAVE SECOND TECHNICIAN JOUNCE ON VEHICLE AGAIN. NOISE COMING FROM REAR STRUT BUMP STOPS, VERIFY WITH SHOP FOREMAN. COMPARE BUMP STOPS WITH OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLE. SAME PART NUMBER FOUND. WHEN TEST CAR IS JOUNCED. NO NOISE HEARD. CONTACT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OF FINDINGS, ADVISED TO REPLACE BUMP STOPS. REMOVE REAR WHEEL LINERS. REMOVE STRUTS. REMOVE AND REPLACE BUMP STOPS WITH DUST COVERS. REPLACE BOLTS. RE-INSTALL STRUTS. PERFORM ROAD TEST. NO NOISE COULD BE HEARD. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - WG-84615k

[audrobotic]

So I picked up the car today...and the noise is gone! I have no idea how replacing the bump stops again fixed the issue, but whatever they did worked. You don't realize how something was so annoying until its gone. I sure hope that noise never comes back.

[audrobotic]

So this video is interesting:
https://audi-external.kzoplatform.co...iew/286/lid:75
I don't have access to the tsb (#2038689) but this is the exact part that was the culprit. Apparently this tsb starts for A4 model year 2014.

There is a tool called the SET900.
https://audi.snapon.com/SpecialTools...temid=49110008

From the tool description:

The rear bump stops must be seated into the rear shock absorber mounting after the transportation blocks are removed at PDI. Audi B8 and C7 models built after Jan 1, 2013 have a redesigned rear bump stop, which is very difficult to press into the rear shock absorber mounting by hand.

Bump stops can cause noise if they are not fully seated in the rear shock absorber mounting, which results in customer complaints.The newly developed SET900 bump stop installation tool helps the technician properly install the rear bump stops with minimal effort.